Appendix_1.pdf

Appendix 1 – Tech Bridges Background:

The 2018 National Defense Strategy was a call to the Department of Defense to find ways to harness innovation in private businesses and academia to better serve and protect our country. As a response, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition (ASN RDA), Hon. James 'Hondo' Geurts, established NavalX in February 2019 to expand the Department of the Navy's (DON) capabilities. NavalX connects both the internal DON organizations and external DON partners to increase awareness and access to best practices and technologies. One key element of NavalX strategy implementation is use of Tech Bridges.

With strong partnership from the Office of Naval Research, NavalX Tech Bridges connect, reinforce and sustain acceleration ecosystems in off-base locations across the DON. These Tech Bridges will partner with start-ups, academia, corporations, small businesses, non-profits, private capital, and government entities. In this way, NavalX builds sustainable networks for collaboration and accelerates problem solving. NavalX works with partners to support collision spaces and generate dual-use solutions. These spaces lower barriers that traditionally hamper external collaboration.

As of 10 March, 2020, there are six Tech Bridge locations:

401 Tech Bridge AT NEWPORT, RI Central Florida Tech Bridge AT ORLANDO, FL Midwest Tech Bridge AT CRANE, IN Northwest Tech Bridge AT KEYPORT, WA Palmetto Tech Bridge AT CHARLESTON, SC SoCal Tech Bridge AT SAN DIEGO, CA

Northeast Regional Tech Bridge:

The Navy Tech Bridge activity for the Northeast is coordinated at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport. The core of this activity is the “401 Tech Bridge”. The 401 Tech Bridge is a collaboration supported by the Office of Naval Research; the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) award program; the Rhode Island Innovation Campus; and network matching grants and private funding.

Polaris MEP, a statewide nonprofit organization, is the Navy’s partnership intermediary leading the 401 Tech Bridge, with a goal of “accelerating concept to prototype to commercial scale”.

401 Tech Bridge:

The 401 Tech Bridge is a network of more than 150 creative Rhode Island businesses, governmental organizations, major corporations, and academic institutions. This network enables collaboration and innovative solutions to funded projects and advances both the technology and the bottom line of Rhode Island businesses.

The Tech Bridge creates a powerful intersection connecting public and private organizations with members of industry associations and Rhode Island’s academic institutions. The external organizations, ranging from departments of the U.S. Navy to offshore wind developers, work both with the state’s academic research resources and with an array of innovative businesses to rapidly prototype and test solutions to today’s challenging new problems. Universities and other educational institutions expose their top students to cutting-edge research and development, while Rhode Island’s composites and textile businesses tackle funded projects and then rapidly commercialize proven concepts.

401 Tech Bridge Program Areas

1) Sector-based projects such as infrastructure, offshore wind, oceanographic, undersea technology, and naval research: Provide opportunities and resources to bring R.I. companies, academia and government together to work on new technology commercialization efforts needed in fast-changing markets (e.g. Office of Naval Research’s Naval Innovation Process Adoption program).

2) Corporate-sponsored R&D, prototyping, and collaboration: Open R&D pathways to industries engaged in use of new composites and textiles, and manufacturing processes.

3) Manufacturing development services: Expand access beyond the defense sector to the successful Polaris MEP Manufacturing Innovation Challenge program.

4) Work-force skills development: Generate opportunities for higher-level and diversified skills training in advanced manufacturing processes, new technologies and new materials to build capabilities of companies and raise work-force wages.

401 Tech Bridge Facilities in Portsmouth, Kingston and Providence R.I.

1) A 17,000-foot Portsmouth facility is planned to be neutral lab and equipment space for industry, government, and academic partners to collaborate on stated problems, develop concepts, build and test prototypes, model concepts, convene partners and present solutions. This location will also be used for presentations, gatherings and trainings for technology-based solution providers and offer temporary working space for companies involved in center-based projects.

2) The Kingston facility, approx. 10,000 square feet at University of Rhode Island, permits transformational materials research, prototyping, testing and validation of concepts, engaging with industry partners, faculty researchers and students on sponsored projects.

3) An office at the CIC in Providence provides a small space for connecting with innovative small and entrepreneurs in the region.

401 Tech Bridge Partners

Polaris MEP—the non-profit, federally designated ally of R.I. manufacturing, which aims to grow manufacturing capability and success via competitive business-improvement programs.

University of Rhode Island—the flagship public research as well as the land grant and sea grant university for the state, with eight academic colleges.

Composites Alliance of Rhode Island (CARI)—an association of companies and stakeholders focused on growing the composites industry in the state.

Rhode Island Textile Innovation Network (RITIN)—an affiliation of textile manufacturers positioning the state as a leader in advanced textile manufacturing.