October 24th, 2023
This morning, Silicon Valley Defense Group (SVDG) sent a letter, co-signed by Primer and over 60 leading technology companies and investors, encouraging congressional leaders to maintain support for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) in the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The quality and quantity of this letter’s signatories are indicative of non-traditional and commercial interest in supporting the DoD. Increased collaboration with private industry is essential to maintaining America’s competitive technological advantage in the face of our near-peer competitors’ growing military capabilities.
The letter specifically applauds provisions in the House-passed FY24 NDAA to elevate DIU’s reporting structure, codify its authorities and responsibilities, and authorize the establishment of a hedge portfolio, called the Non-Traditional Innovation Fielding Enterprise (NIFE). We believe these provisions, and the $1 Billion in funding authorized by the House, will position the Department of Defense (DoD) to more effectively leverage non-traditional and commercial capabilities to support the warfighter.
“Hamas’s attack on Israel makes brutally clear: democracy’s defenders need the tools that give early warning of aggression before it strikes”, said Sean Moriarty, CEO of Primer. “These tools already exist – the IC is deploying them, in focused areas, with concrete results. Our job now is to proliferate these trusted capabilities throughout the broader defense enterprise, and new funding for DIU widens that avenue and quickens the pace of adoption.”
Read the full letter here.
