ABOUT US
Defense alliance accelerates commercialization for technology products and services, supports regional economic development in the Upper Midwest, and contributes to America’s national technology base. We work closely with companies in advanced technologies and specialized manufacturing, including space and airborne systems, cyber security, critical natural resources and strategic military and aerospace industries. Our mission is to foster an environment where technology companies can grow to become large global enterprises, enabling them to compete in the world’s most dynamic markets.
The Alliance is facing an increasingly contested security environment, with Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and destabilising activities directed at NATO and Allies. The Alliance is adapting its deterrence and defence to meet this new threat, deploying more troops on the eastern flank, expanding forward defence missions, strengthening cyber defences and intensifying exercises to improve interoperability.
At the 2022 Madrid Summit and the 2023 Vilnius Summit, Allied Leaders agreed significant measures to strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defence posture for a new era of collective defence. These include a new Defence Investment Pledge to commit Allies to investing at least 2% of GDP on defence, and a new Defence Production Action Plan to strengthen engagement with the defence industry, boost capacity, speed up joint procurement and deliver the critical capabilities needed for collective defence.
Allied Leaders also approved the NATO Force Model and established a new multi-domain Allied Reaction Force to ensure NATO can respond at short notice to any threat or crisis, anywhere in the world. This new framework will enable the Alliance to deploy a wider range of combat-capable forces, harnessing regional expertise and geographic proximity, to improve readiness.