Fairfax County is giving financial boosts to several local startups that are developing technology to improve communications, make agriculture more efficient and more.
The county’s Department of Economic Initiatives (DEI) announced last Thursday (Sept. 5) that it has selected eight companies for the second round of its Fairfax Founders Fund (FFF), which provides up to $50,000 in grant funding and technical assistance to “promising, early-stage startups” that could “disrupt industries” and create new jobs.
The inaugural cohort revealed in November included five companies that offered 3D-printed medical devices, smart headgear for boxers, pulse plasma guns for fusion power plants, and other technological solutions.
This year’s fund recipients are:
- Karambit.AI (Annandale): a cybersecurity platform that automatically detects “malicious” code and other software issues
- Pluribus Inc. (Tysons): a data analytics company founded in 2019 that’s developing navigation, personal security and COVID-19 risk assessment apps
- ZipID, Inc. (Alexandria): software to help employers verify job applicant and employee identities
- KAPPA AgTech (Vienna): seeks to make indoor farming more sustainable with more energy-efficient lighting and durable silicone substrates
- Magna Labs Inc. (Annandale): developer of a one-stop platform for testing bioinformatics tools
- NanoNiFe LLC (Vienna): residential energy storage batteries that it says can last over 20 years, supporting solar panels
- NIOSolutions Inc. (Tysons): an information technology company that aims to help businesses adopt new tech and simplify data reporting processes
- Saltenna LLC (Tysons): a company developing a plasmonics-based wireless communications system that could function in remote and challenging environments
Launched in spring 2023 with $1 million in allocated funding, the FFF program was developed to especially target female, Black and other underrepresented entrepreneurs, though the main eligibility requirements are that the startup be based in Fairfax County and not have raised more than $1 million so far.
Grant recipients must match 50% of their requested amount. The county is also tracking the progress of each winner for five years to evaluate the program’s effectiveness.
“The Fairfax Founders Fund is instrumental in catalyzing the growth of our county’s innovation economy,” DEI Director Rebecca Moudry said. “By providing crucial seed funding and support, we are empowering these eight exceptional startups to transform their visionary ideas into tangible products and services. This investment not only fosters technological advancement, but also drives job creation and economic prosperity within Fairfax County.”
The newly announced winners will be celebrated at an awards ceremony this fall. The application period for the next round is expected to open in early 2025.
Photo via Adi Goldstein on Unsplash
