Elodie Collins 
MITRE has opened its intellectual property portfolio to industry in line with a Department of War initiative to accelerate the transition of defense technologies to operational use.
How Is MITRE Supporting Industry Adoption of Defense Technologies?
MITRE said Wednesday that it will work directly with companies to facilitate testing and development of patented technologies. The nonprofit revealed that unnamed technology companies are already assessing the use of MITRE’s patented approaches to enhance unmanned systems.
MITRE offers access to a broad catalog of hundreds of patents, prototypes and open-source projects. According to officials, providing access to IP from federally funded research and development centers and laboratories lowers barriers to entry and helps accelerate the commercialization of mission-relevant capabilities for warfighters.
“This is a powerful and deliberate way to help companies de-risk adoption, speed commercialization and accelerate mission-focused innovation,” Keoki Jackson, senior vice president and general manager of MITRE National Security, stated. “It’s a significant step to more rapidly transitioning critical capabilities into the hands of warfighters and the broader economy.”
What Is the Defense Patent Holiday Program?
The Defense Patent Holiday program, launched by the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering in January, provides companies access to selected patents from defense laboratories through no-fee commercial evaluation licenses. The licenses allow organizations to assess a technology’s technical performance, market potential and business viability over a two-year period without upfront costs.
The initiative is designed to streamline the licensing process tied to the DOW’s multibillion-dollar research investments and create a faster pathway for innovation.
