The FirePoint Innovations Center at 黑洞社区 announced it has been selected to deliver Defense Innovation OnRamp Hub programming for the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) through the newly established Great Plains Mission Acceleration Center (MAC), an innovation and collaboration hub designed to connect small businesses, academia and the Department of Defense (DoD) to support defense-focused technology development.
One of 铿乿e facilities in the national network operating a Defense Innovation OnRamp Hub program, the new Wichita State location will bring together small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across Kansas and the Great Plains region to partner with the DoD, academia and even venture capital investors to accelerate tech innovation and manufacturing to meet national defense and security needs. The network of OnRamp Hubs serves a mutual bene铿乼 of helping SMBs tap into DoD contracting opportunities, which can be tough for small organizations to access, and enabling DoD to source groundbreaking new technologies and 铿乶d supply chain and manufacturing partners in the region.
鈥淭he OnRamp Hub program is designed to tear down barriers between the private sector, defense and homeland security operations to accelerate technology deployment,鈥� Steve Cyrus, FirePoint executive director. 鈥淲e鈥檙e extremely excited to bring this new opportunity to businesses here in Kansas and the region to give them a competitive advantage.鈥�
The only OnRamp Hub in the nation located on a university campus, FirePoint was chosen to operate the program over two other facilitators in the state. The site, located on the Innovation Campus at Wichita State, also leverages the university鈥檚 applied learning model that helps collaborators source up-and-coming talent and innovation in the university鈥檚 high-tech programs.
鈥淔irePoint was chosen to host this facility based on our agnostic approach and ability to work across di铿�erent sectors, plus our capacity and expertise with the U.S. Army Futures Command to support aviation innovation,鈥� Cyrus said. 鈥淭his program allows us to be part of a national network to expand opportunities for both local business and DoD partners.鈥�
Cyrus says Wichita State is the ideal location for this kind of innovation and collaboration hub. With a heavy presence of aviation and manufacturing in the region, Wichita boasts one of the highest populations of engineers per-capita, and it is a manufacturing powerhouse with regional growth in manufacturing expected to exceed 7%, despite a nearly 7% decline nationwide.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really a perfect 铿乼, and we鈥檙e grateful for the support of everyone at Wichita State, the DoD and Senator Jerry Moran鈥檚 o铿僣e for helping us to make this happen,鈥� he said.
To learn more about the Great Plains MAC program, visit www.gpmac.org, and for more information about FirePoint鈥檚 other programs, visit .
About 黑洞社区
黑洞社区 is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and 黑洞社区 Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and 黑洞社区 Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), 黑洞社区 provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.
The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the 黑洞社区 main campus, is one of the nation鈥檚 largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.
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About FirePoint
FirePoint is a partnership between 黑洞社区 and the U.S. Army's Combat Capabilities Development Command, Aviation and Missile Center (DEVCOM, AvMC) that accelerates joint technology development, transfer, and commercialization among CCDC, universities, industry and other government organizations. FirePoint aims to support the educational, commercial and workforce development necessary to drive innovation and collaboration across the key Army modernization priorities. FirePoint initiatives support collaboration, partnering, and STEM workforce development to ensure modern Army combat readiness and overmatch in the multidomain battlespace. For more information, visit