Develop, Advance, Commercialize

The U.S. Economic Development Administration released a Tech Hub Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The Ocean Tech Hub is one of 19 Federally Designated Tech Hubs eligible to submit a proposal and compete for a share of$220M.

The Rhode Island Commerce Corporation (“Corporation”), as the administrative and fiscal agent for the Ocean Tech Hub (“OTH”), seeks information and qualification details from entities to support and accelerate commercialization of ocean technologies, with a focus on innovations at Technology Readiness Levels (“TRL”) 6 to 9. Information submitted should focus on projects, infrastructure, and programs that would support the commercialization of unmanned and autonomous marine systems, artificial intelligence / machine learning (AI/ML) for use with undersea technology, and/or advanced materials manufacturing that can withstand the ocean environment.
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As the Corporation and OTH Consortium prepare to apply to each of these opportunities, we are seeking new project ideas as well as updates to components previously identified to ensure the strongest approach is taken and represented in any future grant applications. This RFQ will inform potential grant project selection as well as content of the OTH’s grant applications. Specifically, this RFQ seeks information and qualifications from relevant firms, nonprofits, and other collaborators who may serve as named subrecipients in a federal funding request led by the Corporation in service of the OTH and ocean technology innovation in the region, or who may serve as component project lead(s) for this federal funding request.

Responses are due by October 10, 2025