June 27, 2024 – Through the Medical Threat Reduction Challenge and Counter WMD Innovation Challenge, two Advanced Technology International (ATI)-managed consortia awarded a combined $100,000 in prizes to six innovators.
The Medical CBRN Defense Consortium (MCDC) and Counter WMD Consortium (CWMD) work with federal defense clients to collaborate on solutions that keep the nation safe, as well as contribute to civilian quality of life. The solutions awarded through these two challenges will advance development efforts to support medical, pharmaceutical, and diagnostic requirements for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), enhancing the mission effectiveness of military personnel. These efforts will also improve detection, enhance prevention, and advance protection against various threats, ensuring comprehensive defense capabilities, thereby creating a resilient, highly mobile, rapid response force.
After a rigorous evaluation, eight judges selected awardees from a group of 14 finalists who pitched their innovations at TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo in Washington, D.C., the nation’s largest annual gathering of non-traditional, dual-use emerging technologies aligned with priority government requirements. The judges included representatives from: Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium, Tunnell Government Services, Strategic Analysis Incorporated (SAIC), Joint Research & Development, Defense Architecture Systems and the two consortia, and were joined in the audience by federal funders, consortium managers, investors, private corporations, and a diverse set of conference attendees.
In addition to a cash prize, each winner is invited to join the consortia and gain access to exclusive opportunities for rapid procurement by government customers. With $100 billion in overall funding authority, ATI consortia invest significantly in prototype-level innovation.
“We are incredibly proud to honor outstanding innovators whose work has the potential to do more for the Nation, whether through advancing our diagnostic capabilities, enhancing efficacy of vaccine treatments, protecting against contamination, sensing and preventing threats and more ,” said Mike Stebbins, Ph.D., Executive Director, CWMD and MCDC; Senior Vice President, Medical and Threat Countermeasures Division, ATI. “Their groundbreaking solutions are essential for enhancing our preparedness and response, and we look forward to seeing their continued impact in the field.”
Counter WMD Innovation Challenge Winners:
- First place: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus School of Medicine, Littleton, CO
- Second place: SteriO3 LLC, Broomfield, CO
- Third place: Luna Labs USA LLC, Charlottesville, VA
Medical Threat Reduction Challenge Winners:
- First place: Thylacine Biotherapeutics Inc., Miami Beach, FL
- Second place: Ceria Therapeutics, Inc., Tucson, AZ
- Third place: Vaxess Technologies, Cambridge, MA
The winning projects exemplify forward-thinking approaches required to address current and future challenges posed by the U.S. Department of Defense.
About Medical CBRN Defense Consortium (MCDC)
The Medical CBRN Defense Consortium (MCDC) is dedicated to advancing medical solutions that protect our nation from chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats. By fostering collaboration among government agencies, industry, and academia, MCDC aims to develop and deliver innovative medical countermeasures. medcbrn.org
About Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Consortium
The Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Consortium is a well-established community of industry, academia and government focused on rapid prototyping and maturing countering WMD efforts and CBRNE hazard awareness. cwmdconsortium.org