FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 25, 2021
Program enables small businesses to perform testing on proposed technologies and gain early feedback from warfighters and first responders
Beavercreek, Ohio – Parallax Advanced Research, the applied scientific research and development organization, has been awarded a one-year contract with four one-year option periods valued at $12.38 million to further develop the Tech Warrior Enterprise program for the U.S. Air Force Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs operated by the SBIR/STTR Center of Excellence.
“Our unique mix of operational understanding and historical performance supporting Tech Warrior Enterprise enables us to understand the technology needs of the U.S. Air Force warfighter and how to provide businesses with an experience to better their product, wherever they are in the product development lifecycle,” said Dennis Andersh, CEO of Parallax.
According to Matt Howard, director of the SBIR/STTR Center of Excellence, in 2017, Tech Warrior Enterprise was introduced with a structured series of events designed to support small businesses with product development. The Parallax team administering Tech Warrior Enterprise helps create focused events and interactions with the operational community to better inform technology development for small businesses. Tech Warrior Enterprise established the following events hosted periodically throughout the year: Tech Warrior Connect and Tech Warrior Ops.
Tech Warrior Connect events enable small businesses to perform early-stage, simple testing on their technologies to gain critical feedback rapidly. Tech Warrior Connect customizes the experience for small businesses by providing quick-turnaround feedback from both military and civilian operational domain experts along with integration into Parallax facilities, fundamental demonstrations and the ability to overcome common early design challenges.
“Our goal is to accommodate companies and provide feedback they need to be successful,” said Andersh. “We embrace the notion of failing early and failing fast to focus and improve rapidly.”
“Tech Warrior Connect is precisely the type of program we intended when I advocated for the establishment of SBIR funding authorities in Congress to ensure small businesses with cutting-edge technologies engage more often with the Department of Defense,” said Congressman Mike Turner. “The Program’s focused information and feedback connection will help small businesses develop better technology, faster and that means greater results for the U.S. Air Force. This local award is yet another recognition of the nationally recognized expertise that resides right here in the Dayton Region, and that’s a win for us all.”
The second event type, Tech Warrior Ops, provides an opportunity for small businesses to gain early feedback from warfighters and first responders. The Tech Warrior Ops event is designed to place technologies in users’ hands during training and exercise scenarios that simulate rigorous operations. This allows the user to provide highly valuable objective and subjective feedback rapidly. It also provides small businesses with direct access to the operators for open dialogue regarding potential solutions to any challenges encountered while accelerating the development and execution of solutions.
According to Andersh, Tech Warrior Enterprise aligns with the type of national defense work that Parallax performs for the U.S. Air Force and other entities while also fulfilling the common mission of the U.S. Air Force involving economic development – job creation – with a focus on emerging and small businesses.
Parallax already has a facility plan and existing staff with more than forty years of military experience and access to vital subject matter experts with operational experience as well as scientific and technical expertise.
###
About Parallax Advanced Research
Parallax is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that tackles global challenges by accelerating innovation and developing technology and solutions through strategic partnerships with government, industry and academia across Ohio and the Nation. Together with academia, Parallax accelerates innovation that leads to new breakthroughs. Together with government, Parallax tackles critical global challenges and delivers new solutions. Together with industry, Parallax develops groundbreaking ideas and speeds them to market.
About Tech Warrior Enterprise
Tech Warrior Enterprise is a U.S. Air Force SBIR/STTR program operated by Parallax Advanced Research. Tech Warrior Enterprise was introduced with a structured series of events designed to support small businesses to the next level of their product development. The Parallax team administers the Tech Warrior Enterprise events and interactions with the operational community to better inform technology development for small businesses.