ADAC-ARCTIC

What ADAC-ARCTIC does

ADAC-ARCTIC (Arctic Domain Awareness Center for the Arctic) is a federally funded research center and a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence, hosted by the University of Alaska Anchorage and established in 2024. The center develops and transitions technology solutions, decision-support tools, and educational programs to improve situational awareness and crisis response capabilities for the dynamic Arctic environment. Its portfolio spans seven active research projects (FIRE-WISE wellhead ignition modeling, MSF multi-stakeholder framework, RAPIER renewable energy resilience, subsidence/InSAR monitoring, biosecurity early detection, ARCAP Railbelt critical infrastructure, and SAFE visualization/decision support), five education projects (DCoP drone community, Fellows Program, Integrated Arctic Education, Workforce Development, and the Indigenous Elder/Knowledge Keeper/Leader-in-Residence Program), and two center activities (the Arctic Research Testbed Portal built on ArcGIS Hub/Enterprise and Arctic Foresight strategic planning).

The center's core technology stack combines AI-assisted remote sensing, millimeter-accuracy InSAR satellite surveys, digital twin modeling, geospatial platforms (ArcGIS Hub/Enterprise), game-theoretic and multi-criteria decision analysis models, and infrastructure dependency/interdependency analytical tools (AHA, M-DAT). It serves ten DHS components (CBP, CISA, FEMA, FLETC, ICE, S&T, Secret Service, TSA, USCG, USCIS), the University of Alaska system, Alaska Native tribal communities (228 federally recognized tribes), and remote Alaskan communities requiring infrastructure resilience. Key ecosystem partners include Idaho National Laboratory, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, the Native Village of Unalakleet, Rowan University, and the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies.

ADAC-ARCTIC's revenue model is entirely grant-funded. It receives annual congressional appropriations through the DHS S&T Directorate Office of University Programs under Grant Award Numbers 23STSLA00018-01 and 24STADA00002, and redistributes the majority of project funding to academic, industry, and tribal partners through competitive RFPs (up to $500,000 per project per year, 12-month period of performance, July-to-June cycles). The GTM motion is event-driven: annual meetings, partner roundtables, RFP webinars, and conferences. As a university-hosted government center, ADAC-ARCTIC is not a typical venture or PE investment target; its strategic value is in the federally guaranteed revenue stream and its exclusive operational alignment with DHS Arctic security priorities.

Name

ADAC-ARCTIC

Legal name

ADAC-ARCTIC (Arctic Domain Awareness Center for the Arctic)

Website

https://adacarctic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ADAC-ARCTIC is a DHS Center of Excellence, hosted by the University of Alaska Anchorage, that develops Arctic homeland security research, technology, and workforce development programs for DHS components, Alaska Native tribes, and remote Alaskan communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Anchorage

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. DHS Center of Excellence Funding: ADAC-ARCTIC receives annual funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate under Grant Award Numbers 23STSLA00018-01 and 24STADA00002. The center distributes funding to academic, private industry, and tribal partners through competitive RFP processes. New projects receive up to $500,000 per year each, typically for 12-month periods with potential for multi-year extensions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ADAC-ARCTIC is a DHS Center of Excellence that funds and conducts multi-disciplinary research projects and education/workforce development programs addressing Arctic homeland security challenges. It delivers technology solutions (InSAR subsidence monitoring, biosecurity detection, renewable energy assessments, critical infrastructure analytics) and educational pathways (fellowships, internships, apprenticeships, MS degrees, Indigenous knowledge programs) to U.S. Department of Homeland Security components and Alaska Native communities through competitive RFP funding up to $500,000 per project annually.

Product overview

ADAC-ARCTIC is a DHS Center of Excellence for Arctic Homeland Security that operates as a multi-project research and education portfolio rather than a single commercial product. The center encompasses seven active research projects addressing Arctic security challenges: FIRE-WISE (wellhead ignition/blowout response), MSF (multi-stakeholder risk framework), RAPIER (renewable energy resilience), Subsidence (InSAR/digital twin monitoring), Biosecurity (early detection network), ARCAP (critical infrastructure), and SAFE (visualization/decision support). Five education projects provide workforce development: DCoP (drone operations), Fellows Program, Integrated Arctic Education (including ASIP and MS in Arctic Security), Workforce Development, and IKL (Indigenous knowledge). Two center activities include the Arctic Research Testbed Portal (ArcGIS Hub) and Arctic Foresight strategic planning. The portfolio spans from oil spill response and energy solutions to biosecurity, infrastructure assessment, and workforce training for DHS operations in the Arctic.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FIRE-WISE (Feasibility and Impact Review for Emergency Intentional Wellhead Ignition & Safety Evaluation) FIRE-WISE develops a framework for DHS and other Federal Agencies to formulate a response for a wellhead blowout, including the feasibility of an intentional wellhead ignition, using droplet distribution combined with combustion models and downwind dispersion modeling. Target users are DHS and federal agencies responsible for Arctic oil spill and wellhead emergency response.
• MSF (Multi-Stakeholder Framework) MSF is a multi-stakeholder framework using field research, workshops, visualization tools (Nome Coastal Uses Map, 3D Conceptual Models via Arctic ERMA), game-theoretic models, and tabletop exercises for Arctic policy planning and stakeholder engagement. Target users are DHS decision-makers and Arctic policy planners.
• RAPIER (Reliable Arctic Power & Intelligent Energy Resilience) RAPIER is a comprehensive assessment of community energy requirements and renewable energy technologies (solar, wind, wave, tidal, run-of-river, nuclear microreactors, hybrid) for remote Alaskan communities, including deployable pilot solutions for critical infrastructure resilience. Target users are remote Alaskan communities, DHS, and critical infrastructure operators.
• Enabling Resilience in the Arctic (Subsidence Project) The Subsidence project leverages millimeter-level accuracy InSAR surveys and digital twin modeling to identify high-risk areas for land subsidence, ground motion, and slope instability, integrated with local knowledge and stakeholder input for community adaptation and infrastructure risk mitigation planning. Target users are Arctic communities, infrastructure planners, and DHS.
• Arctic Biosecurity: Community-Led Early Detection Network Arctic Biosecurity integrates western-scientific approaches for biothreat detection (genomics, eDNA, toxicants) within a community-led Biothreat Detection Network in Alaska and the Arctic to provide early warning of emergent biothreats. Target users are policy makers, community stakeholders, and rights-holders in Alaska.
• ARCAP (Alaska Railbelt Critical Assets Project, Port of Alaska) ARCAP evaluates Alaska's Railbelt region critical infrastructure including the Port of Alaska, 700-mile electric transmission corridor, and Kenai Peninsula using advanced infrastructure dependency and interdependency analytical techniques to advance adaptation strategies. Target users are Alaska infrastructure operators, FEMA, and DHS.
• SAFE - Arctic (Securing the Arctic Future Engaging Visualization, Decision Support, and Stakeholder Training) SAFE provides advanced tools, expanded frameworks, and enhanced stakeholder engagement including Arctic ERMA visualization, game-theoretic and MCDA decision support models, and tabletop exercises for DHS and HSE personnel to navigate multi-stakeholder conflicts and respond to Arctic challenges. Target users are DHS and Homeland Security Enterprise personnel.
• DCoP (Drone Community of Practice in the Bering Strait Region) DCoP expands an existing community-based UAS team into a regional Drone Community of Practice throughout the Bering Strait region using American-made drones to provide community assessments and situational awareness for disaster response operations in western Alaska. Target users are Bering Strait regional communities and Homeland Security partners.
• ADAC-ARCTIC Fellows Program The Fellows Program engages student interns with DHS Center of Excellence projects, providing technical and professional development during the school year and 10-week summer internships, preparing STEM students for employment with Homeland Security Enterprises or related agencies. Target users are undergraduate and graduate STEM students seeking DHS careers.
• Integrated Arctic Education Integrated Arctic Education provides scholarship and professional development opportunities including the Arctic Summer Internship Program (ASIP), Interdisciplinary Master of Science in Arctic Security, and Cyber Competency Health and Maturity Progression Framework (Cyber-CHAMP) for DHS HSE workforce development. Target users are undergraduate, graduate, and professional students pursuing Arctic-focused careers.
• Arctic Foundations: Building the Workforce of the Future Arctic Foundations is a workforce development initiative integrating on-the-job learning through apprenticeships, internships, and applied learning activities in partnership with Alaska Maritime Education Consortium (AMEC) and UAA Center for Strategic Partnerships and Research for the DHS HSE workforce pipeline. Target users are students and professionals pursuing DHS-related careers in Alaska.
• IKL (Indigenous Elder, Knowledge Keeper, and Leader-in-Residence Program) The IKL Program is a transformative initiative embedding Indigenous wisdom, perspectives, and teachings by inviting Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and leaders to serve as resources for students, faculty, staff, and DHS components through one-on-one sessions, group workshops, and community events. Target users are ADAC-ARCTIC students, faculty, staff, and DHS component personnel.
• Arctic Research Testbed Portal The Arctic Research Testbed Portal is an ArcGIS Hub or Enterprise Site serving as a centralized geospatial portal for Arctic researchers conducting testbed research projects in Alaska, facilitating access to geospatial data, research collaboration, and project management tools for rural and remote areas. Target users are Arctic researchers and testbed project teams.
• Arctic Foresight Arctic Foresight is a strategic foresight project exploring science and technology advancements relevant to the future of the Arctic region, proactively identifying developing opportunities and vulnerabilities through horizon scanning, trend analysis, and scenario development. Target users are DHS strategic planners and Arctic policy decision-makers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supports 75% of Alaska's population through critical infrastructure analysis
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rowan UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-lead institution for the FIRE-WISE project on emergency intentional wellhead ignition research, partnering with ADAC-ARCTIC on oil spill combustion modeling
• University of Alaska AnchoragecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Host institution for ADAC-ARCTIC center; co-lead on multiple research projects including wellhead ignition, renewable energy, and workforce development
• University of Alaska FairbankscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner institution for Arctic research, hosting International Arctic Research Center and drone community of practice programs
• University of MarylandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Research partner on the Multi-Stakeholder Framework project for Arctic risk assessment and stakeholder engagement
• University of New HampshireminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Emeritus partner on Multi-Stakeholder Framework project for Arctic risk assessment
• University at BuffalominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Emeritus partner contributing game-theoretic models to Arctic stakeholder analysis research
• Sound & Sea Systems, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Lead industry partner on RAPIER project for renewable energy solutions in Arctic environments
• Arctic Slope Regional CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Industry partner on RAPIER project bringing private sector expertise to Arctic renewable energy solutions
• Idaho National LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner on energy resilience, cybersecurity (Cyber-CHAMP), and critical infrastructure analysis projects; provides technical expertise and facilities
• Native Village of UnalakleetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Key community partner for drone community of practice, led by Deputy Director John Henry Jr.; represents Indigenous community leadership in Bering Strait region
• University of HoustoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner on Arctic Foresight strategic planning project with Houston Foresight for future-oriented research criteria development
• Alaska Vocational Technical Education Center (AVTEC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in Alaska Maritime Education Consortium (AMEC) for registered apprenticeship programs and workforce development
• Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security StudiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner institution providing Arctic Region Security Orientation Courses (ARSOC) for federal personnel training
• Model Forest Policy ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Support partner on drone community of practice initiative
• University of Texas at El PasominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner on Integrated Arctic Education project contributing to STEM workforce development

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• The Arctic Institute: Non-profit Arctic policy research center producing analysis on Arctic security, governance, and geopolitics. Comparable for Arctic-focused policy and security research, though smaller scale and focused on policy publications rather than technology development or DHS operational alignment.
• International Arctic Research Center (IARC): University of Alaska Fairbanks-based Arctic climate, environment, and policy research center. Comparable for Arctic-domain research focus and University of Alaska system affiliation; overlaps with ADAC-ARCTIC's environmental security work but operates under NOAA/university funding rather than DHS designation.

Direct peers

• National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START): University of Maryland-based DHS Center of Excellence conducting terrorism and homeland security research with extensive education programs. Directly comparable as a longstanding DHS CoE with a multi-project research portfolio, university-hosted model, and similar partnership ecosystem structure.
• Critical Infrastructure Resilience Institute (CIRI): University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign-based DHS Center of Excellence researching critical infrastructure resilience, cybersecurity, and risk analysis. Directly comparable for shared focus on infrastructure interdependency analysis, hazard assessment tools (parallel to AHA/M-DAT in ARCAP), and DHS operational transition.
• Coastal Resilience Center (CRC): University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-based DHS Center of Excellence focused on coastal infrastructure resilience research and education. Directly comparable given overlap with ADAC-ARCTIC's critical infrastructure (ARCAP), subsidence, and resilience projects, and identical DHS S&T funding mechanism.
• Center for Defense Forensic Sciences (CDFS): University of Central Florida-based DHS Center of Excellence focused on forensic science research and education for DHS and law enforcement. Directly comparable as a DHS CoE with the same funding model, university hosting, and workforce development mandate for Homeland Security Enterprises.
• National Counter-Terrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE): University of Nebraska Omaha-based DHS Center of Excellence focused on counter-terrorism research, technology development, and education. Directly comparable as a sibling DHS CoE with the same federal funding model, university hosting structure, and mission to transition research into DHS operational use.

Others

• Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies: DoD-funded Arctic security studies center providing Arctic Region Security Orientation Courses (ARSOC) and federal personnel training. Comparable as a stated ADAC-ARCTIC partner delivering Arctic security training, but operates under DoD rather than DHS and is more narrowly focused on workforce training.
• Polar Research Board (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine): National Academies body coordinating polar and Arctic research priorities across U.S. institutions. Comparable as a convening and prioritization body for U.S. Arctic research with influence over federal research direction, but operates in an advisory capacity rather than as a direct research performer.

Broad incumbents

• RAND Corporation: Large, established federally-funded research organization covering national security, homeland security, and Arctic policy. Comparable as a broad homeland security research performer; not a DHS CoE but competes for similar federal research dollars and produces Arctic-relevant policy analysis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/adac-arctic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ADAC-ARCTIC