DIV Archives

Planck Aerosystems wins Defense Innovation Voucher Program Grand Prize

By San Diego Regional EDC, May 23, 2019November 4, 2020

Planck Aerosystems, a technology company that develops specialized drones, was awarded a $25,000 voucher as part of its participation in the inaugural Defense Innovation Voucher Program (DIV) Grand Prize Pitch. Launched in 2018 to help small and mid-sized defense companies in San Diego scale, the DIV Program worked directly with 15 local defense companies throughout 2018-2019, providing strategic boot camps and business consulting services via an initial $15,000 grant to aid in strengthening and expanding company operations.

“Our local defense economy supports one in five jobs, and small businesses represent 98 percent of total companies in our region,” said Mark Cafferty, president & CEO, San Diego Regional EDC. “This is why EDC is committed to building programs that promote defense innovation and build resiliency in small and mid-sized businesses.”

Five DIV companies were chosen to participate in the DIV Grand Prize Pitch, based on their accomplishments, goals and overall involvement in the program. The finalists were EpiSci (EpiSys Science Inc.), Fuse Integration, Inc., GET Engineering Corporation, Planck Aerosystems and Trabus Technologies.

A live voting audience and a panel of judges selected Planck Aerosystems as the winner.

“Planck is thrilled to win the Grand Prize Pitch event and be a part of DIV’s first year,” said Dave Twining, COO of Planck Aerosystems. “Thanks to San Diego Regional EDC, Booz Allen Hamilton and Propel San Diego for your guidance and support through the DIV program. We’ll be using the funds to scale our marketing efforts, which we hope will generate additional sales and investment in San Diego.”

In its inaugural year, the DIV program provided two primary benefits to chosen participants. Companies selected a pre-approved contractor to assist with services including marketing, certifications needed for government work, strategic planning, accounting compliance or lean supply chain & additive manufacturing support. Additionally, participants enrolled in a six-month-long boot camp, which provided best practices and strategies on topics ranging from contract procurement to fundraising to marketing and branding.

“We are proud to support the continued innovation that is a hallmark of the San Diego defense community,” said Jennie Brooks, senior vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton. “At Booz Allen, we empower people to change the world, and DIV’s mission helps empower and strengthen the small and mid-size businesses that are bringing an incredible range of solutions to all branches of the military.”

Managed by San Diego Regional EDC, DIV is primarily funded through Propel San Diego, a grant award provided to the City of San Diego from the Department of Defense’s Office of Economic Adjustment. Additional programmatic funding for DIV is provided by Booz Allen Hamilton, the presenting sponsor.

The DIV Grand Prize Pitch event was hosted at San Diego Central Library on Thursday, May 23, with a keynote presentation by Marisa Silva, partner at Booz Allen Hamilton.

Your Vote Matters: DIV Grand Prize Pitch event on May 23

By San Diego Regional EDC, May 7, 2019November 7, 2019

Small businesses + defense economy = our future.
It’s simple math.

Small businesses represent 98% of San Diego companies
The defense economy supports 1 in 5 jobs in San Diego

That’s why EDC is focused on helping small and mid-sized defense companies grow.

What is DIV?
In 2018, we launched the Defense Innovation Voucher Program(DIV). Thanks to funding provided from the Department of Defense, EDC worked directly with 15 companies to provide consulting services (think: marketing assistance, certifications, accounting compliance, and more) and a six-month long crash course designed to help these participants win high-value government contracts and find other revenue streams.

What’s next?
Now, we need your help taking DIV to the next level. On May 23, we’re inviting five companies to share their story and pitch for the grand prize – an additional $25k in funding. And YOU – the audience – gets to help pick the winner.

Event details:
Grand Prize Pitch
Thursday, May 23 | 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
San Diego Central Library – Shiley Special Events Suite

Who should attend?

Defense industry employees that want a better grasp of market trends
Startups interested in connecting with other high-growth companies
Services providers looking for their next client
Anyone that cares about the future of San Diego

The participating companies:

EpiSci (EpiSys Science, Inc.) was founded in 2012, with the vision that future disruptive innovations would be derived from the paradigm of systems science. Through its deep technical expertise in multiple emerging areas, EpiSci develops the most innovative systems solutions for defense, intelligence, and commercial applications.

Fuse Integration, Inc. was founded with a noble cause of bringing the benefits of commercial human-centered design processes to first responder and military systems engineering. Fuse is working hard to lead the charge with an agile approach to development and a rapid prototyping ethos for the way they build systems.

GET Engineering Corporation is a leading-edge, high technology engineering firm providing tactical data solutions to government and industrial clients. GET is a small business dedicated to providing the U.S. Department of Defense and its coalition forces the most cost effective tactical communication products and solutions available.

Planck Aerosystems combines artificial intelligence, advanced controls, computer vision, and rigorous testing to enable drones to operate from moving platforms and execute fully autonomous missions. Its customers include government agencies and commercial maritime operators.

Trabus Technologies is a high-tech IT and engineering corporation that continues to expand its impressive portfolio of capabilities, programs, and services. Trabus Technologies thrives on practical solutions to the toughest challenges in cyber, wireless, and unmanned systems.

This project is funded with Community Economic Adjustment Assistance for Reductions in Defense Industry Employment funds provided by the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment to the City of San Diego.

Join us on May 23 for the Defense Innovation Voucher Program Pitch event, beginning at 9 a.m. at San Diego Central Library – Shiley Special.

EDC hosts business boot camps for defense contractors

By San Diego Regional EDC, April 9, 2019November 7, 2019

Launched in September 2018, Defense Innovation Voucher Program (DIV) is a comprehensive business initiative designed to build resiliency in small, local defense companies and help find pathways to diversify its revenues. Since the beginning of the program, Propel San Diego partners—guided by the San Diego Regional EDC—have provided hands-on services to assist 15 San Diego-based companies.

Continuing these efforts, in Q1 2019, EDC hosted three executive education boot camps for cohort companies. Collectively, these boot camps had more than 50 people in attendance and covered topics including branding and marketing, small business contracting at SPAWAR, and cybersecurity standards.

Each session brought in regional experts and gave companies a chance to ask specific questions about their businesses. Presenters included Mark McLain the Director of Small Business Program at SPAWAR, James Sly the Vice President of the East County EDC, with organizations including California Manufacturing and Technology Consultants (CMTC), National Defense Industrial Association, Raindrop Marketing, and Seer Interactive also participating.

On May 23, five DIV companies, chosen by an independent judging panel and EDC staff, will have the opportunity to compete for a $25,000 Grand Prize at the inaugural DIV Pitchfest. Be a judge at this first-ever event, where attendees will be voting on the innovative defense company that’s most deserving of additional funding! Learn more and reserve your ticket to DIV Pitchfest here.

DIV is made possible through the generous support of presenting sponsor Booz Allen Hamilton along with Community Economic Adjustment Assistance for Reductions in Defense Industry Employment funds provided by the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment to the City of San Diego.

EDC, SDMAC unveil 15 companies selected to DIV program to support business growth, diversification

By San Diego Regional EDC, September 12, 2018November 6, 2019

Today, Propel San Diego partners – San Diego Military Advisory Council (SDMAC) and San Diego Regional EDC – unveiled 15 companies selected to participate in the Defense Innovation Voucher program (DIV). DIV is a comprehensive business initiative designed to build resiliency in small, local defense companies and help them find pathways to diversify their revenue.

San Diego is home to the largest concentration of military assets in the world and the largest federal military workforce in the country. When considering the overall ripple effects of the defense cluster in San Diego, about 22 percent of San Diego’s gross regional product (GRP) is the result of defense-related spending. But the breadth and depth of defense activity stretches far beyond military bases and naval ships; from telecomm to robotics, aerospace to cybersecurity, San Diego’s defense cluster is the driving force behind the region’s innovation economy.

According to EDC’s recently released report, Mapping San Diego’s Defense Ecosystem, 40 percent of the companies registered in San Diego County as defense contractors employ five people or less. Propel San Diego’s DIV program serves to help those small defense companies build resiliency and sustainability through times of fluctuation in defense spending.

“Like many local industries, San Diego’s defense supply chain is mostly made up of small businesses, with 89 percent of firms employing less than 50 people. As federal funds continue to fluctuate in defense spending, small business that often rely on one to two large contracts, are at risk,” said Nikia Clarke, VP of economic development, San Diego Regional EDC. “The newly launched DIV program is designed to help these companies diversify their revenue and become more resilient, thus increasing their ability to withstand fluctuations in DoD spending and downturns in our economy.”

This pilot program will offer complimentary consulting services and curriculum to improve the competitiveness of small defense companies, selected through a competitive needs-based selection process. The program will help companies compete for government or defense contracts and/or explore pivoting products and services to commercial markets.

The DIV program will provide services in these three specific areas:

1. Direct Assistance: EDC has identified qualified consultants who will provide $15,000 in complimentary consulting services in one of the following categories: marketing, accounting compliance, certifications (SDVOSB, AS9100, AS5553, ISO 9001, etc.), lean supply chain and additive manufacturing tools, and strategic planning.

2. Boot Camp: Enrollment in a six-month long course designed to provide best practices to company leadership on strategies to improve company competitiveness.

3. DIV Grand Prize Competition: This competition will award a company based off their level of engagement in these activities and progress towards their goals with an additional $25,000 to work with one of the pre-approved contractors to perform new work with the company.

Partnering in the DIV program as the key underwriter is Booz Allen Hamilton, a leader in the defense consulting industry.

Propel San Diego is a partnership of six key organizations: East County Economic Development Council, South County Economic Development Council, San Diego Workforce Partnership, San Diego Military Advisory Council, San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, and the City of San Diego. Each of these organizations are also working on specific business support programs to create a more robust defense ecosystem here in San Diego.

For more information about the DIV program please visit SDMAC.org/propelsandiego.

The 2018 DIV companies are as follows:

This project is funded in whole or in part with Community Economic Adjustment Assistance for Reductions in Defense Industry Employment funds provided by the U.S. Department of Defense – Office of Economic Adjustment to the City of San Diego.