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  5. Technology Transfer and Commercialization Program

Technology Transfer & Commercialization

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate's (S&T) Technology Transfer and Commercialization Program (T2C) serves as the centralized point to manage technology transfer activities throughout DHS and the DHS laboratory network. Technologies developed and evaluated within the department can have tremendous potential for commercial applications throughout the nation, enhance the competitiveness of individual small businesses, and expand areas of exploration and cooperation for all non-federal partners.

T2C serves as the Office of Research and Technology Applications for DHS and manages the intellectual property and technology transfer functions that facilitate:

  • Promulgating DHS policy, guidance, and procedures related to technology transfer and commercialization
  • Reporting and protecting DHS-funded intellectual property via patents, copyrights, and working with the Office of General Counsel
  • Licensing intellectual property
  • Disbursing license royalties
  • Negotiating memoranda of understanding to initiate collaborations with federal partners
  • Annual reporting to congress on utilization of DHS funded technology.

The DHS relies on partners to commercialize its discoveries through licenses or further development under a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA).

Go to the Licensing and CRADA Opportunities page to view DHS patented technologies organized into six high-level portfolio categories.

t2c lab filter

All of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)-owned patent applications and patents available for licensing can be found on the Visual Patent Search website. To access DHS patents on this page, select Department of Homeland Security under the Labs tab.

Technologies owned by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may have significant commercial potential. To harness this potential and best serve the public interest, DHS may grant a license that allow a company (licensee) to make, use, and/or sell DHS technologies in the commercial marketplace. In general, a license grants permission for licensees to conduct a specific activity with a technology that would be prohibited if conducted without the license. The license activities and geographic territory covered by a license varies based on the specific license terms. The licensed territory can be worldwide and include specific countries or be limited to the U.S. and its territories.

DHS Licenses are negotiated by T2C and must follow statutory and regulatory requirements. Please contact T2C@HQ.DHS.GOV to express interest in licensing DHS intellectual property. 

Review the Licensing Factsheet to better understand the DHS licensing process.

Technologies available for licensing can be found in the Opportunities section above.

 

Homeland Security Startup Studio Icon

DHS S&T has partnered with FedTech to create the Homeland Security Startup Studio (HSSS), an innovative program aimed at commercializing federally funded breakthrough technologies to support homeland security missions.

HSSS is designed to accelerate and deliver commercial applications of technologies to meet homeland security needs. This two-phased effort will focus initially on S&T-funded technologies with plans to expand in the future to include technologies from other agencies and laboratories. The program will form teams of entrepreneurs and match them with innovative and ground-breaking technologies to assess their commercialization potential. They will work hand-in-hand with lab scientists and inventors, then explore forming companies around those technologies to solve the real-world problems of government and commercial customers.

A graphic outlining the Phase 1 and Phase 2 process for the Homeland Security Startup Studio.

FedTech is a venture builder that intersects entrepreneurship and breakthrough technologies with mission-driven organizations such as the Department of Defense, NASA, Department of Energy, federal laboratories, and universities.

Events

August 2021 Homeland Security Startup Studio Converge Event: View the Converge Event recording.

January 2021 Homeland Security Startup Studio Official Launch: View the Official Launch recording. 

December 2020 Homeland Security Startup Studio S&T Launch: View the S&T Launch recording and FAQs.

Read more about the Homeland Security Startup Studio.

Cooperative Research & Development Agreements (CRADA) assist DHS by facilitating collaborations with other entities to leverage the expertise and resources of both parties. T2C’s CRADA program assists R&D program managers (PMs) across DHS in establishing CRADAs to support the development and delivery of technology solutions to homeland security end users. The CRADA program works with PMs and DHS legal staff to refine CRADA statements of work and negotiate terms and conditions with CRADA partners. Read more about the CRADA Program.

Through the Commercialization Accelerator Program (CAP), DHS S&T is leading the successful transfer of federally funded DHS mission-relevant technologies into broader use through commercialization and utilization by end users. CAP has the following three main goals:

  1. Identify promising federal laboratory technologies that address an existing or imminent need that impacts the DHS mission.
  2. Increase utilization of federally funded R&D to enhance DHS mission capabilities through partnerships, product development efforts, and commercialization.
  3. Improve the long-term ability of federal government research organizations to more efficiently transition Homeland Security Enterprise-relevant technologies.

Read more about CAP.

Partnership intermediaries assist DHS in identifying new technologies in the private sector that can be utilized by DHS. Partnership intermediaries also facilitate joint projects between DHS and private companies, as well as with other federal agencies and academic institutions, in order to accelerate the delivery of technological capabilities to the nation. Read more about Partnership Intermediaries.

Last Updated: 09/05/2023
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