By Sarah K. Miller, NSWC Crane Corporate Communications

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) Intellectual Property (IP) was used by entrepreneurs in Radius Indiana’s third annual Crane IP Defense Innovation Pitch Competition on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. Five teams competed for three positions and included cash prizes totaling $12,000 dollars.

Annie Bullock, NSWC Crane Technology Transfer Director (acting), says the event was exciting to see in the region.

“This year’s Pitch Competition was an impressive demonstration by local entrepreneurs and small businesses displaying how they could use NSWC Crane intellectual property! We are so excited to have the opportunity to work with these teams, build relationships between our lab and industry, and to help foster innovation and economic growth in the Indiana Uplands. The teams who participated are continuing to work with our scientists and engineers to refine their ideas and build partnerships for collaboration,” says Bullock.

The Crane IP Defense Innovation Pitch Competition was organized through a collaborative effort of Radius Indiana Economic Development, NSWC Crane, Indiana Innovation Institute (IN3), The Dimension Mill, Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC), and Elevate Ventures.

Entrepreneurs, inventors, and other innovators pitched their business proposals to Indiana defense and economic development industry leaders during the Crane IP Pitch Competition. NSWC Crane’s Rapid Response Licensing Program, which started as a response to COVID-19, is offered for the public to create business activity and commercialization. The pitch competition was based on the Rapid Response Licensing Program and was free for participants.

Three of the five participating teams came from the PROPELS Accelerator, one team is an NSIN Foundry Participant, and the other team was a regional small business and NSIN Foundry alum. The PROPELS Accelerator is a six week program that started this April to help entrepreneurs through the startup development process and was hosted by The Mill. At the end of the PROPELS Accelerator, participants were encouraged to pitch at the Crane IP Defense Innovation Pitch Competition.

Learn more about NSWC Crane’s complete IP portfolio at www.techlinkcenter.org.

About NSWC Crane | NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) with mission areas in Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions and Electronic Warfare. The warfare center is responsible for multi-domain, multi- spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability to today's Warfighter.

Join Our Team! NAVSEA employs a diverse, highly trained, educated, and skilled workforce - from students and entry level employees to experienced professionals and individuals with disabilities. We support today's sophisticated Navy and Marine Corps ships, aircraft, weapon systems and computer systems. We are continuously looking for engineers, scientists, IT and cyber specialists, as well as trade and other support professionals to ensure the U.S. Navy can protect and defend America. Please contact NSWC Crane Human Resources at crane_recruiting@navy.mil.

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