Who We Are

Our Mission

Defense Alliance accelerates commercialization for technology products and services, and contributes to regional economic development by supporting small businesses in the Upper Midwest.

The Alliance also contributes to the vibrancy of the defense industry and the national technology base in various market areas such as:  power and energy, strategic natural resources, cybersecurity, and many others. The national technology base is driven largely by defense requirements and spending (both off-the-shelf and R&D), and we encourage firms to consider funding their innovations through DoD programs where available.  The mission of the Alliance also includes a focus on companies that are in rural areas of the Upper Midwest (principally ND, SD, MN and WI).

Defense Alliance funding comes from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Regional Innovation Cluster (RIC) program; and therefore we are an active SBA Resource Partner.

Our History

The Defense Alliance aims to enhance the network of individuals and organizations originally created by the Minnesota Defense Industry Roundtable (and the associated on-line Newsletter) begun in 2003. The organization formed in July, 2004 as an independent organization within a small business, Minnesota Wire.

In 2010, the Alliance became an Advanced Defense Technologies Cluster, funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Regional Innovation Cluster (RIC) program; and was endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) by inclusion in the National Defense Authorization Act. Among more than 60 technology clusters that are in part or wholly funded by the federal government, Defense Alliance was for years the only small business – and remains one of the very few.

Defense Alliance was acquired by Logistic Specialties, Inc. (LSI - Layton, Utah - www.lsiwins.com) in February, 2017. In late 2018, the Alliance was once again awarded RIC funding to operate from 2019 through 2023; and again in 2023, for another five year contract period.