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Our Mission

Growing
North Carolina’s
Dual-use
Innovation
Ecosystem

About Us

The Defense Alliance Foundation (DAF), a 501(c)(3) organization established in April 2023 under the Defense Alliance of North Carolina, builds on 15 years of volunteer-driven impact to advance North Carolina’s defense innovation ecosystem through education, collaboration, and strategic initiatives focused on national security, innovation, and economic growth.

Our participants secured awards and investor capital  total estimated $3 billion.

Created 300 new jobs and supporting startup formation across North Carolina.

Assisted businesses with divestitures and patent portfolio expansion.

What We Do

DAF organizes forums, symposiums, workshops, and educational events across North Carolina to explore emerging technologies and defense challenges, providing insights and opportunities for veterans, underserved communities, and innovation ecosystems.

We mentor individuals, businesses, and startups, offering technical expertise, strategic guidance, and vital connections to foster measurable success.

Mentoring

Consulting

Strategy

Team Formation

Commercialization
Ventures 

Where We Work

DAF focuses on leveraging North Carolina’s strengths in cutting-edge industries while continually exploring new opportunities. By aligning efforts with the state’s innovation capabilities, DAF helps build a resilient, future-forward economy.

Autonomous Systems

Advanced Manufacturing

Data & Knowledge Management

Human Performance

Materials
Power
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Emerging Technology

Forums

The Defense Alliance Foundation Forums provide a platform for exploring emerging technologies, defense trends, challenges, opportunities sharing actionable insights  to North Carolina's leaders and Innovation ecosystem.

Calendar

No events at the moment
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Connect With Us

We invite you to visit our Connect Page to request a brief complimentary phone call to explore mission alignment and potential collaboration.

Due to limited staffing, we may have varying capacity to assist at any given time, but we are committed to working with organizations whose goals align with our mission.


Let’s start the conversation and explore how we can make an impact together.

Collaborators & Sponsors