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 area shall be positioned subsequent to the Military Functions Laboratory and different authorities innovation models to raised present collaboration alternatives throughout the organizations and likewise to make them extra accessible to startup firms.
“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 group,” 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 know-how. This enlargement will undoubtedly lead to new Authorities funding to guard our future and gasoline our financial system.”
The opening of the area coincides with South by Southwest 2024 actions, the place friends joined DoD leaders, trade representatives and native Austin representatives, in a ribbon slicing. The occasion was a part of a sequence of engagements occurring in the course of the week centered round progressive know-how in help of nationwide safety.
“Catalyzing the DoD’s innovation entities right into a group of impression offers a possibility for better synergy and impression, from the native to a nationwide degree,” 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 raised scale the adoption of economic know-how throughout the Division resulting in better strategic impression. These coordinated efforts are a part of the DoD’s give attention to bettering the demand alerts to the industrial tech sector making it simpler for tech firms, significantly startups and small corporations, to interact with the Division.
“This new area is a testomony to the sturdy collaboration taking place 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 necessary innovation ecosystem and Capital Manufacturing facility offers 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 your entire 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 obstacles to entry and tapping into the expertise and know-how 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.
