Performance wins the company an opportunity to sole-source contract with federal defense entities
LENEXA, Kan. (Sept. 2, 2020) — HCI Energy and its patented Hybrid Cube technology were named one of four finalists who competed in the Installation Resilience Showcase as part of AFWERX Fusion 2020 Challenge, the United States Air Force’s annual flagship event centered around the Base of the Future. As a result of the recognition, HCI Energy can now offer solutions to the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force and all Department of Defense members under a sole-source contracting vehicle, the Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO).
Each year, AFWERX brings together industry, individual innovators, academia, investors, military, and government team members to share technological innovation that delivers best-practice solutions for Air Force areas of interest while facilitating an environment of connection and collaboration. As institutions, organizations, communities and the military are stepping up their efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 nationwide, the Improving Installation Resilience Amid COVID-19 Challenge specifically was aimed at helping create pandemic-resilient Air Force bases that can withstand natural disasters and supply shortages with minimal loss to power,
structure and operations.
HCI’s Hybrid Cube solution was one of 370 featured exhibitors across six Challenges initially selected from a pool of more than 1,500 global entries seeking to utilize predictive analytics, improved alerting capabilities for first-responders, and rapid-response technologies to defeat and mitigate risk, thereby more effectively protecting the welfare of American citizens and USAF Airmen. After initially narrowing the field to 46 participants within the Installation Resilience Challenge, USAF and AFWERX personnel heard competitors detail their proposed solutions via virtual presentations given in mid-July. On Aug. 13, AFWERX named HCI Energy one of just four finalists in the Challenge. The HCI team then presented to Air Force panelists on Sept. 1, followed by a Q&A session in which subject matter experts sought more detailed information about the Hybrid Cube’s technology, features and benefits.
“The competitiveness of our solution and the strong interest from our military in using the Hybrid Cube to innovate the Base of the Future is a testament to the hard work and vision of our entire HCI Energy team, from top to bottom. As we expand our customer network across industries, we’ve seen just how effective and efficient our field-proven technology can be in solving challenges for first-responders and safety personnel, communities seeking to enhance connectivity and recover from natural disasters, and many more applications,” said Joe Heller, president of HCI Energy. “We look forward to demonstrating that inherent value to the great men and women of the United States Air Force as they seek to protect our country in any environment from every conceivable threat.”
Other category finalists include Valitus Technologies’ Valitus Victus and X-RIDv3, AT&T’s Energy and Building Management Solution, and FLITE Material Sciences’ Next-Generation Solar Cells. For more information on the Challenge, visit afwerxchallenge.com.
About HCI Energy, LLC
Based in the Kansas City area, HCI Energy, LLC embraces the core values of accountability, respect and technical competency. HCI Energy applies these core values while meeting customer needs with excellence in both product and service. Led by Founder Ray Ansari, long-time energy industry executive and an electrical engineer by trade, HCI Energy works diligently to find innovative ways to solve problems that affect individuals and industries across the globe. For more information, visit hcienergy.com.
About AFWERX
Established in 2017, AFWERX is a product of the U.S. Air Force, directly envisioned by former Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson. Her vision of AFWERX — to solve some of the toughest challenges that the Air Force faces through innovation and collaboration amongst our nation’s top subject matter experts. AFWERX serves as a catalyst to unleash new approaches for the warfighter through a growing ecosystem of innovators. AFWERX and the U.S. Air Force are committed to exploring viable solutions and partnerships to further strengthen the Air Force, which could lead to additional prototyping, R&D, and follow-on production contracts.
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