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Areas of tech interest to the Department of Defense include logistical solutions, tactical electronic warfare and more. (Photo via Defense Innovation Unit)
A new accelerator program aimed at identifying and supporting startups and technologies that address critical U.S. Department of Defense needs is launching south of Seattle in Renton, Wash.
The Defense Technology Accelerator is a first-of-its-kind program within the Defense Innovation Unit, an organization whose goal is to accelerate the adoption of commercial and dual-use (civilian + military) technologies for U.S. national security.
According to DIU, startups and innovators often encounter significant barriers when navigating the defense marketplace, including a lack of understanding of DoD customer needs, the complexity of defense acquisition processes, and the ability to demonstrate dual-use technology capabilities.
The four-month accelerator, for up to eight finalists, will be run in partnership with the Defense Innovation OnRamp Hub: Washington and will consist of some on-site programming and participation.
DIU identifies several critical technology areas that are of interest to the DoD, including:
Energy (ie: energy storage, power grid integration, renewable energy generation, directed energy)
Autonomy (ie: logistical solutions, contested vavigation, C-UAS)
Cyber (ie: tactical electronic warfare, secure info sharing, 5G / EM spectrum development)
Artificial Intelligence (ie: machine learning advancement, battle space awareness)
Emerging Tech (ie: additive manufacturing, augmented reality, hypersonics)
The accelerator, which is open to U.S.-owned companies and startups, will kick off during the week of March 24. Participants will be offered $15,000 in funding, mentorship from subject matter experts, potential follow-on opportunities such as Small Business Innovation Research grants, and more.
Applications will be judged on such things as technical merit, team qualifications, commercial viability and more. Finalists should be able to demonstrate how they’ll integrate innovative technologies to address specific DoD mission needs as well as the feasibility for rapid prototyping and field testing.
An Ask Me Anything session for interested parties will be held Feb. 19. Applications will be accepted through Feb. 27.
Beyond Washington, Defense Innovation OnRamp Hubs are located in Ohio, Arizona, Kansas and Hawaii.
