NuCrypt of Evanston, Ill., has been awarded a challenge grant by the Homeland Security Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (HSIEC) at Northwestern University, in partnership with the Illinois Technology Development Alliance of Chicago. NuCrypt received the grant for its AlphaEta product, which provides ultrahigh security over optical communication networks. The grant will help fund the marketing of the product, which will become commercially available shortly. In addition to homeland security applications, the product has commercial applications, including telecommunications, financial services and corporate security.