BOZEMAN — The U.S. Department of Defense recently named Montana State University a Defense Innovation Unit OnRamp Hub, a designation that will bring the university’s cutting-edge facilities and highly trained researchers together with companies to scale up technologies for use in defense projects.
The DIU works with companies and universities to rapidly field technologies for national defense, said Leif Ibsen, managing director of MSU’s DIU OnRamp Hub. He said the designation presents an opportunity to MSU researchers and for businesses across the state.
“The DIU OnRamp Hub brings together Montana State University, researchers and the private sector to collaborate with commercial companies and the Department of Defense in ways that can drive innovation, economic growth and national impact,” Ibsen said. “The OnRamp will serve as the DIU open front door between dual-use commercial market technology and the DoD.”
MSU President Brock Tessman said the DIU OnRamp designation supports MSU’s mission as a land-grant institution.
“The OnRamp program will connect the state-of-the-art facilities MSU has in place for classified defense research and our talented faculty and researchers with opportunities to strengthen America’s national security,” Tessman said. “It’s a great example of MSU contributing to the vitality of our state and nation through its research enterprise.”
Ibsen explained that both academic researchers and companies who believe their commercially successful technologies may be of interest to the Department of Defense can work with the hub to move proposals forward.
“The hub at MSU would help identify what gaps their product or service might fill with the DoD,” he said. “We would put them in touch with the right people to get this technology in front of them for evaluation.”
Being designated a DIU OnRamp Hub also facilitates greater opportunities for future funding, according to Todd Daniels, an associate director of MSU’s MilTech and an adviser to the new DIU OnRamp Hub.
“Last year, DIU’s budget in this area was around $983 million,” he said. “The hub will help connect MSU and Montana’s business and tech communities with that funding. It opens doors directly to the activity that the DIU is doing for Montana to engage with the Department of Defense.”
Daniels said several of the university’s programs likely played a role in MSU being selected to head this statewide program, including MilTech, which moves technology and information research to the U.S. military and Department of Homeland Security; the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center; TechLink; the Institute for National Security Research and Education; and the Applied Research Lab, which has space for classified research.
Daniels said the EngineWorks Bozeman building on MSU’s Innovation Campus also is an attractive asset, because the facility can be used by people without security clearances. He added that MSU’s Innovation Campus is integral to MSU’s DIU OnRamp Hub infrastructure.
“We’re going to support DIU by providing them a world-class facility and an ecosystem that can help support the mission of this organization in support of America’s national security needs,” said Mark Sharpe, executive director for the Innovation Campus.
Alison Harmon, MSU’s vice president for research and economic development, said the OnRamp program builds upon decades of translating technology to support national security, working with businesses and universities across the nation.
“The DIU OnRamp can be a source of economic development for all of Montana, bringing together MSU researchers and students, Montana’s thriving tech sector, and businesses and higher education institutions throughout the region,” Harmon said.
In addition to Montana, institutions in Kentucky and Minnesota were awarded DIU OnRamp Hub status. Other states with previously designated hubs are Arizona, Hawaii, Kansas, Ohio and Washington.
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Michael Becker, interim vice president of University Communications, 406-994-4565, [email protected]
