Published on Tuesday, February 19, 2008

By Kirk deViere
Fayetteville

The Defense and Security Technology Accelerator on Ramsey Street opened its doors to the public last week to unveil the reality of a concept that is just 14 months old.

It began with the vision from thoughtful leaders in our state, such as Joan Myers and Steve Parrot, and a commitment to economic transformation from our elected officials at the federal, state and local levels — such as Congressman Robin Hayes, Sen. Tony Rand, Reps. Margaret Dickson and Rick Glazier, County Commissioner Kenneth Edge and Mayor Tony Chavonne, as well as Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue.

The vision was initially brought to life by the hard work of the North Carolina Technology Association, along with leaders from the Cumberland County Business Council. DSTA transformed to a reality when Scott Perry became the executive director and drove it to the success and validation it enjoys today.

The DSTA is a unique model of business incubation that helps accelerate emerging technology companies in North Carolina and meet the needs of the state’s burgeoning defense and security industry. Additionally, the DSTA seeks to underscore the importance of the industry as an engine of economic growth for North Carolina.

Since January 2007, eight emerging technology companies have been accepted into the DSTA program. These companies have created more than 76 jobs with an average salary of $76,500 and collectively generated more than $9.5 million in revenues.

More than 47 defense-related contracts are managed or worked from the DSTA facility. The client list for DSTA and its companies includes several alphabet organizations inside and outside of the Department of Defense.

DSTA maintains collaborative relationships for research and development as well as contracting opportunities with a number of academic institutions, including Fayetteville State University, UNC-Charlotte, N.C. State University and Fayetteville Technical Community College. An estimated $13.3 million was infused into the state economy from this program, based on the state’s investment of more than $3.5 million.

One of the driving factors in the vision for DSTA was to foster military and innovator collaborations that rapidly put emerging technologies into the war-fighters’ hands. These collaborations have produced technologies like encrypted, wireless, tactical communications equipment; a quick erectable, 150-foot tower system; revolutionary replacement for batteries and portable power supplies; and a ground-breaking water-based polymer system that provides a physical perimeter in securing wireless communications.

During the same time frame, the Partnership for Defense Innovation under Scott Perry’s leadership transformed its mission and business model to encourage economic development in homeland security and national defense industries. Out of this new focus, a federally funded multimillion-dollar research and development wireless networking test bed facility was established to provide unbiased testing of wireless technologies for the military.

The Partnership for Defense Innovation believes, like many people across the state, that North Carolina is postured to be the leader in defense, intelligence and security related technologies. North Carolina, and specific regions such as Cumberland County that surround Fort Bragg, is at an important junction in economic transformation because of BRAC. Our strategic location in relation to Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base provides us one of many advantages.

We believe that the DSTA and other programs within the Partnership for Defense Innovation are key assets in the emerging “All American Defense Corridor” that will serve as the catalyst for economic transformation across our region and throughout North Carolina.