AIRIA (airia20.com) announces it has been selected by AFWERX for a STTR Phase II contract in the amount of $1.8 million focused on Research and Development for AI-Driven Spatial Analytics Solutions to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF). The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and now in, May 2025, AIRIA will start its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.

“AIRIA is humbled and excited by the opportunity to develop technology to be used by the United States Air Force to improve situational awareness and operational excellence. Our growing team is hard at work, building innovative Operational AI software to help protect American people, personnel and interests in collaboration with the US Air Force.”

Edward Nass, CEO

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

About AIRIA

AIRIA is an Operational AI company turning real-time signal data into spatial insights for enterprise and government. From campuses to command centers, our software powers smarter operations, live occupancy awareness, and mission-critical decision-making. Founded in 2020, AIRIA is trusted by commercial and DoD customers alike. For more information, visit airia20.com.

About AFRL

The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace forces. With a workforce spanning across nine technology areas and 40 other operations around the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit afresearchlab.com.

About AFWERX

As the innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFWERX brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. AFWERX employs approximately 370 military, civilian and contractor personnel at four hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4 billion budget. Since 2019, AFWERX has awarded over 10,400 contracts worth more than $7.24 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit: afwerx.com.

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AIRIA (airia20.com) is humbled and excited by the opportunity to develop technology to be used by the United States Air Force to improve situational awareness and operational excellence.