Defense Innovation Board to hold meeting on DOD-assigned studies

The Defense Innovation Board will host its fall public meeting on Nov. 14 to look at the board's studies progress, according to a Federal Register notice published today.

The meeting will review and discuss information pertaining to the DIB’s mission and conducted studies, particularly highlighting two new studies on lowering barriers to innovation and building the DOD data economy.

In an Oct. 6 memo to the DIB, Deputy Defense Under Secretary for Research and Engineering David Honey tasked the board with creating a list of recommendations that fall within existing DOD authorities to combat the highest barriers to U.S. and allied partners innovation.

“The recommendations should focus on procedures that align department incentives, policies for accelerating and scaling new warfighting capabilities and practices that inspire and attract the next generation of innovators,” Honey wrote in the memo.

In an Oct. 10 memo, also from Honey, the DIB was tasked with another study, building a DOD data economy.

Honey asked the DIB to produce outcome-driven suggestions that consider the gaps and opportunities in DOD’s current data economy, including industry best practices for designing a data economy and how to help create a successful, available DOD data economy for 2025 and beyond.

In both memos, Honey gave the board 120 days to complete the studies and submit findings and recommendations. The November meeting will discuss the progress of these studies.

The DIB’s mission is to provide the department with non-governmental advice on the best ways to implement commercial sector innovation, how emerging and disruptive technologies may affect national security and how to best use human capital to speed up scale and innovation.

DIB and department officials will speak at the meeting, including Marina Theodotou, the designated federal officer, and Michael Bloomberg, DIB chair.

Members of the public and outside organizations are welcome to submit written comments and statements to the DIB ahead of time, addressing the purpose of the meeting or the DIB’s mission via email.

The comments must be received by 12 p.m. ET on Nov. 9 to have DIB consideration.

The meeting will take place online and will start at 4 p.m. ET, ending at 5 p.m.