The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has awarded 17 research grants to U.S. and international participants as part of the lab’s tech accelerator program with a focus on quantum-based communications, computing, sensing and timing.
The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) said Monday it downselected the awardees for the Million Dollar International Quantum U Tech Accelerator during a three-day “virtual pitch” event that took place from Sept. 1st to 3rd.
AFOSR received white papers from 22 countries and selected 36 proposers to present their concepts during the event before choosing the 17 finalists eligible to apply for $75,000 in seedling grants to cover a one-year period.
Shery Welsh, director of AFOSR, said the tech accelerator serves as entry point for identifying researchers seeking to address issues beyond traditional quantum information science.
“AFOSR has a long history of collaborating with academia and industry on breakthrough science critical to the future of the Air Force and Space Force capabilities,” she noted.
Funding for the accelerator effort will be shouldered by AFOSR and the Office of Naval Research as well as the New York State Technology Enterprise Corp., Griffiss Institute and SUNY Research Foundation.
AFOSR opened the window for applications on Aug.4 .
