(CRANE) – Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division’s (NSWC Crane) NavalX Midwest Tech Bridge has awarded its first Collaborative Project Order to the Indiana Innovation Institute (IN3) to foster collaboration among universities, industry, small businesses and non-profits to accelerate technology to the warfighter in areas including trusted microelectronics, hypersonics, and electro-optics.
Dr. Brett Seidle, technical director, NSWC Crane, Stephen Kelly, president and CEO of IN3, Commanding Officer of NSWC Crane Captain Mark Oesterreich.
In 2019, NSWC Crane was chosen as one of six Tech Bridge sites in the nation to improve collaboration and agility throughout the U.S. Department of the Navy.
IN3 is engaging with the Midwest Tech Bridge in a number of ways including organizing events like tech demonstrations, prize challenges, hackathons, and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) opportunities. IN3 also will be facilitating engagement with local Navy and Department of Defense (DoD) partners at its innovation space located off-base at the WestGate Academy Conference and Training Center in Odon, Ind.
Monica Hutchins, the regional director of the Midwest Tech Bridge, says this award is significant because it will provide new ways to engage partners in the innovation ecosystem.
“This first Collaborative Project Order with IN3 establishes the initial Tech Bridge focus areas and external collaboration opportunities,” said Hutchins. “We will be able to engage with small businesses, non-traditional companies like start-ups, and academia outside the fence line in ways we haven’t done before. Through this project, we will be able to expand our partnership base to quickly get technology into the hands of the warfighter.”e
In addition to the Navy, the agreement is aimed at benefiting a number of initiatives and organizations across the state and particularly in the Indiana Uplands region. It will help advance Governor Holcomb’s defense strategy, boost the state’s economy through new business projects, tap into the expertise at the state’s top research universities, and forge collaborations among a host of entities, which may not have partnered on defense projects in the past.
“This is a great opportunity to support the Navy by matching strong regional and statewide technology companies and their expertise with the Navy’s critical missions,” said Stephen Kelly, president, and CEO of IN3. “Indiana has strong defense capabilities and this agreement further strengthens those efforts through collaboration.”
A signing ceremony was held at the WestGate@Crane Technology Park and was attended by Commanding Officer of NSWC Crane Captain Mark Oesterreich, Dr. Brett Seidle, technical director, NSWC Crane, Monica Hutchins, regional director of Midwest Tech Bridge, Stephen Kelly, president and CEO of IN3, and other representatives of both organizations.
Learn more about SBIR opportunities at https://www.sbir.gov/.
About Indiana Innovation Institute (IN3)
The Indiana Innovation Institute (IN3) is a non-profit applied research institute that brings together top leaders from government, military, industry and research universities in collaboration with Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane). IN3 facilitates and manages collaborative research teams from Indiana University, Purdue University, the University of Notre Dame and other Indiana colleges and universities to perform research in participants’ areas of technical expertise. IN3’s focus is on trusted microelectronics technology and security, hypersonics, electro-optics, sensor fusion, data assurance, and energy storage. Work conducted through IN3 accelerates technology commercialization that supports economic prosperity across Indiana with a specific focus on the Indiana Uplands region. For more information about the Indiana Innovation Institute (IN3), visit www.IN3Indiana.com.
About NSWC Crane
NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) with mission areas in Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions and Electronic Warfare. The warfare center is responsible for multi-domain, multispectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability to today’s Warfighter.
Join Our Team! NAVSEA employs a highly trained, educated, and skilled workforce – from students and entry-level employees to experienced professionals and individuals with disabilities. We support today’s sophisticated Navy and Marine Corps ships, aircraft, weapon systems, and computer systems. We are continuously looking for engineers, scientists, IT and cyber specialists, as well as trade and other support professionals to ensure the U.S. Navy can protect and defend America. Please contact NSWC Crane Human Resources at crane_recruiting@navy.mil.
