Radio Frequency Identification Technology for Logistics, Tagging and EPC

Hi-G-Tek wins homeland security prize

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Hi-G-Tek, a provider of RFID tracking solutions, was selected as a winner of the American Security Challenge, an honor accompanied by a $2 million prize from a venture capital firm. The competition is open to small technology companies with products that may offer solutions to homeland security issues.

The American Security Challenge is administered by a non-profit organization, the National Security Initiative. The event is meant to identify companies with viable homeland security applications, connect them with funding, and speed them to market to increase their commercial viability and their products’ availability.


Awards are doled out by Chart Venture Partners. Receipt of the awards is dependent on the award winners reaching a funding agreement with Chart.

In addition to the clear benefits of the potential funding, Hi-G-Tek CEO Larry Blue said in a statement that preparing for the competition helped his company gain a better perspective on its focus and marketing strategy. Also, Hi-G-Tek gained a connection with another sponsor of the competition, integrator Alion Technologies, which could lead to U.S. government contracts.

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Gemalto has won the BearingPoint innovation management award – the Agile Innovation Award – for its think tank initiative Business Innovation Garage (BIG).

BIG provides Gemalto’s 10,000 employees company-wide with a structured process to submit and manage any innovative ideas they have. Ideas covering range of fields – from communication, payment, transport, Internet access, and machine-to-machine application – are systematically challenged, audited, developed and eventually selectively turned into incubation cells.

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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded Accenture Federal Services a 13-month, $71 million contract to add biometric modalities and other enhancements to the US-VISIT program. US-VISIT uses digital fingerprints and photographs. A pilot program included in the contract will test facial and iris voluntary identification enrollment and matching.

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Madison County Jail in Alabama implemented a 3D face recognition system to prevent the accidental release of the wrong inmate, according to Homeland Security News Wire.

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Zenius Solutions has been awarded the the top innovation prize in the

Disruptathon Mobile Enterprise competition for its NFC-based mobile wallet solution.

Hosted by CTIA Enterprise and Applications in San Diego, the Disruptathon was judged by an audience of approximately 200 industry professionals, investors and app developers. Each finalist firm was granted five minutes to explain its technology’s concept, business model, disruptive potential and user experience.

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Biometrics enable expedited border screening

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Global Entry program is expanding enabling enrolled U.S. citizens to enjoy expedited screening when returning from travel abroad to a number of domestic airports. The program also makes them eligible to participate in similar programs at foreign airports.

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HID Global announced that the U.S. Permanent Resident, or Green Card, that is manufactured by HID Global under its LaserCard brand has won the ACT Canada “International Innovation Award” for Identity Management.

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