CHICAGO — The Xometry Foundation has awarded MxD a $500,000 grant to help small- and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) strengthen their cybersecurity and meet evolving compliance requirements.
MxD will leverage the funds to create a grant program for SMMs to navigate and achieve Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2 compliance, prioritizing applicants operating within the aerospace, defense, and medical sectors.
“We are grateful to the Xometry Foundation for recognizing that cybersecurity can’t be a luxury reserved for large primes,” said MxD CEO Berardino Baratta. “Small- and medium-sized manufacturers are the backbone of the defense industrial base, yet they’re also the most exposed to cyber threats and the least resourced to defend against them. This grant allows MxD to close that gap — giving smaller manufacturers access to practical, affordable tools to protect their operations and their place in the supply chain.”
The awards will make cybersecurity compliance more affordable and accessible – addressing a critical vulnerability in the nation’s industrial and defense supply chain. Application details and eligibility requirements will be announced in the coming months.
Beyond direct financial support, MxD and the Xometry Foundation will collaborate on ongoing communications initiatives to spotlight grantee successes, share best practices, and advocate for cybersecurity readiness across the sector.
The Xometry Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Xometry, an AI-powered manufacturing marketplace.
