WISCONSIN SELECTED AS PART OF A NATIONAL EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE INNOVATION IN DEFENSE TECHNOLOGIES

Madison, Wis. −The Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network will partner with the Defense Alliance of Minnesota as part of a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) program to create an Advanced Defense Technologies (ADT) Cluster. The program is part of the Innovative Economies Pilot Initiative, which centers around regional clustering of high-technology enterprises, providing them with educational training opportunities and connecting them with related technology development programs, specifically those managed by the Department of Defense.

To fund the initiative, SBA awarded $6 million in contracts to 10 regional groups with each group receiving $600,000. The Defense Alliance of Minnesota, one of three groups concentrating on defense technologies, has decided to initially focus on Wisconsin and the Dakotas and selected WEN to contribute to the effort.

WEN and its partners have a proven history of high technology innovation and accelerating technology transfer. In 2009 alone, WEN and its partners helped companies receive over $15 million in federal awards. “WEN is thrilled to be part of this important forward-looking initiative,” says WEN Director Gayle Kugler. “With this contract, we can now establish a networked industry cluster and focus on providing connections, technical assistance and expertise to businesses engaged in energy related industries.”

The Upper Midwest, Wisconsin included, represents a region that collectively dedicates a significant amount of intellectual and financial capital to renewable and alternative energy sources, and to power systems for vehicles and infrastructure.  With this project, there will be tremendous potential for answering DoD’s Advanced Power & Energy technology needs while helping build existing capabilities and also ensuring tech transfer and commercialization success of related businesses.

“This award is a demonstration of a vision that was shared by Chip Laingen [executive director of the Defense Alliance of Minnesota] and myself for several years,” notes WEN northwest regional director Pat Dillon.  “Having a vested interest in Minnesota and Wisconsin, this new collaboration is clearly one major step towards creating a regional cluster centered around a key technology of national and international importance.”

A second year funding option for ADT would extend the contract through fiscal year 2012 and provide another $600,000 per group involved.

About the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network: The Wisconsin Entrepreneurs' Network (WEN) provides entrepreneurs with access to a statewide network of resources and expertise, identifies high-potential entrepreneurs and helps move their businesses forward, facilitates collaboration between entrepreneurs and between organizations that assist entrepreneurs, and helps create and grow minority-owned businesses. WEN has four regional directors with more than 75 years of relevant business development and technology commercial experience and concentrated expertise in federal research and development funding, technology transfer, engineering and funding. Working individually or collaboratively, the WEN Regional Directors are a critical source of expertise to guide and advise Wisconsin's technology business community.

About the Defense Alliance of Minnesota: The Defense Alliance of Minnesota, is the region’s defense industry network that was created by Minnesota Wire in 2004, where it is still hosted.  The Defense Alliance has a vibrant membership of nearly 500 businesses and organizations in eleven states.  The Alliance’s proposal was competitively awarded from among 173 national entries, 10 of which received awards to create regional innovation clusters; and three of which will involve defense technologies.  The Defense Alliance is one of the three defense clusters, including the San Diego State University Research Foundation and the Von Braun Center for Science and Innovation in Huntsville, Alabama