Economic Development Administration and Defense Innovation Unit Sign MOU to Bolster American Competitiveness
On September 5, 2024, 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) at the Commerce headquarters in Washington, D.C. The purpose of this agreement is to enhance U.S. competitiveness by leveraging each organization’s assets and nationwide connections to help link more American-made innovations with opportunities for scaling, commercialization, and procurement.
The EDA and DIU are dedicated to promoting synergies through resource sharing and boosting regional innovation, economic influence, and workforce development. This partnership aims to unify the EDA’s Tech Hubs program with the DIU’s regional outreach initiatives to create a more integrated and efficient approach. The MOU lays out seven principal activities, including prize challenges, contracts and grant opportunities, accelerators, workforce development, supply chain resilience, technology demonstrations, and test and evaluation projects.
The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and External Affairs emphasized how the agreement will position America’s leading innovators to capitalize on the resources, assets, and connections that spur job creation, enhance American competitiveness, and reinforce national security. The collaboration will allow EDA’s Tech Hubs consortia members to gain insights into DoD needs and showcase their cutting-edge technologies, potentially securing contracts to supply the DoD with these essential innovations.
The Tech Hubs Program seeks to reinforce U.S. economic and national security through investments in regions with the potential to become globally competitive in the technologies and industries of the future. President Biden announced the designation of the inaugural 31 Tech Hubs on October 23, 2023. The partnership with DIU will act as a more effective on-ramp for companies wanting to work with the DoD and across the federal government on projects of strategic significance and national importance, according to Liz Young McNally, Deputy Director of DIU’s Commercial Operations.
DIU focuses on speeding the integration of commercial technology into the Services and Defense components and strengthening the innovation community both domestically and internationally. With offices, OnRamp Hubs, and regional leaders located across the country in key innovation ecosystems, DIU aims to lower the barriers of entry for new talent and technology providers, ranging from university and graduate students to startups and non-traditional companies.
