The Department of Defense and the U.S. Partnership for Assured Electronics have kicked off an experimental program aimed at innovating commercialization of advanced electronics.
Through the $10 million Defense Business Accelerator program, DOD and USPAE look to support companies working to speed up product development and commercialize their technologies, the organization said Thursday.
The program will solicit proposals for qualified electronics technologies and materials and will review and rank submissions to determine the finalists that will pitch their technologies at the Defense TechConnect Innovation Summit & Expo in November. A panel of industry, government and investment subject matter experts will determine awardees of $500,000 and $2 million in government funding.
It will focus first on commercialization in an effort to enhance product innovation, facilitate industrial base growth and draw private investment to benefit national security and government contractors.
“This experiment is an important effort for the electronics technologies industry,” remarked USPAE Executive Director Nathan Edwards. “If we prove it successful, we can radically change the funding process so that it encourages innovation and participation from a broader range of companies.”
For the program, USPAE is also collaborating with ATI’s TechConnect Division, a global research and innovation organization that works to connect funders and emerging technologies.