The Department of Defense continues to partner closely with the defense industry, and small businesses in particular, to help develop new and innovative solutions to meet emerging needs and requirements
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ms. Ellen Lord, and Ms. Jennifer Santos, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Policy, helped create the Trusted Capital program, a public-private partnership that will convene trusted sources of private capital with innovative companies critical to defense industrial base and national security.
In November 2019, the Department and the Texas A&M University system co-sponsored Drone Venture Day, where dozens of U.S. manufacturers of unmanned aerial vehicle systems and counter-UAS systems met with trusted capital providers to explore mutually beneficial partnerships focused on national security concerns.
The Acquisition & Sustainment Trusted Capital team is now co-hosting a series of events with the Air Force and the Army in March that are designed to bring together DoD-critical companies and capital providers to explore mutually beneficial partnerships in support of national security requirements.
These events include:
These critical technology companies are already involved in the AFWERX South by Southwest Pitch Day or Army xTechSearch and are therefore eligible to apply for a due diligence screen to be considered a Trusted Capital company. Those that meet these criteria will be able to attend the events as trusted companies and will be eligible to attend separate gatherings with trusted capital providers.
These events are focused on addressing critical technology areas, including artificial intelligence, quantum, satellites, cybersecurity, autonomous aircraft, and supply-base/logistics (AFWERX South by Southwest Pitch Day) and biotech, radars, machine learning, and advanced batteries (Army xTechSearch).
The events in March are another step in the progression of the Trusted Capital concept to support an ecosystem where trusted capital providers and domestic companies can limit adversarial foreign access to technology and strengthen domestic manufacturing in the defense industrial base. For more information on doing business with the Department of Defense, please view the Defense Acquisition Welcome Mat.
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