Grants were awarded to four companies: Digital Bazaar, Respect Network Corporation, Narf Industries and Celerity Government Solutions for the applicability of blockchain technology to identity management and privacy protection.
Two additional grants, for blockchain applications for homeland security analytics, were given to BlockCypher and RAM Laboratories.
The funds came from the agencys Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, following a solicitation period that began in December 2015.
The grants are a result of governments worldwide analysing the possibility of applying blockchain-based solutions to various areas. In April 2016, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced that it was seeking a “secure messaging system” using a “decentralized ledger” for broadcasting encrypted communications.
Military alliance NATO has also indicated interest in this area, announcing a technology innovation contest in May 2016. The Commonwealth Secretariat unveiled a messaging app designed for law enforcement applications that uses blockchain technology for establishing identity also in May 2016.
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