SEATTLE –
The Mission Acceleration Center opened its doors Oct. 29, after a ribbon cutting ceremony in downtown Seattle.
The MAC will serve as a collaboration space as part of the Secretary of Defense’s NavalX Tech Bridge initiative aimed to streamline cooperation among Department of Defense agencies, academia, and private companies in relation to military contracts and technology transfers for technology discovery and patent commercialization.
"This is an example how the Navy leverages the industrial base through our shared mutual interests to urgently improve capability in the national defense arena," said Capt. Jon Moretty, NUWC Keyport commanding officer. "NUWC Keyport is on the cutting edge of accelerating ideas to innovation, and the opening of this center will further improve our abilities."
According to Johannes Schonberg, Northwest Tech Bridge director out of NUWC Keyport, Navy tech bridges pay special attention to understanding non-FAR authorities that allows the Navy to connect and partner with non-traditional partners with cutting-edge capabilities and emerging technologies. Non-traditional partners include startups, small businesses, academia, non-profits, and private capital, he added.
Northwest Tech Bridge specifically serves as a connector throughout the Pacific Northwest supporting the commercialization of innovative technology focusing on sustainability, providing access to workforce development, and advancing local small business competition.
“Northwest Tech Bridge is an initiative that’s singularly focused on reducing barriers facing small business and industry from working with the Department of the Navy,” Schonberg said. “We partner with local non-profit partners, like Impact Washington and Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition to support founders, entrepreneurs, and businesses that navigate the national security market opportunities and pathways to connect to those opportunities. “We’re working through Impact Washington to support regional companies at VIBE Coworks in Poulsbo, the MAC, and virtually. This capability ensures NUWC Keyport delivers the best possible solutions to our warfighters and customers.”
The 80-person capacity MAC will be staffed by DoD personnel and partner companies with the goal of providing the best solutions to customers as possible.
NUWC Keyport provides technical leadership, engineering expertise, and unique facility complexes that serve to ensure sustainment of undersea warfare superiority for the United States. As one of two divisions of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Keyport’s mission is focused on developing and applying advanced technical capabilities to test, evaluate, field, and maintain undersea warfare systems and related defense assets. These advanced technical capabilities directly support the full spectrum of Navy undersea programs.