By: Matt Craig, Director of Crane Community Support for Radius Indiana
An innovation ecosystem is a term commonly used to describe the various employers, organizations, stakeholders, and community members that combine talents and resources to fuel innovation.
Our region’s innovation ecosystem includes an incredible group of invested stakeholders who are working together to cultivate ideas, develop solutions and stimulate economic prosperity.
At the hub is Naval Support Activity Crane, with its highly skilled workforce and world-class research and development capabilities, the base is leading innovation and serves as a catalyst for collaboration.
Crane has been nationally recognized by the Department of Defense for its work in bringing together universities, government, corporations, nonprofits and economic development organizations to accelerate ideas and turn them into real-world solutions that support not only its mission, but that also benefit the entire region. This regional innovation was recently selected as the subject of an academic study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to document best practices.
State entities such as the Indiana Office of Defense Development and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, regional organizations such as Radius Indiana, Regional Opportunities Initiative, Inc., and Indiana Innovation Institute, and universities such as Indiana University, Purdue University, University of Southern Indiana, and University of Notre Dame and many other government, regional, and academic institutions make up the Crane Innovation Ecosystem.
Collaborations occur in a variety of ways including events, sharing of resources and formal agreements such as a Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) or Cooperative Research And Development Agreement (CRADA).
A current CRADA between Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division and Purdue Research Foundation at Purdue@WestGate is connecting small businesses to Crane’s numerous labs, equipment and expert workforce to help companies in solve commercial technology challenges. A PIA with Indiana University provides an avenue to move innovative technology through the commercialization pipeline to increase licensing and startup deals for both Crane and IU.
Regional Opportunities Initiative is working closely with Crane to create career pathways that connect students with the skills needed for future jobs at Crane, and Radius Indiana is actively working to attract veterans to live and work in our region to fill open positions at Crane and defense industry companies.
Working together in this innovation ecosystem demonstrates the power of collaboration and creates a community that supports each other’s goals, missions, visions, and values. Ultimately– through engagement and support – it produces increased job growth, and economic investment for Southern Indiana.