Dual-use Ventures

Non-Credit IAP Course

Tuesday, January 24 – Thursday, January 26, 2023

Registration for the IAP course is closed.

Registration for the Mission Meetup is closed.

 

Course Description 

Overview 

The Dual-use Ventures non-credit IAP course is designed to build and teach about how to found, grow and scale dual-use ventures in the US and around the globe among like-minded, open societies (allies). A dual-use venture is a technology startup that has both government and commercial (enterprise and/or consumer) customers. We’ll discuss frameworks, funding opportunities, entrepreneur roadmaps, and government resources. 

Target Audience 

This course is for students, alumni, and ecosystem members who want to learn useful and actionable steps to create dual-use ventures DuV. Topics in this course are particularly relevant to technology entrepreneurs interested in learning more about working with the defense community from the Venture Capitalist perspective.

MIT strives to enable higher levels of diversity and inclusion in the innovation ecosystem. Research shows that diversity is a key factor for innovation, helping unearth inherent biases in technological solutions, enabling teams to make better decisions, and driving stronger performance. We strongly encourage members of traditionally marginalized communities to participate in this course. 

Structure 

This series offers presentations in person from MIT and guest speakers, a networking event, and plenty of opportunities to ask questions on topics we have found tech startups are most interested in learning more about. 

Course Thesis 

Startups can be purposeful about designing their company to be ready to pursue both commercial and defense markets. This requires being informed, prepared, diligent, and ready when either market opportunity becomes available. 

Key Outcomes 

• Learn about non-dilutive funding opportunities, nuances of the defense and dual-use markets, and stakeholders in the defense acquisitions system 
• Understand the need to move opportunistically across both commercial and defense markets in the early stages of ventures 
• Learn how government data rights interact with a dual-use venture’s commercially oriented IP strategy 
• Gain insights on how to protect the long-term value of your technology for both commercial and government markets 
• Achieve an actionable understanding of DOD contractual requirements for cybersecurity and information protection 

Schedule

*All times are local to Cambridge, Massachusetts 

Day 1 | Tuesday, January 24, 2023 | Introduction to Dual-use, Lobbying, and IP Strategy

0900 – 1030 Introduction to Dual-use Ventures | Professor Fiona Murray

1100 – 1230 The DoD Landscape for Tech Startups | Katy Person

Lunch (provided)

1330 – 1500 Dual-use & Lobbying | Warren Katz, David Cruz-Glaudemans

1530 – 1700 SBIR Data Rights & IP Strategy for Dual-use Ventures | Eric Blatt

 

Day 2 | Wednesday, January 25, 2023 | Perspectives on Dual-use Finance and Strategy

0900 – 1030 The Dual-use Capital Stack | Gene Keselman

1100 – 1230 Balancing Federal & Commercial | Geoff Orazem, Jon Bronson

Lunch (provided)

1330 – 1500 Building the Relationships that get Your Startup Funded | Margaret Roth Falzon, Dan Madden

1530 – 1730 Mission Meetup Networking Event (light refreshments will be provided)

 

Day 3 | Thursday, January 26, 2023 | Dual-use Founders Experience 

0900 – 1030 Deep Tech Dual-use Startup Story | Felipe Gomez del Campo

1100 – 1230 Mission Dual-use Tech Startup Story | Chris Benson

Lunch (provided)

1330 – 1500 Tough Tech Founders & The Public Sector | Conrad Hollomon

//END SCHEDULE//

 

Interested in last year’s workshop? Check out the videos below.