The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation has announced a five-year, $100 million grantmaking initiative focused on the policy, security, and governance challenges of fast-moving emerging technologies. Announced at the Aspen Security Forum, the Emerging Technology and Security Initiative will allocate $20 million annually through 2031 to civil society organizations, universities, think tanks, and policy research institutions.
The program specifically targets artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum computing, aiming to bridge the operational gap between fast-moving commercial technology sectors and slower-moving government regulatory frameworks.
Focusing on Quantum Vulnerabilities and Infrastructure Security
The initiative builds on $10 million in exploratory grantmaking announced in early 2026—which funded policy hubs including Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and Vanderbilt University’s Institute for National Security—with an additional $10 million in exploratory grants deployed through the remainder of 2026. The program structures its global grantmaking strategy around three core security priorities:
- Protecting Critical Infrastructure: Defending municipal power grids, water systems, healthcare networks, and information systems against AI-driven cyber threats and malicious software agents.
- Mitigating Quantum & Bio Vulnerabilities: Addressing long-term national security risks associated with biological engineering and quantum computing while governance windows remain open. In quantum, this includes supporting policy frameworks for post-quantum cryptography (PQC) migration, quantum-safe network architecture, and export control standards.
- Establishing Global Governance Norms: Assisting state governments, federal agencies, and international allied nations in developing rules and standards to govern dual-use emerging technologies responsibly while maintaining democratic leadership.
Philanthropic Bridge Between Industry and Government Policy
Led in its startup phase by Eli Sugarman—former director of Hewlett’s Cyber Initiative—the new program reflects a pragmatic, evidence-based approach to technology governance. By funding independent research and convening cross-sector dialogues, the initiative aims to establish empirically grounded policy solutions that balance national security safeguards with commercial deep-tech innovation. The initiative extends Hewlett’s 60-year history of philanthropic funding at the intersection of technology, national security, and public policy, complementing its previous multi-year initiatives in cybersecurity policy and nuclear security.
Review the official program launch on Hewlett Foundation here, and examine grantmaking guidelines on the Emerging Technology and Security Initiative Hub here.
July 22, 2026
