The Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center (DVIRC) is thrilled to be at the forefront of Navy-industry technology transfer in Southeastern Pennsylvania. DVIRC has worked closely with our partners at Liberty Tech Bridge and NAVSEA to connect Navy innovations with local manufacturers. This initiative promises to unlock innovations with far-reaching implications for both the U.S. Navy and the region’s manufacturing industry.
An event that exemplifies this effort is the Liberty Tech Bridge Pitch Day, which serves as a bridge between the U.S. Navy’s portfolio of unique patents and the innovative capabilities of local manufacturers. Its overarching goal is to transform abstract concepts into tangible products, earning Defense contracts for manufacturers and accelerating the competitiveness of America’s warfighters while fostering economic growth.
At the core of the events are the Navy’s imperatives for a robust manufacturing supply chain, highlighted at the Liberty Tech Bridge Pitch Day by E. Michael Golda, PhD, Chief Technology Officer of NSWCPD, and Michael J. Lavery, Director of NSWCPD’s Liberty Tech Bridge. Chris Scafario, President & CEO of DVIRC, outlines the organization’s mission and its role in promoting technology commercialization for the Department of the Navy in Philadelphia.
What sets the Liberty Tech Bridge Pitch Day apart is its ability to bring together Navy inventors and manufacturers. These events have drawn over 120 manufacturing business leaders from the region, offering them a glimpse into the potential of Navy patents and their commercialization. This is not just an exercise in presenting intellectual property; it is a collaborative endeavor aimed at driving economic growth, creating jobs, and advancing technology.
The event is designed to guide manufacturers along the path from patent to final product. Attendees are treated to an in-depth exploration of each patent, unveiling its unique attributes, capabilities, and potential advantages. Furthermore, they gain valuable insights into market dynamics, emerging trends, barriers to entry, and future prospects, both in commercial and defense applications. A comprehensive view of the competitive landscape is presented, encompassing existing competitors and potential alternatives to the showcased technologies.
The Liberty Tech Bridge Pitch Day doesn’t stop at knowledge sharing. Attendees are offered a glimpse into the current stage of development for each technology, along with the necessary steps required to prepare it for manufacturing. An assessment of the current state of manufacturability is shared, accompanied by a roadmap outlining the essential tasks needed to transition into full-scale production. In essence, these presentations offer a 360-degree view of the patent concepts, their market potential, competitive positioning, and the path to turning them into real, game-changing products.
The impact of the Liberty Tech Bridge Pitch Day is already tangible. It has ignited a spark of collaboration between the U.S. Navy and regional manufacturers, prompting numerous local businesses to explore commercialization opportunities with the Navy. The event doesn’t just bridge the innovation gap; it forges a future in which this collaboration will drive economic growth, technological advancement, and the development of groundbreaking Navy technology.
Interested in learning more about DVIRC’s advanced technology research capabilities? Click here →
About Liberty Tech BridgeSpanning Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey, the Liberty Tech Bridge is the 15th Tech Bridge within the continental United States. Named and inspired by Philadelphia’s famed Liberty Bell, the Liberty Tech Bridge’s vision is to serve as an innovation ecosystem between the U.S. Navy and industry, academia, as well as state and local government in the region to accelerate the development and transition of innovative increases in Naval warfighting capability.
Liberty Tech Bridge is a cooperative partnership between:
- NavalX,
- the Office of Naval Research,
- Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD),
- Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC-PAC) Cyber Engineering and Integration Division (located in Philadelphia, PA), and
- Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst (NAWCAD-LKE).
The Tech Bridge shall be aligned with the missions of the Chief Technology Offices of the aforementioned Warfare Centers and partners with necessary command offices to ensure the speed and relevance of Technology Transfer and Transition efforts.
About Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD)NSWCPD provides the Navy’s primary technical expertise and facilities for both naval machinery research and development and naval machinery lifecycle engineering. NSWCPD is responsible for the machinery systems core equity of the Ship and Ship Systems Product Area for the United States Navy and serves as a central point for academia and industry to join forces with Navy technical experts to develop solutions to needs in naval machinery. Consistent with its core equity responsibility, NSWCPD fulfills key functions including research, design, development, shipboard and land-based test and evaluation, acquisition support, in-service engineering, Fleet engineering, integrated logistics support, and concepts and overall life cycle engineering.