The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate, recently unveiled a list of 13 small businesses working towards “the development of new cyber security technology.” The companies are part of the 2016 Small Business Innovation Research program. Each was awarded approximately $100,000 in funding, for a total of $1.3 million, and four are using blockchains in their product.
The Department of Homeland Security was formed in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, as part of a determined national effort to safeguard the United States against terrorism. The Department became the third-largest federal department, bringing together 22 different federal agencies, each with a role in this effort.