Your Vote Matters: DIV Grand Prize Pitch event on May 23

Small businesses + defense economy = our future.
It’s simple math.

  • Small businesses represent 98% of San Diego companies
  • The defense economy supports 1 in 5 jobs in San Diego

That’s why EDC is focused on helping small and mid-sized defense companies grow.

What is DIV?
In 2018, we launched the Defense Innovation Voucher Program(DIV). Thanks to funding provided from the Department of Defense, EDC worked directly with 15 companies to provide consulting services (think: marketing assistance, certifications, accounting compliance, and more) and a six-month long crash course designed to help these participants win high-value government contracts and find other revenue streams.

What’s next?
Now, we need your help taking DIV to the next level. On May 23, we’re inviting five companies to share their story and pitch for the grand prize – an additional $25k in funding. And YOU – the audience – gets to help pick the winner.

Event details:
Grand Prize Pitch
Thursday, May 23 | 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
San Diego Central Library – Shiley Special Events Suite

Who should attend?

  • Defense industry employees that want a better grasp of market trends
  • Startups interested in connecting with other high-growth companies
  • Services providers looking for their next client
  • Anyone that cares about the future of San Diego

The participating companies:

  • EpiSci (EpiSys Science, Inc.) was founded in 2012, with the vision that future disruptive innovations would be derived from the paradigm of systems science. Through its deep technical expertise in multiple emerging areas, EpiSci develops the most innovative systems solutions for defense, intelligence, and commercial applications.
  • Fuse Integration, Inc. was founded with a noble cause of bringing the benefits of commercial human-centered design processes to first responder and military systems engineering. Fuse is working hard to lead the charge with an agile approach to development and a rapid prototyping ethos for the way they build systems.
  • GET Engineering Corporation is a leading-edge, high technology engineering firm providing tactical data solutions to government and industrial clients. GET is a small business dedicated to providing the U.S. Department of Defense and its coalition forces the most cost effective tactical communication products and solutions available.
  • Planck Aerosystems combines artificial intelligence, advanced controls, computer vision, and rigorous testing to enable drones to operate from moving platforms and execute fully autonomous missions. Its customers include government agencies and commercial maritime operators.
  • Trabus Technologies is a high-tech IT and engineering corporation that continues to expand its impressive portfolio of capabilities, programs, and services. Trabus Technologies thrives on practical solutions to the toughest challenges in cyber, wireless, and unmanned systems.

This project is funded with Community Economic Adjustment Assistance for Reductions in Defense Industry Employment funds provided by the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment to the City of San Diego.

Join us on May 23 for the Defense Innovation Voucher Program Pitch event, beginning at 9 a.m. at San Diego Central Library – Shiley Special.