SIMBA Chain Lands Air Force Contract

SOUTH BEND – South Bend-based SIMBA Chain has received a two-year, $1.5 million contract from the U.S. Air Force. The blockchain startup says the award will fund a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research project to address “significant needs” of the U.S. Department of Defense.

The company says the project will help identify ways to develop cyber-related capabilities to enhance logistics and supply chain management for the Air Force. The new contract also brings in SIMBA Chain partner Boeing (NYSE: BA) to develop specific use cases using Boeing parts.

The project also aims to introduce blockchain into the Air Force’s cybersecurity, logistics, and programming training curriculum and research.

SIMBA Chain Chief Executive Officer Joel Neidig says the company’s contract-as-a-service platform will help enhance the Air Force’s ability to provide uninterrupted supply chain support while mitigating the risks of counterfeiting and data breaches.

“Additionally, with minimal training, our solution can be rapidly deployed across the Air Force and other military branches,” said Neidig. “Unlike traditional blockchain that requires deep technical knowledge, SIMBA Chain allows developers with little or no programming experience to build and deploy distributed applications (dapps) rapidly and cost-efficiently on cloud servers or on military infrastructures. This is a significant advantage to the military where dynamic situations are common.”

The contract is a continuation of an earlier SBIR Phase I project. In January, SIMBA Chain closed on a $1.5 million seed round of funding.

Neidig appeared on Inside INdiana Business later that month to talk about the company and what the funding means for its growth.