DIIE Digest #1

a roll up of opportunities and updates from around the ecosystem

Welcome to the Defense and Intelligence Innovation Ecosystem newsletter digest! In it we provide short updates and opportunities from a wide range of government and nongovernmental organizations and programs, either directly or tangentially connected to the defense and intelligence ecosystem. We look for news that is actionable, so you can jump in and participate. For this first edition we are including some basic info to get you moving in the right direction this fall with several interesting events and groups to join. So, without further ado, here’s our first episode:

• Defense Innovation Board - Independent federal committee advising the defense secretary on various issues that focus on people and culture, technology and capabilities, and practices and operations -- holds a quarterly public meeting. Recordings available online here: https://innovation.defense.gov/Meetings/

• Defense Entrepreneurs Forum - DEF2019: DEF’s Annual National Conference is this week and sold out, but there are still a few tickets for one-off days and events available. 27-29 September, 2019 - https://defenseentrepreneurs.org/def2019/

• Defense Innovation Unit - Accepting solution briefs in response to several solicitations - https://www.diu.mil/work-with-us/companies/cso-solution-brief

• Army Futures Command - Submit your new technology for consideration with the Army Applications Lab. This link takes you through a short series of questions to see if you can provide a new critical solution: https://aal.army/submit/

• Breaking Defense - Published an eBook on the impact of AI on national security. Free download here

• War on the Rocks - Consistently publishing national security insider views on myriad topics, including innovation programs and initiatives

• NextGov - Publishes and aggregates news on emerging tech with applications for government

• AFWERX - The AFWERX Challenge is where individuals, startups, small businesses, large enterprises, academics and research labs submit solutions to specific challenges that the U.S. Air Force (USAF) launches: https://www.afwerx.af.mil/challenges.html

• SOFWERX - Join the email list for SOF related innovation opportunities: https://www.sofwerx.org/ecosystem/

• MGMWERX - Join the email list for Air Force related innovation opportunities: https://mgmwerx.org/join-our-ecosystem/

• Hacking for Defense (H4Di) - Submit a problem to be solved by H4D cohorts: https://www.h4di.org/problem-curation.html

• One Defense - A network of startups, investors, and subject matter experts in emerging tech for national security. Join the community.

• Foundation for Innovation and Discovery - Nonprofit bringing emerging technologies and disruptive innovations to the attention of government leaders, program managers, and technologists: http://finnd.org/member.html

• Innovative Solutions Consortium - Nonprofit uniting government, industry, academia and private citizens to solve hard problems to make the  world a better and safer place: https://www.isc-connect.org/membership/

• Northern Virginia Technology Council - hosting the Capital Cybersecurity Summit, Oct 1 - http://www.capitalcybersummit.com

• Mach37 - Cybersecurity seed accelerator and a division of the Virginia-based Center for Innovative Technology which receives financial support from the Virginia State Government. Apply to join the program: https://www.mach37.com/apply

• CSIS IDEAS Lab - A think tank promoting solutions to foreign policy and national security challenges. The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab creates websites, interactive visualizations, custom reports, graphics, videos, and podcasts that communicate policy scholarship and recommendations: https://www.csis.org/programs/dracopoulos-ideas-lab

• CNAS - A think tank developing national security and defense policies. CNAS engages policymakers, experts, and the public with research and analysis. CNAS tracks a number of innovation and emerging technology issues: https://www.cnas.org/research/future-of-warfare

• BENS - Business Executives in National Security is a nonprofit producing research and analysis for national security decision makers. While not a new document (2001), their report on IQT is worth downloading as a sample of their work: Report of the Independent Panel on the Central Intelligence Agency In-Q-Tel Venture: https://www.bens.org/document.doc?id=31

• AFCEA - member-based, non-profit association for professionals that provides thought leadership and networking opportunities, focusing on cyber, command, control, communications, computers and intelligence. AFCEA publishes articles on technology trends for national security: https://www.afcea.org/content/?q=taxonomy/term/6098

• INSA - nonpartisan, nonprofit trade association for driving public-private partnerships to advance intelligence and national security priorities. Read “Race to 5G Puts U.S. Economic and National Security at Risk”

• NDIA - non-partisan, non-profit, educational association to educate its constituencies on all aspects of national security. NDIA’s 100th anniversary celebration is coming up: https://www.ndia.org/events/2019/10/30/100-year-anniversary-celebration

• ASIS -  A global community of security practitioners. Their Global Security Exchange (GSX) event will be in Atlanta, 21-23 September 2020.

• Govloop - Govloop serves a community of more than 300,000 government leaders by helping them to foster collaboration, learn from each other, solve problems and advance in their government careers. Govloop will be hosting their NextGen Summit for innovation in government in 2020. More info here: https://www.nextgengovt.com

• Defense Techconnect - The annual Defense TechConnect (DTC) Summit, co-located with the Fall SBIR/STTR Innovation Summit, brings together defense, private industry, federal agency, and academic leadership to accelerate state-of-the-art technology solutions for the warfighter and national security. At last year's Defense Innovation Summit, close to 1,000+ one-on-one meetings took place between small businesses and SBIR Federal Program Managers and more than 30 breakout sessions focused on defense innovation including energy, cyber, biomedical, and command, control, communications, computers/intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR). The DTC Innovation Summit is Oct 7-10, 2019 in National Harbor, MD: https://events.techconnect.org/DTCFall/

• REF -Rapid Equipping Force is the Army’s quick reaction capability for getting urgent materiel solutions into the hands of Soldiers.  Current priority equipping efforts include solutions for subterranean operations, electronic warfare, unmanned and counter-unmanned aerial systems, intelligence, and expeditionary force protection. Contact REF with solutions.

• IDGA - Non-partisan information-based organization dedicated to the promotion of innovative ideas and latest developments in public service and defense through highly-popular live training and networking events, as well as an online community portal. October 28-30 is the Hypersonic Weapons Summit in Washington D.C.

• IQT - The not-for-profit strategic investor that accelerates the development and delivery of cutting-edge technologies to national security agencies; Bridging the gap between technology needs of government partners, the startup world, and the venture community. Submit a business plan to In-Q-Tel.

• Blu Venture Investors - The Blu Cyber Seed Fund (CSF) invests in seed stage Cyber Security companies. They typically invest $50k-$250K in 5-10 companies annually. To pitch to Blu Venture Investors, get a referral to one of the principals and introduce yourself. See a list of Principals at Blu Venture Investors. Pitch to one of the principals first and ask them to be your sponsor. Fill out the required questionnaire and submit your pitch deck.

• DARPA - An agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military. Explore opportunities to work with DARPA.

• IARPA - An organization within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence responsible for leading research to overcome difficult challenges relevant to the United States Intelligence Community. Submit an idea to IARPA.

• National Labs - Conduct scientific research and development in areas related to energy and technology. Find a national lab near you. Explore jobs at the 17 national labs: https://www.energy.gov/jobs-national-labs

• Vulcan - Web platform for solution providers to pitch technology for special forces challenges. Request access to Vulcan

** This list is in no way exhaustive, and it will grow considerably over time, so stay tuned for more to come soon! **

A little More about DIIE

If you are here it may be because you are a long time aficionado of everything “innovation” whether for the defense sector or more broadly. The newsletter aims to be inclusive for innovators from the private sector and academia, but will direct most of its content around defense and intelligence industry opportunities. DIIE is a place to keep the important conversations going, and pick up where we left off after your proposal is submitted and you have a minute to think strategically again.

By subscribing to this newsletter you will receive a monthly (or more frequent) curation of opportunities, funding sources, resources and people to know, so you can stay on top of all things defense and intelligence innovation.

You may subscribe to DIIE monthly or annually.

DIIE is compiled and maintained by Graham Plaster, CEO of www.TheIntelligenceCommunity.com, a professional social network reaching over 100,000 national security professionals; and Vice President of National Security and Intelligence for TDX International, an Alaska Native Corporation. To learn more about marketing and membership opportunities, call 800.619.7650 x1 or connect with Graham on LinkedIn.