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Defense Technology Initiative (DTI)
Mission
Established by the Mass. High Tech Council in 2003, DTI promotes job creation and growth opportunities for technology business and universities in the New England defense sector. DTI is building on its success in leading the region’s strategy in support of Hanscom AFB and the US Army Natick Solider Systems Center in the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process.
Regional Defense Technology
New England is home to the nation’s preeminent defense technology cluster representing: thousands of defense tech firms; the nation’s highest concentration of research universities and scientists and engineers; hundreds of thousands of jobs; and more than $13 billion in annual Department of Defense (DoD) investment. Beginning in March 2008, DTI expanded its original and tightly focused BRAC 2005 mission to achieve the more comprehensive and strategic objective of strengthening the New England defense technology industry. In order to achieve this mission DTI is providing the necessary leadership in two core areas:
- Coordinating regional private sector, non-profit and academic organizations to identify and implement initiatives to enhance the competitiveness of the defense technology cluster.
- Spearheading outreach and relationship development in the defense community, principally in the Pentagon and throughout Department of Defense structure, including New England military installations.
DTI focuses on identifying and connecting with defense cluster market actors, assisting small businesses in understanding and leveraging DoD and large defense contractors while concurrently helping DoD organizations find and connect with innovative technologies and partners to achieve national defense priorities. The core elements of the DTI regional defense technology sector development strategy include:
- Asset Mapping to Drive Cluster Strategy
- Regional Network Development
- Innovation Access Network Web Platform
Asset Mapping and Cluster Strategy
DTI is in the process of identifying and mapping innovative technology firms, academic and research intuitions, support systems and other defense related assets throughout New England. The mapping includes the provision of critical and replicable economic data related to the regional defense-related activities. This rich source of information aids in the development of meaningful and lasting synergies throughout the region’s defense sector, benefiting small businesses, primes, and the DoD.
Regional Network Development
DTI strives to provide New England’s defense-related industry with targeted education and networking events to develop critical skills and connections throughout the region. This programming is designed to convene stakeholders throughout the defense cluster for purposes of connecting small businesses and defense primes with knowledge, assets and networks that will ultimately help New England technology businesses grow and create high wage jobs, while serving the strategic needs of the defense community. Starting in 2011, DTI will host dozens of strategically located events throughout the region to begin facilitating a strong network of stakeholders. Events also serve as opportunities to introduce regional players to the DTI networking portal and its rich user-driven content and communication capabilities.
Innovation Access Network
To sustain regional connectedness DTI offers members and other interested parties a dynamic web-based portal designed to offer stakeholders opportunities to market, search, connect and communicate. The Innovation Access Network (IAN) leverages proven web-based networking tools that allow users to drive the content and capabilities based on their unique interests and needs, providing stakeholders with cutting edge social networking-like capabilities in an exclusive and targeted virtual environment. At its core, the IAN serves as a clearinghouse for New England’s defense related industry. Companies, small and large alike, are given the opportunity to populate pages with information about their new technologies or their technology needs. IAN also serves to align the region’s defense sector with federal priorities and contract opportunities. The suite of tools serves as the backbone of the New England DTI network and is the primary source of information for all things related to defense technology in New England.
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