NSIN Starts is hosting a pitch challenge and demo day to identify ventures with inspection technologies to support various defense applications. Join us on July 13, for an Ask Me Anything session to learn more.

Watch the Ask Me Anything Session

Overview

The National Security Innovation Network (NSIN), in partnership with Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC), Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD), Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport Division (NUWC KPT), and NavalX, will run a Pitch Challenge and Demo Day to identify platforms to support a critical need for the inspection of bulk liquid storage systems on land (Problem Set 1), and tanks/voids at sea (Problem Set 2).

A team of subject matter experts will evaluate applicants and select up to the top 15 companies per Problem Set as semi-finalists for participation in the virtual Pitch Day in August 2022. The top 20 companies (10 companies per Problem Set) will be finalists invited to an in-person Demonstration Day and awarded $10,000 for travel and final preparations.

Two separate Demonstration Days will commence in Southern California, one for each Problem Set, during which the participants will have the opportunity to demonstrate platform capabilities. A total of $500,000 in awards will be available to the top four companies. The first place company for each Problem Set will receive a $200,000 award, and the second place company will receive a $50,000 award. NAVSEA and NAVFAC are making significant investments in this arena, and looking to support the growth of inspection technologies in startups that can support various defense applications.

Join Us

  • Who: Interested applicants.
  • What: Short presentation and Q&A session.
  • When: Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. PT
  • Where: Virtual Webinar via the ZoomGov platform.
  • Why: NAVSEA and NAVFAC are making significant investments in the inspection technologies arena. A team of subject matter experts will be available for the Ask Me Anything to answer questions.

Registration

Registration for this event is closed.

Learn More

To learn about this effort or review the solicitation, please visit the NSIN Call for Applicants website page.

As seen in recent headlines, the US military is being tasked with responding to an ever-increasing diversity of missions. There is an urgent need for the military, particularly the Navy, to lower sustainment costs and improve readiness to support these missions. As a result, improving sustainment is a top priority for the Navy.

Aging infrastructure for land-based bulk water and fuel storage, plus the complexity of tanks and voids, presents a challenge to an already labor-strapped Navy. Over $8 billion has been spent annually for combating corrosion on our ships, aircraft, and vehicles alone. Lowering corrosion repair costs will free up needed revenue for warfighting priorities.

Inspecting this infrastructure is time-consuming, expensive, and dangerous. The unique shapes and spaces often make infrastructure access challenging for personnel and their tools. In addition to the immediate need to advance tank and void inspections, there is the mission of developing new technologies that enable ships to become more autonomous. These technologies will replace maintenance functions currently performed by crews on over 4,000 shipboard tanks and voids. These autonomous inspection tools designed to meet this challenge are also intended to become part of a larger vision of enabling unmanned ship operations at sea.

Costs for scheduled maintenance to empty, clean, gas-free, conduct wastewater disposal, build scaffolding, and inspect Navy-operated tanks can range from $20,000-$300,000. The process often takes three or more days to complete, and because it is typically a visual assessment, it provides qualitative results.

Lowering inspection costs will enable the Navy to become more fiscally efficient with taxpayer dollars. More quantitative inspections will increase cost savings. The $500,000 prize challenge encourages researchers and inventors to demonstrate breakthrough inspection technology that significantly improves quality and reduces the cost of corrosion inspection technologies and procedures for land-based bulk liquid tanks, and shipboard tanks and voids. Because this competition is focused on providing the Navy with improvements on its current products, there is a potential for follow-on opportunities such as Other Transaction Agreements and Cooperative Research and Development Agreements.