By Abbey Slattery, WRAL Digital Solutions
This article was written for our sponsor, North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC).
The 2022 federal defense budget includes the largest request the Department of Defense has ever made for research, development, testing and evaluation, with $ 130 billion.
North Carolina has several ongoing state-sponsored programs to help local innovators take advantage of financial opportunities offered by DoD contracts, including the Defense Technology Transition Office, or DEFTECH. DEFTECH is a state-funded entity of the North Carolina Military Business Center that offers a variety of free services to help North Carolina technology companies win business with federal defense, homeland and law enforcement agencies.
DEFTECH serves the DoD, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and other federal agencies in the innovative ecosystem by scouting the state for advanced technologies; training industry to help them identify defensive applications for business technology; communicate federal technology needs that can position businesses to meet requirements; representing North Carolina to federal clients; leading emerging technology forums and serving as the North Carolina partnership to federal innovation offices.
“We have a vibrant, unique and inclusive innovation ecosystem in North Carolina. Private companies, academia, public-private partnerships, scientific and technology advisors at our state’s military bases, investors and organizations supporting and developing new, innovative, dual technologies often work together, “said Denny Lewis, director of DEFTECH. “Every state has innovators, every state has universities – but in our state, we have military and military innovators from Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune and Seymour Johnson Airforce Base. We aim to connect with them, understand their needs and introduce them to local entities that can help develop technologies and solutions quickly. “
DEFTECH serves North Carolina’s high-tech industries and research communities as well as the DoD, DHS and other federal agencies in the innovative ecosystem by scouting the state for advanced technologies. Once companies and enterprises are identified, DEFTECH communicates federal technology needs and trains them on how to identify defense applications for business technology.
Often, it’s more about thinking about application potential and making minor changes to an existing or near-ready commercial product or technology to address a critical defense requirement.
“We most often consider end-to-end technologies or new and early approaches and prototypes that can enable or deliver capability in the hands of combatants. You need to understand the needs of the private sector and military end-users to help bridge and clarify whether particular commercial technology can to be used by combatants, “said Bob Burton, a senior manager at DEFTECH.
In addition to helping companies with technology transition, DEFTECH also provides individual suggestions for better positioning innovators in this market and arranges emerging technologies, business and educational events, bringing together innovators from industry, academia and government.
The leadership at DEFTECH has served in the military as well as in industries in the innovative ecosystem that gives them a unique and valuable perspective on the market.
“We’ve been on both sides of this equation, so we understand the challenges each side faces. Both parties want to solve the same problem, but they look at it two different ways and under different boundaries. That’s why DEFTECH can help identify, communicate and facilitate engagements with all stakeholders, ”Lewis said.
To break down some of these misunderstandings and build a relationship, DEFTECH regularly organizes events that bring together thought leaders from both areas. Some of these opportunities include:
Because of the potential that the state’s unique ecosystem brings, North Carolina is well positioned to be a leader in DoD funding for defensive innovation.
“It’s about the culture. It’s where innovators and disruptors come together and build this ecosystem that works synergistically to solve problems, ”Burton said.“ At the end of the day, it’s about working with business partners, government partners and academia to provide a collection of ideas to leverage innovation and new approaches and problem solving. “
This article was written for our sponsor, North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC).
