The ability to satisfy the innovators itch – beyond proclamations and boisterous claims via a social media comment is now upon you. The frequent observations and suggestions I’ve read on SOFREP social media posts, boards, and via Team Room chat has motivated me to find a means for many of you to put your ideas to use – in the defense field.

Innovation comes from multiple sources, the first and best is differentiation. The Defense Innovation Marketplace provides this outlet to you, the public. This is where the Department of Defense (DoD,) selects proposals from independent, research, and development. The DoD is providing you the with the opportunity to be selected based on the merits of your concepts and how they fit into current DoD needs.

Through a bid and proposal format, the Defense Innovation Marketplace provides resources for your concepts. Allowing you to present unique value, which they can only get from you – a value they are often willing to pay a premium price for.

As modern warfare shifts between the demands of asymmetrical, conventional, counter-terrorism, digital, nation-building, relief efforts and so on . . . The industry’s growth stagnates beyond the moment of need. The DoD is exploring the public, the crowd-source phenomenon for more information and untapped sources of innovation.