DEFENSEWERX

DEFENSEWERX, originally founded as the Doolittle Institute in 2012, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in Niceville, Florida. The organization serves as a neutral facilitator and trusted counselor, connecting a national network of individuals, businesses, academia, and government organizations to enable creative and integrated solutions for Department of Defense and federal government customers. With a mission to cultivate ecosystems that accelerate innovative solutions benefiting the warfighter and the nation, DEFENSEWERX has established itself as a critical bridge between non-traditional innovators and military needs.

The organization operates a family of innovation hubs across the United States, including SOFWERX in Tampa, ERDCWERX in Vicksburg, MGMWERX in Montgomery, Cyber Fusion Innovation Center in Augusta, Doolittle Institute in Niceville, DHS Pilot Innovation Hub, ICWERX, Nautilus innovation hub in Arlington, and AFWERX in Las Vegas. These hubs work in partnership with various government agencies including the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Special Operations Command, Department of Homeland Security, and the Intelligence Community. DEFENSEWERX provides free services using non-Federal Acquisition Regulation-based mechanisms, reducing the bureaucratic barriers that typically inhibit traditional and non-traditional organizations from engaging with federal government innovation pipelines.

DEFENSEWERX focuses on technology transfer, transition, and commercialization, STEM and workforce development, facilitation of prototyping, and creating purposeful collisions between small businesses, academic institutions, industry, and government partners. The organization enables the fielding of capabilities within a six-to-eighteen-month window while exploring government and commercial opportunities. By connecting innovators with military decision-makers through events such as hackathons, feasibility studies, prize challenges, technology landscape analyses, and rapid prototyping events, DEFENSEWERX plays a vital role in strengthening national security through innovation.