Missoula investment signifies opportunity for defense innovation organization
MISSOULA, Mont., June 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Civil-Military Innovation Institute (CMI2), a nonprofit focused on executing tangible defense innovation and headquartered in Morgantown, WV, is expanding its Montana footprint, the company announced today.
The new offices, located near the University District of Missoula, will support CMI2's ongoing efforts to foster defense innovation in Montana and throughout the Northwest region of the United States.
CMI2 supports United States Department of Defense (DoD) activities to advance the development of tactical innovation and cutting-edge national security technologies as it aligns the work of innovators from Tier-1 research universities and non-traditional technology companies with the activities of the DoD and public safety communities.
"Montana is a strategic location for us at CMI2, and expanding our workforce in the state is part of our overall growth strategy," said Dr. Zenovy Wowczuk, founder of CMI2. "Our partnership with the Montana National Guard (MTNG) and the University of Montana will allow us to create a one-of-a-kind cold-weather focused research and experimentation capability in Montana."
Since 2022, CMI2 has employed individuals in Montana to support the Catalyst Pathfinder Program from the U.S. Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), which is led by the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM ARL), in collaboration with CMI2.
CMI2 has also partnered with the MTNG and the University of Montana to collect and curate Soldier-identified problems, engage with academia to rapidly prototype solutions, and create CMI2's west-coast version of its highly successful DIRT (Driving Innovation in Realistic Training) Days experimentation capability.
Further, the prospect of engaging in an employee recruiting pipeline via the University of Montana as CMI2 grows its footprint in Montana is exciting.
"The research folks do at the University of Montana – particularly in cold weather defense and arctic technologies – is critically important to our country's national security," said Senator Jon Tester. "I was proud to support funding for CMI2 to expand their operations to Missoula to conduct cold weather research in partnership with UM and the Montana National Guard, and I look forward to seeing the good-paying jobs, economic development, and boost to national security this operation will support."
In the coming months, CMI2 will establish another Design, Integration, Research, and Technology (DIRT) Lab similar to other facilities embedded on Army installations throughout the country.
"The role of Montana as a leader in research for cold-weather defense technologies is critical to national security," Wowczuk said. "The office in Missoula will allow greater access to the university community and help us advance our efforts to meet the growing challenges of our customers."
To learn more about CMI2, visit cmi2.org.
About CMI2
CMI2 is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit that bridges the gaps in defense innovation, creating functional solutions to support the warfighter with immediate impact and effect.
SOURCE Civil-Military Innovation Institute
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