Purdue startup SensorHound wins Air Force grant to bring cybersecurity technologies to Department of Defense

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A Purdue University-based cybersecurity startup may soon help the U.S. Air Force monitor and track high-value and sensitive assets.

SensorHound Inc. has received a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I contract, sponsored by the Air Force and AFWERX, the Air Force’s technology and innovation hub. The Air Force is interested in exploring technological solutions that have proven their value and commercial potential in the non-defense commercial sector to see if they have applications for an Air Force problem. This phase of the SBIR includes conducting a feasibility study to determine the effectiveness of existing and upcoming commercial solutions for one or multiple Air Force and Department of Defense problems.

SensorHound has developed a unique cybersecure environmental condition monitoring and location-tracking device, Beagle, for high-value and sensitive assets. SensorHound’s Beagle solution is currently being piloted in industry, including a Fortune 500 company. A video about the solution is available at https://bit.ly/2CMiq0G.

 “The Beagle solution is purpose-built for high-value assets addressing key requirements of high cybersecurity, long-lasting and remote configurability,” said Vinai Sundaram, co-founder and CEO of SensorHound. “Beagle uses SensorHound’s core solution to monitor device firmware failures and intrusions in the field.”

SensorHound provides lightweight software solutions to detect malicious intrusions and monitor firmware health in Internet of Things (IoT) devices like asset trackers and smart thermostats. The company, headquartered at Purdue Research Foundation’s Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette, also provides products to securely and reliably connect IoT devices to the cloud servers. These solutions help IoT device manufacturers and operators to significantly reduce their time to market and cost of ownership.

A successful Phase I project could lead to a multi-year Phase II award that would allow SensorHound to develop and demonstrate the adapted prototype system that meets the military standards and requirements.

In addition to this Air Force SBIR, SensorHound has been recognized again with a TechConnect Defense Innovation Award. Only 15 percent of all innovations submitted to the Defense Innovation Summit were selected for this award. Rankings are based on the potential positive impact the submitted technology will have for the warfighter and national security. 

SensorHound’s work aligns with Purdue's Giant Leaps celebration, celebrating the university’s global advancements in artificial intelligence as part of Purdue’s 150th anniversary. AI, including through defense cybersecurity, is one of the four themes of the yearlong celebration’s Ideas Festival, designed to showcase Purdue as an intellectual center solving real-world issues.

SensorHound’s technology is licensed through the Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization.

About SensorHound Inc.

SensorHound Inc. is a cybersecurity software company whose mission is to improve the security and reliability of the Internet of Things (IoT). The company’s leading-edge software solutions proactively and automatically monitor IoT devices to provide effective insights into the device’s operational health. SensorHound’s patented technology has won several accolades including prestigious National Science Foundation’s SBIR Phase I & II awards. SensorHound is headquartered at Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette, Indiana. For more information, email contact@sensorhound.com.

About Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization

The Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S. Services provided by this office support the economic development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the university's academic activities. The office is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, which received the 2016 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Innovation from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. For more information about funding and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at foundry@prf.org. For more information on licensing a Purdue innovation, contact the Office of Technology Commercialization at otcip@prf.org. The Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University.         

About National Security Technology Accelerator 

National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL) accelerates the discovery, development and deployment of innovative technology solutions for operational missions and installations of the U.S. Military at home and abroad.  NSTXL harvests innovative technology from the commercial and non-defense marketplace, ensuring the development of better, cheaper, and faster defense capabilities. We offer a unique and simplified approach to rapidly develop prototype that address a range of operational and installation needs, from individual warfighter technology up to large-scale installation projects. NSTXL delivers technology to the warfighter by serving as a one-stop shop to match government requirements with innovative private-sector solutions.

About TechConnect 

For more than 20 years, TechConnect has provided strategic technology prospecting and commercialization services through the largest network of active innovators worldwide. Each year TechConnect prospects, vets, and connects thousands of emerging technologies for our industry, investment, and government clients.

Writer: Chris Adam, 765-588-3341, cladam@prf.org

Source: Matthew S. Potrawski, SensorHound Inc., mpotrawski@sensorhound.com