Annual Competition Promotes International Security Innovations

Jun 10, 2008 2:37 PM

The American Regional Semi-Final of the 2008 Global Security Challenge (GSC), the world's largest international security innovation competition, offers entrepreneurs and start-ups the opportunity to showcase their security inventions and compete for more than $500,000 in cash-grants. The contest will be hosted this year by the University of Maryland.

The Semi-Final will be held in College Park, Md., on Sept. 15. Prizes are offered in a number of categories, and all Global Security Challenge entrants will receive feedback on their submission. Booz Allen Hamilton, a developer in technology, is the local sponsor for the American Regional Semi-Final.

"The world increasingly faces risks from a variety of sources, and finding new innovations to protect public security needs is an important mission of the competition," says Melvin Bernstein, vice president for research at the University of Maryland. "We encourage innovators and start-ups in security technology throughout America to enter the GSC to benefit their companies and the world."

GSC partners with research universities around the world including the University of Maryland, which will host the American Regional Semi-Final; the University of Kent, which will host the European Regional Semi-Final held in Brussels; and the National University of Singapore, which will host the Asian Regional Semi-Final. All semi-finals are in September. The Global Security Challenge Grand Final, hosted by London Business School, will be held in London in November.

The third annual GSC aims to identify, explore and foster innovation in the field of Homeland and national security. It was started in 2006 by London Business School students who wanted to empower security entrepreneurs, and thus support the successful development and commercialization of novel security technologies.

"The Global Security Challenge brings together many leading edge technologies and methodologies to improve Homeland security and fight terrorism worldwide," says Tom Fuhrman, a vice president of Booz Allen Hamilton. "Along with proven service offerings, Booz Allen is proud to sponsor the Global Security Challenge being held at the University of Maryland."

GSC Co-President Janeen Chupa says, "GSC is happy to partner with the University of Maryland and Booz Allen Hamilton to support innovators working to make us all safer."

According to the Global Security Challenge, finalists and winners from the first two competitions subsequently raised $20 million in new venture capital, grants and angel investments. The grand prize winners of the first two GSC competitions, Ingenia Technology and NoblePeak Vision, report substantial new investments, growth and further development of their security technologies since winning the award.

Cliff King, founder of NoblePeak Vision, a U.S. start-up company that is developing germanium-enhanced sensors for powerful night vision imaging, says that customer interest in their technology soared from the publicity received after winning the 2007 Global Security Challenge.

The deadline for entering the competition is June 15. For more information or to enter the GSC, go to: www.globalsecuritychallenge.com/competition/competition.html

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