Newlab and Decisive Point Launch NSIN Propel
NSIN Propel will drive the development of next-generation applications of dual-use emerging technology to advance areas such as mobility, smart cities, and industrial automation.
The application period for the 2021 NSIN Propel cohort is now closed.
NSIN, in partnership with Newlab and Decisive Point, today announced the launch of NSIN Propel, a program designed to enable the development of next-generation applications of emerging dual-use technology for government and defense. Located at Newlab’s 84,000 square-foot flagship location in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, NSIN Propel will serve as a center of gravity for the Department of Defense (DoD) innovation community in the mid-Atlantic region. The program is currently accepting applications from technology companies working in areas including smart cities, urban tech, mobility, agriculture, industrial automation, manufacturing, next-gen connectivity, logistics, and supply chain management; for more information on the application process, click here.
NSIN Propel will leverage Decisive Point’s defense and government contracting expertise and Newlab’s proven Innovation Studio model, prototyping resources, and industry and investor network to guide selected companies through a process of developing and piloting technologies designed to meet DoD and commercial market needs. NSIN is sponsoring the program and is working closely with Decisive Point and Newlab to set the vision for the program. NSIN Propel will help companies develop practical acquisitions knowledge and capacity by equipping participants with capabilities necessary for success in the federal market and building the momentum to raise capital from private investors, build relationships with defense and commercial customers, and win government contracts.
“We are proud to partner with Newlab to launch NSIN Propel, which will help drive the development of emerging technologies for national security and public safety,” said Ryan Benitez, Principal with Decisive Point. “As emerging technologies, from AI and machine learning to robotics and connected systems, transform the global security landscape, our partnership with Newlab will help ensure that the United States military continues to lead at the cutting edge of next-generation technology.”
“We’re excited to partner with Decisive Point to launch NSIN Propel, which will combine Newlab’s Innovation Studio model, which drives impactful outcomes, with Decisive Point’s deep expertise in government and defense innovation to catalyze technology solutions that will shape the future of national security,” said Shaun Stewart, CEO of Newlab. “NSIN Propel will enable the U.S. government to benefit from dual-use technologies critical to defense while providing the companies the guidance they need to scale their solutions for both the government and commercial sectors.”
NSIN Propel partners will collaborate with the Rome, New York-based Air Force Research Laboratory’s Information Directorate (AFRL)—the premier research organization for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) and Cyber technologies—to recruit companies new to the defense sector with technology solutions that can be adapted to address the needs of both the U.S. Air Force and the broader DoD community. Selected companies will work on solutions that deliver safety, resiliency, and agility to national security initiatives through data fusion and analytics, focusing on sensors, connectivity, autonomous systems, and human-machine interaction. NSIN Propel presents an opportunity for companies with relevant commercial applications in areas such as smart cities, urban tech, mobility, agriculture, industrial automation and manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain management to expand into federal markets.
“Providing guidance to companies as they develop solutions for the federal market is critical to enabling the DoD community to leverage cutting-edge emerging technologies,” said John Hrivnak, NSIN Program Manager “By partnering with Decisive Point and Newlab, we aim to ensure that the U.S. government will benefit from the extraordinary technological advances made in the private sector to help meet our critical national security needs.”
NSIN Propel is currently accepting applications from technology companies interested in participating. For more information on the application process, please click here.
About NSIN
The NSIN mission is to “build networks of innovators that generate new solutions to national security problems.” NSIN is headquartered in Arlington, VA, and has regional offices in 11 commercial innovation hubs throughout the United States. Through its headquarters, regional hubs, and embedded university partnerships, NSIN builds a national network of innovators and delivers programming that solves real-world, DoD problems through collaborative partnerships with non-traditional problem-solvers within the academic and early-stage venture communities.
About Newlab
Newlab is a community of experts and innovators applying transformative technology to solve the world’s biggest challenges. Newlab membership and studios bring together entrepreneurs, engineers, inventors and industry leaders to create sustainable solutions and enterprises. Newlab employs technologies including robotics, AI and material science to transform what matters most—health, environment, media, cities, and infrastructure.
About Decisive Point
Decisive Point is a venture capital firm focused on technology for government, public safety, and defense. Decisive Point’s mission is to support founders with the guts to try; the ones who look at challenges facing the country and their communities and see problems worth solving. Decisive Point supports their clients as they navigate the federal market and invest in those that deliver solutions to both commercial customers and the nation.