National Security Innovation Network
Abstract
The National Security Innovation Network (NSIN), previously executed under the name of the MD5 National Security Technology Accelerator (MD5), is a program office within the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) and aligned under the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). NSIN seeks to develop deep partnerships between the Department of Defense (DoD) and non-traditional problem-solving partners to include students and faculty at colleges and universities. The speed and reactivity of the modern technology-threat environment challenges the traditional top-down model of defense problem-solving and capability development. Mitigating these challenges require developing internal workforce and organizational competencies related to problem framing, knowledge and resource sharing, and non-traditional partnerships. Consistent with the National Defense Strategy, and FY 2020 OMB/OSTP research and development budget priorities for sustaining a military technological advantage, NSIN has a portfolio of innovation efforts that (1) accelerates capability development leveraging non-traditional collaborators and novel approaches, (2) augments the National Security Innovation Base (NSIB) through commercialization of DoD lab technology, and (3) enhances the DoD workforce through programs that develop new ways of solving critical problems. This program seeks to maintain the long-term competitive advantage for the U.S. military over adversaries by increasing interactions between uniformed and civilian employees of the DoD with innovators and entrepreneurs outside of the DoD. This is accomplished by providing training and tools to these DoD “intrapreneurs” enabling them to find new ways to identify, frame, and solve problems as well as opening avenues to implement the solutions they create. Additionally, the programs executed create opportunities for external innovators and entrepreneurs to be exposed to DoD problems and demonstrate possible solutions. NSIN carries out its mission via three portfolios of effort: Service, Collaboration, and Acceleration. The Service Portfolio is specifically designed to create new pathways to national security service for entrepreneurs and technologists that want to work with the DoD to solve problems in non-traditional ways. Collaboration provides problem-solving and new ideation spaces or Maker Centers for warfighters, academia and early-stage ventures to collectively identify novel applications and concepts to DoD problem sets. Acceleration programs that identify opportunities inside DoD that can be commercialized, or apply technology relevant to warfighter problem sets and advance the novel applications or solutions are created within the Collaboration Portfolio. NSIN, under its previous MD5 nomenclature, has been a Congressional interest program that has received funding in FY 2016 ($5.000 million), FY 2017 ($25.000 million), FY 2018 ($25.500 million), and FY 2019 ($15.000 million).
Document Details
- Document Type
- R2 Budgetary Justification
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2020
- Source ID
- 0603950D8Z_3_0400_PB_2020
- Change Summary Explanation
- The FY 2020 increase of $25.000 million will fund three portfolios of effort: Service, Collaboration, and Acceleration designed to create new pathways to national security service to solve DoD problems in non-traditional ways.
- Service Agency Name
- Office of the Secretary Of Defense
Entities
Organizations
- Office of the Secretary of Defense
Related Documents
- Child Project: National Security Innovation Network
- Child Accomplishment: National Security Innovation Network (NSIN)