North Carolina Technology Association Highlights Plan to Create Defense Technology Innovation...

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Today, the North Carolina Technology Association (NCTA) formally presented their plan to the N.C. General Assembly's Senate Technology Committee to create a military technology business accelerator, named the Defense Technology Innovation Center (DTIC), to be piloted near

Fort Bragg, N.C. E[acute accent]With the support of N.C. Sen. Tony Rand, Representatives Margaret Dickson and Rick Glazier and many others, NCTA started work on this idea more than a year ago and received funding from the General Assembly to create a proposal for a Homeland Security Business Incubator. Since that time the idea has evolved into a highly-advanced economic development tool designed to drive increased military spending into North Carolina technology start-up businesses. The proposal focuses on leveraging North Carolina's military presence to enhance economic development in the region and converting our State's innovation and research and development assets into products and companies. E[acute accent]"By bringing together entrepreneurs from around the state and access to the military, the Defense Technology Innovation Center will find technology solutions that will aid the military in the global war on terror and have applicability in the security arena," said Joe Freddoso, chairman of the board for NCTA and site operations director at Cisco Systems. E[acute accent]The proposal outlines a new model of business incubation, where ideally, fledgling companies are quickly linked with a customer base and new technologies are brought to market in a short time period. The Center would feature a facility for up to 15 startup companies, a collaborative workbench for product development and testing, a Forum to build critical relationships, and an opportunity for larger companies to collaborate. E[acute accent]"This idea is a groundbreaking opportunity for our State," stated Joan P.H. Myers, president and chief executive officer of NCTA. "North Carolina has state-of-the-art security technologies already here, and if we can develop a channel-market opportunity we can spur job growth across the State." E[acute accent]The Cumberland County Business Council, which operates the Partnership for Defense Innovation, has been instrumental in facilitating the project and has embraced the idea from the start. Community support for this project continues to be strong as the Center has implications for bolstering a defense cluster in the region and across the State. E[acute accent]"I am honored that we will have been able to pilot the first business accelerator of this type in Cumberland County," stated Bill Martin, president of the Cumberland County Business Council. "This project will catapult the relationships between the military and innovators, perhaps starting the next wave of innovation, and I am confident that the DTIC will be a success, and thank NCTA's board of directors for their vision and forethought on this project." E[acute accent]On Wednesday, March 23, 2005 Sen. Rand introduced Senate Bill 1067, which would authorize and fund the Defense Technology Innovation Center for the first two years. Identical legislation, House Bill 910 was introduced by Representatives Glazier, Dickson, Joe Tolson, and Marvin Lucas. E[acute accent]"What is most exciting about this initiative is that it can be replicated in other areas of the State," said Representative Joe Tolson of Edgecombe County. "NCTA has done a phenomenal job of identifying a growth area and bringing all of the stakeholders to the table to launch a viable solution." E[acute accent]NCTA has been a thought leader in protecting critical infrastructure and educating North Carolina business leaders on Cyber-Security. NCTA lead the way to establish the FBI's Infragard Program in the State, in addition NCTA's president and chief executive officer Joan P.H. Myers has just completed and Eisenhower Fellowship focused on Cyber-Security and Cyber-Terrorism issues.

E[acute accent]About NCTA:

E[acute accent]NCTA, the leading North Carolina technology advocacy organization, is based in Raleigh and has members across the state. NCTA is a not-for-profit membership-driven trade organization and is the primary voice of the Information Technologies industry in North Carolina. NCTA is dedicated to promoting and strengthening the electronics, telecommunications, software, Internet and related service industries through increased public awareness, and to provide a forum to learn, educate, communicate, promote, network and implement actions. For more information, visit www.nc-tech.org