Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on September 5, 2024, at Commerce headquarters in Washington, D.C. This agreement aims to enhance American competitiveness by leveraging each organization's assets and connections nationwide, helping connect more American-made innovations to avenues for scaling, commercialization, and procurement. Both EDA and DIU are committed to fostering synergies through resource sharing and enhancing regional innovation, economic impact, and workforce development. This collaboration seeks to integrate EDA’s Tech Hubs program with DIU’s regional outreach initiatives, thereby creating a more cohesive and effective approach. The MOU outlines seven broad activities: prize challenges, contracts and grant opportunities, accelerators, workforce development, supply chain resilience, technology demonstrations, and test and evaluation projects.
“This agreement between EDA and DIU will position America’s leading innovators to best leverage the resources, assets, and connections that create more jobs, advance American competitiveness, and strengthen our national security,” said EDA Deputy Assistant Secretary Cristina Killingsworth, performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Economic Development. “EDA’s Tech Hubs consortia members will gain insights into DoD needs, have opportunities to showcase cutting-edge technologies—from autonomous systems to durable batteries—and hopefully secure contracts to supply these critical innovations to DoD. By helping Tech Hub companies secure key customers within the DoD, we empower them to grow, create jobs, and become integral parts of new supply chain networks.”
The Tech Hubs Program aims to strengthen U.S. economic and national security with investments in regions across the country with assets and resources with the potential to become globally competitive in the technologies and industries of the future—and for those industries, companies, and the good jobs they create, to start, grow, and remain in the United States. On October 23, 2023, President Biden announced the designation of the inaugural 31 Tech Hubs.
“Through this strengthened ability to collaborate between our organizations, DIU and EDA can amplify our impact. DIU will be able to act as a more effective on-ramp to companies who want to work with the DoD and across the federal government on projects with strategic impact and national importance," said Liz Young McNally, Deputy Director of DIU’s of Commercial Operations. “EDA's role in facilitating regional economic development efforts in communities across the nation makes them an ideal partner for DIU as we help commercial companies quickly scale their impact, delivering commercial capabilities to the warfighter with the focus, speed, and scale required to deter major conflict, or win if forced to fight.”
DIU is a joint Department of Defense organization focused on accelerating commercial technology into the Services and Defense components, as well as strengthening the innovation community, both here in the U.S. and with our partners and allies. DIU has offices, OnRamp Hubs, and regional leaders located across the country in key innovation ecosystems to lower the barriers of entry to new talent and technology providers, from university and graduate students to startups and non-traditional companies. Where there are offices and local engagement, the organization has seen an increase in response to solicitations and new talent entering the national security space.