12 June 2024, HELSINKI – Today, the Finnish technology company Karsa and the United States Department of Homeland Security(DHS) announced a contract to enhance alarm resolution screening at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints. The contract has a 16-month base period of performance and options to continue until January 2026. The contract has a maximum value of 1.894M USD if the options are exercised.
The contract is an award under the DHS Long Range Broad Agency Announcement(LRBAA) 18-01. Its purpose is to develop scientific and technical solutions across a spectrum of science and engineering disciplines that significantly improve or increase the capability of the Department’s operational environment and the Homeland Security Enterprise.
As part of the contract, Karsa will develop, conduct test and evaluation, and provide DHS with its next-generation molecular detection solutions. With guidance from DHS, Karsa will develop a non-contact explosive vapor/particulate detection system with potential applications in aviation checkpoints, air cargo screening, and mass transit.
By utilizing ultrasensitive detectors, Karsa’s solutions detect molecular traces from minuscule quantities of explosives and other illicit materials. Unlike traditional methods, Karsa’s solutions can collect samples directly from air gaps using a handheld sampler, which will then be assessed by a mass spectrometry-based analysis device. Through the innovative use of mass spectrometry, Karsa’s solutions can identify hundreds of different chemicals in near real time hence, more classes of illicit substances(including explosives and potentially synthetic opioids) can be detected than existing technologies.
"We are excited to enter a collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security to develop and test Karsa’s innovative detection solutions for enhanced aviation security. We thank DHS for the trust they have placed in us and look forward to a successful partnership. This partnership advances our mission to provide the leading technological solutions for separation-free analysis of air samples and the most reliable data for environmental and homeland security customers,” says HJ Jost, Karsa’s CEO.
About Karsa Oy
Using technology originally pioneered for ultrasensitive atmospheric trace gas measurements, Karsa fuses environmental science, chemistry, data analysis and systems engineering to deliver end-to-end solutions in airborne chemicals intelligence. Karsa envisions deploying its ultrasensitive chemical threat detection technology into all areas of homeland security, including civil aviation, customs and border patrol, and emergency management.
Headquartered in Helsinki, Karsa was founded in 2016 by a team of sampling and detection experts from the University of Helsinki. Karsa is supported by several international industry partners, Lifeline Ventures, the leading venture capital investor in Finland, and Business Finland, the Finnish Agency for Innovation.
