DOD awards $2.06M to CDME to fund small business product development

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Continuing its long history of successful collaboration with Ohio manufacturers, the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment has awarded Ohio State’s Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence $2.06M to offer small businesses and startups product development support.

 

CDME Ohio State press
CDME operates a 28,000 square-foot, ITAR compliant manufacturing facility on the West Campus of The Ohio State University.

With the investment, CDME will introduce the DOD Supply Base Resilience and Diversification Program, which aims to simultaneously increase the sustainability and resilience of Ohio’s manufacturing sector while growing the DOD supply base and advancing new technologies for the military. The program will allow CDME to not just fund, but also implement projects for inventors and small companies that result in a prototype, or minimally viable product (MVP), with immediate military and commercial applications.

“It has been shown that once a company has an MVP, it significantly improves its ability to obtain additional funding and become more sustainable in the future,” said CDME Executive Director Nate Ames. “Ohio is full of entrepreneurs with amazing ideas that in the right form would improve our national security and help protect our soldiers. This program will result in up to 21 of these ideas being developed and demonstrated to the right stakeholders at DOD.

“We’re humbled and excited to partner with OEA to propel dual-use technology in the state of Ohio while having a direct impact on the state’s growth.”

Businesses will have the opportunity to submit potential solutions to receive funding for technical assistance consistent with prototyping or product development. CDME will pool new ideas, narrow down the field of candidates, and host a technology pitch day for selected companies to present their solution and articulate how their idea supports the defense mission. Projects will be undertaken in three different rounds spanning 18 months, with approximately seven technologies chosen in each round to transition into an MVP.

 

Corinne Uskali Ohio State CDME mechanical testing
CDME houses more than $12 million worth of manufacturing equipment.

At the end of each cycle, innovators will have the chance to demonstrate their technology to government entities to initiate continued development and funding opportunities.

The program will allow small businesses to reduce their costs for engineering and design while gaining access to the advanced manufacturing equipment and testing capabilities at CDME. Companies will also gain a network of contacts within the university and military communities.

“CDME’s technical experts will work with companies to help move their concepts towards commercial applications that are relevant to the needs of national security,” said Michael Gentil, a program manager at CDME. “By helping inventors and businesses learn the process of getting their products in front of DOD stakeholders will increase their likelihood of becoming a dual-use supplier.

 

Ohio State welding CDME
The program will allow small businesses to cut costs for engineering and design while gaining access to equipment and testing capabilities at CDME.

"The goal of the program is to make companies more sustainable by reducing development costs, speeding up the innovation process, and providing access to viable market opportunities.”

Businesses and inventors interested in receiving ongoing announcements related to the DOD Supply Base Resilience and Diversification Program can opt-in to receive email updates hereSubscribers will be alerted when proposal submissions are being accepted.

Original article by CDME, May 11