The NIHS Commercialization Program

The National Institute For Hometown Security is focused not only on playing a role in discovering new solutions that support community-based critical infrastructure protection, but also on facilitating the transfer of new technologies and products from the laboratory to the marketplace and, ultimately, into use. NIHS defines “commercialization” as the successful deployment of the technology. NIHS works closely with principal investigators and their educational institutions to develop and maintain a focus on commercialization. This focus begins with the proposal of a project and continues through completion of a project for those proposals selected by DHS for funding. The NIHS commercialization process includes providing commercialization assessments to principal investigators whose projects are funded, developing and maintaining relationships with a variety of parties who may contribute to commercialization efforts and assisting principal investigators with commercialization issues as requested. The NIHS commercialization program features a number of characteristics that drive the dynamics of discovery and deployment. These characteristics are:

• The program is systematic; it has a defined approach that facilitates management of activities toward objectives.
• The program is strategic; it has a targeted outcome and a process track.
• The program is coordinated; it is designed to be collaborative and synchronized with external resources that may be available.
• The program is integrated; it is designed to interface with appropriate audiences having an interest in CIP issues and to be aware of the concerns of these audiences.
• The program is accountable; it has benchmarks at which progress can be measured and, if necessary, operations corrections made.