DIU Prototyping

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) mission is to strengthen U.S. national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology and externally developed products--connecting American entrepreneurs and commercial technology companies to Department needs at speed. DIU serves as the Department's center of excellence for commercial technology adoption and product transition, available to Portfolio Acquisition Executives and program offices across the Department. DIU is the Department's primary interface with the nontraditional and commercial ecosystem for rapid product adoption and transition. In support of the Secretary of War’s directive to transform the Defense Innovation Ecosystem to Accelerate Warfighting Advantage, DIU will: 1) Focus on high technologies that produce overmatch domination; 2) Focus on technologies that reduce the number of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Guardians in harm’s way; 3) Focus on capabilities that can scale quickly and dramatically reduce costs. Through a competitive prototype process, DIU identifies and provides access to technology companies and products on behalf of DoW organizations. Additionally, DIU executes projects to leverage commercial sector technology analogous to military applications thereby increasing dual-use technology agility for the DoW. DIU Prototyping funds facilitate the award of projects that can augment commercial technologies, existing government-owned capabilities, or concepts for defense application.