TECH AWARDS: Young J. Bang, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, speaks on stage during the xTech ceremony at AUSA, Oct. 16, 2024 in Washington. (Photo by Holly Comanse, USAASC)
by Holly Comanse
The final 12 small businesses in the xTech Scalable AI 2 competition attended the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) conference in Washington to receive awards on October 16, 2024. They were presented with cash prizes and awards in recognition of outstanding innovation and potential impact to the DOD.
Artificial intelligence (AI)-focused small businesses across the U.S. participated in the competition that received more than 200 applications interested in engaging with the DOD and submitting Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) proposals in collaboration with Project Linchpin (see Accelerating the Army’s AI Strategy and Heard it Through the Pipeline). From those, 16 teams were selected, each winning cash prizes of $10,000. Young J. Bang, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, met virtually with each team, from which 12 finalists were chosen, meeting the Army’s sought-after AI solutions.
AI WINS: Young J. Bang, left, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology presents the first-place check for $100,000 to Balaji Chandrasekaran, middle, vice president of go-to-market and customer enablement of Protopia AI with Matt Willis, right, director of Army Applied SBIR and Prize Competitions at AUSA, Oct. 16, 2024. (Photo by Holly Comanse, USAASC)
In addition to cash prize awards, the 12 teams were invited to participate in the xTech Accelerator program, gaining intensive mentorship and access to networking events to assist in growing their companies for DOD and commercial use. Leading up to the ceremony during AUSA, finalists were able to give live demonstrations during the xTech and Innovator’s Corner exhibitions. All final winners of the competition also have the opportunity to submit either a Phase I SBIR proposal of up to $250,000 each or a Direct to Phase II SBIR proposal of up to $2,000,000 each.
“I’m really, incredibly relieved that we have so many smart organizations out there that want to support the Army,” Bang said during the award ceremony at AUSA. Bang thanked everyone for their efforts and encouraged them to continue their work. Matt Willis, Ph.D., director of Army Applied SBIR and Prize Competitions, also congratulated the winners during the ceremony. Protopia AI took first place of $100,000 demonstrating how their platform can securely unlock data for AI to enable mission success.
Army SBIR and xTech competitions allow the Army to leverage the power of AI and operationalize it at scale, driving significant advancements in military capabilities, while addressing complex challenges and enhancing national security.
FINAL TWELVE: The twelve awards displayed on a table beside the stage at the xTech Scalable AI award ceremony at AUSA in Washington, Oct. 16, 2024. (Photo by Holly Comanse, USAASC)
For more information on the xTech Scalable AI 2 competition and to view the full list of winners, go to https://www.xtech.army.mil/competition/xtechscalableai2.
HOLLY COMANSE provides contract support to the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center from Honolulu, Hawaii, as a writer and editor for Army AL&T magazine and TMGL, LLC. Prior, she served as a content moderator and data specialist training AI for a news app. She holds a B.A. in journalism from the University of Nevada, Reno and has more than 10 years of writing and editing experience in both the government and private sectors.
