Because the Division of Protection (DoD) builds tech-sector relationships, and investments, and ensures a coordinated outreach to business, AFWERX, the Protection Innovation Unit (DIU), and NAVALX have joined collectively to launch a brand new Joint Protection Innovation workspace in Austin, Texas. Situated on the Capital Manufacturing facility, the joint house will probably be positioned subsequent to the Military Purposes Laboratory and different authorities innovation items to higher present collaboration alternatives throughout the organizations and in addition to make them extra accessible to startup corporations.
“DIU established the primary authorities innovation presence in Austin in 2016 and that has led to a collaborative authorities setting that permits for serendipitous interactions with the native tech group,” stated Joshua Baer, Founder and CEO of Capital Manufacturing facility. “Since then, we’ve tracked greater than $500 million in authorities funding to Texas startups with dual-use expertise. This growth will undoubtedly end in new Authorities funding to guard our future and gas our economic system.”
The opening of the house coincides with South by Southwest 2024 actions, the place friends joined DoD leaders, business representatives and native Austin representatives, in a ribbon reducing. The occasion was a part of a collection of engagements happening through the week centered round modern expertise in assist of nationwide safety.
“Catalyzing the DoD’s innovation entities right into a group of impression offers a chance for better synergy and impression, from the native to a nationwide degree,” stated Doug Beck, Director of the Protection Innovation Unit. “I’m thrilled by the teamwork and partnership represented by this step in constructing our presence collectively right here in Austin.”
Throughout the DoD, whereas innovation organizations are delivering outcomes starting from tech scouting to fielding industrial capabilities, the co-location of the organizations is an effort to higher scale the adoption of economic expertise throughout the Division resulting in better strategic impression. These coordinated efforts are a part of the DoD’s deal with enhancing the demand alerts to the industrial tech sector making it simpler for tech corporations, notably startups and small corporations, to interact with the Division.
“This new house is a testomony to the robust collaboration taking place throughout the DoD’s innovation organizations,” stated Col Elliott Leigh, Director of AFWERX and Chief Commercialization Officer for the Division of the Air Power.
“Austin is a strategically necessary innovation ecosystem and Capital Manufacturing facility offers us a entrance door for innovators wanting to unravel Navy and Marine Corps challenges,” stated CAPT Stephen “Casey”. Plew, Director, NAVALx. “Our partnerships with DIU, AAL, AFWERX, and the complete DoD innovation group is our biggest path to success.”
This workplace is a part of the innovation group’s effort to be an accessible “Entrance door to DoD,” decreasing limitations to entry and tapping into the expertise and expertise across the nation for our nationwide safety. To enhance collaboration throughout innovation organizations, Austin joins different DoD collaborative areas just like the Joint Innovation Lab in Arlington, Virginia, which co-locates DoD organizations comparable to AFWERX, NAVALX, Workplace of Strategic Capital, DIU, Nationwide Safety Innovation Community and Nationwide Safety Innovation Capital.
