The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is a Department of Defense (DoD) entity dedicated to deploying and expanding commercial technology across the U.S. military to address pressing challenges. The DIU has spurred innovation in emerging technology areas by streamlining entry into the defense market for commercial companies.
The DIU team collaborates closely with Department partners and companies, assisting them in understanding national security challenges to develop the best potential solutions. By streamlining the collaboration between DoD partners and vendors, the DIU team has enhanced the military's access to critical technologies, including machine learning, human systems, and space capabilities.
The DIU’s focus areas include six technology sectors critical for the U.S. military’s defense: Artificial Intelligence (AI), autonomy, cyber and telecom, energy, human systems, and space.
In the AI area, the DIU team focuses on improving the DoD’s operational capabilities through responsible AI technologies, machine learning predictions, and improved AI infrastructure. Given the speed at which AI technology advances, staying up-to-date with new tools is critical. At the same time, the DIU ensures that new AI models and techniques are ethical and transparent.
Machine learning predictions analyze historical data and real-time performance to identify critical signals and make accurate forecasts, allowing the DoD to address potential threats, issues, and vulnerabilities promptly. The DIU employs cutting-edge hardware, software, and AI infrastructure to ensure all AI systems work smoothly.
In the autonomy area, the DIU focuses on increasing autonomy through adopting tactical drones, effective systems to identify and defeat adversarial UAS (unmanned aircraft systems), AI optimization to improve mission autonomy, and efficient supply chains to minimize human exposure in dangerous operations.
Another area of focus is dedicated to cyber and telecom. This sector includes solutions for identifying cybersecurity threats, defending DoD systems from them, developing secure systems to enable operations even in cyber attacks, and providing the DoD with the tools to identify adversaries’ weaknesses.
Enhancing energy capabilities is another critical area where the DIU can leverage advanced technology. The solutions focus on optimizing energy generation and storage and improving operational energy in environments subject to extreme conditions.
In the human systems area, the DIU’s lines of effort include new technologies to enhance warfighters’ shooting, movement, and communication abilities, improving their performance and recovery capabilities through biotechnology, and enhancing readiness through training and personnel management.
Lastly, the DIU’s efforts in developing access to space rely on using satellites and space data. Leveraging satellites helps ensure situational awareness while leveraging commercial launch services, which enables the DoD to improve launch capacity and obtain better access to space. The DIU also works on improving communications and GPS signals and replacing old hardware systems with modern software for enhanced capabilities. Ultimately, the unit aims to provide low-cost access to orbit operations and logistics.
The DIU already offers a vast commercial solutions catalog with prototype solutions that the DoD and U.S. Government entities can purchase. The DIU has evaluated, adjusted, and tested each solution to solve challenges in each area of focus, from AI to space.
The DIU has satellite offices in Silicon Valley, the Pentagon, Boston, Austin, and Chicago. The entity’s presence across the U.S. allows for improved connections with partners and vendors. As a part of its transparency efforts, the DIU publishes annual reports, which include the unit’s performance and metrics, an overview of transitioned projects, and a selection of featured portfolio projects.
