UNC Charlotte joins North Carolina’s First in Defense coalition
UNC Charlotte joins North Carolina’s First in Defense coalition
UNC Charlotte has joined North Carolina’s First in Defense coalition, reinforcing the University’s growing role in defense innovation, digital engineering, advanced manufacturing and dual-use technology development.
The coalition, led by the North Carolina Critical Technologies Alliance and the NC Chamber, brings together industry, research universities, government partners and innovation organizations to strengthen North Carolina’s position as a national leader in defense innovation, technology transition and critical technology development.
UNC Charlotte’s participation will be anchored by the National Defense and Intelligence Innovation Institute (NDI3), a universitywide initiative launched earlier this year to accelerate collaboration among research, industry, workforce development and national security partners.
Positioning North Carolina for a new era of defense innovation
UNC Charlotte joins the coalition during a period of historic federal investment in military modernization, advanced manufacturing, operational energy, resilient infrastructure, critical technologies and defense industrial base expansion.
“North Carolina’s opportunity to emerge as a national leader in defense innovation depends on our ability to work together across regions, industries and institutions,” said Jarrett Lane, co-founder of the NC Critical Technologies Alliance. “The First in Defense coalition was created to align those strengths around a shared vision for the state’s future. UNC Charlotte and the Charlotte region add important capabilities to that effort, and we are excited to welcome their expertise, partnerships and regional perspective into this growing statewide collaboration.”
The University’s membership reflects UNC Charlotte’s growing role as an applied research institution focused on accelerating the transition of emerging technologies into operational and commercial impact through translational research, interdisciplinary collaboration and mission-focused problem solving.
“At a time when the nation is making major investments in defense modernization, advanced manufacturing and technology transition, North Carolina has a significant opportunity to strengthen its position in the national defense innovation landscape,” said John Daniels, vice chancellor for research. “As the academic anchor for the defense industry in the region, UNC Charlotte is committed to supporting the First in Defense coalition by leveraging its strengths in applied research, industry partnerships and workforce development to help advance the state’s defense innovation ecosystem.”
North Carolina’s broader defense ecosystem includes major military installations, a highly skilled veteran workforce, leading research universities, advanced manufacturing capability and growing collaboration across academia, startups, industry and operational stakeholders.
The Charlotte difference
UNC Charlotte’s role within the coalition is strengthened by the University’s location in one of the nation’s fastest-growing centers for advanced industry, energy infrastructure, logistics and commercialization.
“No other region in North Carolina combines advanced manufacturing, rapid prototyping expertise, energy infrastructure, logistics connectivity and commercialization capacity at the scale of Charlotte,” said Daniels.
That regional ecosystem gives UNC Charlotte a distinct role in helping accelerate the development, testing and scaling of dual-use technologies and next-generation defense capabilities.
Charlotte’s advantages include:
- Advanced manufacturing capacity and supply chain infrastructure
- Nationally recognized motorsports engineering and rapid prototyping expertise
- Energy infrastructure and grid modernization leadership
- Major logistics and transportation connectivity
- Financial and commercialization ecosystems that support technology scaling
- Access to growing dual-use technology and defense innovation markets
“The Charlotte metro area is the heart of North Carolina’s defense manufacturing ecosystem, powered by UNC Charlotte as its academic engine,” said David Jerome, executive director of the Institute of Digital Engineering USA. “By pioneering advancements in digital engineering, metrology and tactical energy, the University provides the technical backbone for the First in Defense coalition to drive national security innovation and regional economic growth.”
NDI3 connects research, industry and operational needs
NDI3 serves as a connective hub that bridges university research, operational mission needs, industry capability, workforce development and technology transition.
The institute was created to strengthen UNC Charlotte’s ability to support mission-driven innovation while helping move emerging technologies from research and development into operational and commercial application.
As North Carolina’s urban research university, UNC Charlotte continues to expand its role in applied research, technology commercialization and workforce development tied to national priorities.
UNC Charlotte and NDI3 bring expertise across a range of national security and dual-use technology areas, including:
- Advanced manufacturing
- Autonomy and robotics
- Cybersecurity
- Digital engineering
- Operational energy and resilient infrastructure
- Advanced sensing technologies
- Military health and human performance
- Next-generation defense capabilities
Supporting operational relevance and workforce readiness
UNC Charlotte’s mission-focused approach is designed to support operational relevance, workforce readiness, rapid innovation and long-term economic impact across both the Charlotte region and North Carolina.
The University’s participation in the coalition also reinforces North Carolina’s growing reputation as a center for defense innovation, advanced manufacturing and technology commercialization, bringing together academia, industry, startups, investors and operational stakeholders to accelerate the transition of emerging technologies into real-world impact.