In the 1960s, US defense related R&D was one third of global R&D. Today, it’s 3%.

Mike Brown and Zach Walker with the Defense Innovation Unit in Austin, Texas, are building bridges between enterprise tech and the Department of Defense.

Most of what the DOD needs is happening commercially: AI, autonomy, and cyber are all necessary to ensure our military is competitive, and they're happening outside the Pentagon.

DIU is keeping tabs on everything that's happening in our economy beyond traditional defense contractors. Universities, national labs, and startup companies are all fair game for the DOD to tap into that innovation so our military can remain competitive.