<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Science and Technology (S&amp;T) Directorate, the research and development wing of the United States Department of Homeland Security, has given close to a million dollars to five blockchain startups. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The intent of these awards, totaling $817,712, aims to find standards-based technologies to help the Department of Homeland Security use blockchain to modernize operations. In recent years, the S&amp;T Directorate has awarded funds to a range of startups working on new technology applications, including firms that work with distributed ledger tech.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The five startups are:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Mattr Limited</strong>. The firm intends to build digitally issued essential worker licenses for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Mesur.IO</strong>. The company will track toxins, pathogens and other hazards throughout the supply chain by retrofitting its existing technology. </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>SecureKey Technologies</strong>. The firm will to make a Social Security Number digital option, giving the holder full control. </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Mavennet Systems</strong>, which seeks to digitally track natural gas shipments between the U.S. and Canada. </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Spherity GmbH</strong>, which plans to digitally create a copy record of imported e-commerce packages. </span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mattr Limited won the highest cash award, coming in at $200,000, while Mavennet won the smallest at $86,100. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">S&amp;T stated that it selected the five winners out of 80 applications from companies that competed for funding on the directorate’s June industry day, </span><a href="https://www.coindesk.com/us-homeland-security-funds-anti-forgery-blockchain-projects-in-latest-rd-round"><span style="font-weight: 400;">CoinDesk</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> reports. </span></p>