Because the Division of Protection (DoD) builds tech-sector relationships, and investments, and ensures a coordinated outreach to trade, 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 can be situated subsequent to the Military Functions Laboratory and different authorities innovation models to higher present collaboration alternatives throughout the organizations and likewise 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 enables for serendipitous interactions with the native tech neighborhood,” mentioned 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 enlargement will undoubtedly lead to new Authorities funding to guard our future and gasoline our financial system.”
The opening of the house coincides with South by Southwest 2024 actions, the place company joined DoD leaders, trade representatives and native Austin representatives, in a ribbon slicing. The occasion was a part of a collection of engagements occurring through the week centered round revolutionary expertise in help of nationwide safety.
“Catalyzing the DoD’s innovation entities right into a neighborhood of impression gives a possibility for higher synergy and impression, from the native to a nationwide stage,” mentioned 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 higher strategic impression. These coordinated efforts are a part of the DoD’s concentrate on enhancing the demand alerts to the industrial tech sector making it simpler for tech corporations, significantly startups and small corporations, to interact with the Division.
“This new house is a testomony to the sturdy collaboration occurring throughout the DoD’s innovation organizations,” mentioned Col Elliott Leigh, Director of AFWERX and Chief Commercialization Officer for the Division of the Air Drive.
“Austin is a strategically vital innovation ecosystem and Capital Manufacturing facility gives us a entrance door for innovators wanting to unravel Navy and Marine Corps challenges,” mentioned CAPT Stephen “Casey”. Plew, Director, NAVALx. “Our partnerships with DIU, AAL, AFWERX, and all the DoD innovation neighborhood is our biggest path to success.”
This workplace is a part of the innovation neighborhood’s effort to be an accessible “Entrance door to DoD,” decreasing boundaries 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 corresponding to AFWERX, NAVALX, Workplace of Strategic Capital, DIU, Nationwide Safety Innovation Community and Nationwide Safety Innovation Capital.
