Update: Cybersecurity Project is in the Running for $160 Million Grant
A USCB-led cybersecurity project is in the running for a $160 million grant from the
National Science Foundation.
The team of public and private partners was awarded a $1 million planning grant from NSF in May 2023. The joint effort is now in the application process for the full NSF Regional Innovation Engine award of up to $160 million over ten years.
This grant would establish and grow the region's maritime cybersecurity ecosystem by addressing maritime transportation system cybersecurity issues with the potential for regional, state, and even national impact. The project would identify and develop viable maritime cybersecurity solutions, services, and technology to drive sustainable economic growth. A key priority is the development of a strong cybersecurity workforce in the region.
In anticipation of securing the grant, the Maritime Cybersecurity Institute -- a 501c3 tax-exempt organization -- was established in Beaufort, South Carolina. The MCSI is engaging with the South Carolina Ports Authority and the Georgia Ports Authority to better understand the needs of the industry and its extensive ecosystem.
One of the early actions of the USCB Development Engine was the establishment of the Maritime Cybersecurity Institute, based in Beaufort, South Carolina. Earlier this year, the Institute secured 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the IRS, and then, in a significant show of support from the state, the South Carolina legislature included $1 million in their FY2024 budget for maritime cybersecurity.
USCB’s partners in the maritime cybersecurity grant project are the University of South Carolina Columbia; Clemson University; The Citadel; South Carolina State University; Technical College of the Lowcountry; South Carolina Research Authority; and the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness. Other partners and collaborators in the project include the South Carolina Ports Authority; the Georgia Ports Authority; South Coast Cyber Center; Palmetto Tech Bridge/Naval Information Warfare Center, Atlantic; Savannah River National Laboratory; American Bureau of Shipping; Fathom5 LLC; Hudson Analytics; Integer Technologies, Fulcrum Equity; Alerion Capital; and Material Capital Ventures.
The NSF Regional Innovation Engines Program was authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.
The project’s initial NSF Engines Development Award followed a $1.3 million US Department of Defense grant to support regional workforce development, including exiting military, in cybersecurity.
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