Miles Jamison 
A coalition of industry, academic and economic development partners has launched the National Innovation Quarter, or National IQ, a new innovation district spanning Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia.
What Is the National Innovation Quarter’s Mission?
National IQ is designed to serve as a neutral platform for dual-use innovation, meaning technologies with both commercial and national security applications, the innovation district said Thursday. Operating out of the National Landing corridor, which encompasses Crystal City, Pentagon City, and Potomac Yard, the district leverages its proximity to the Pentagon and Washington, D.C., to accelerate the delivery of mission-critical capabilities. The district aims to connect federal stakeholders, defense contractors, startups and research institutions to address national competitiveness and next-generation technology challenges.
Who Are the Founding Partners & Sponsors?
The initiative is backed by the following founding partners:
- Amazon
- Alexandria Economic Development Partnership
- Arlington Economic Development
- JBG SMITH
- National Landing Business Improvement District
- Northrop Grumman
- SAIC
- Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation
- Virginia Tech
The early sponsors include Auterion, Bloomberg Industry Group, Consumer Technology Association, Gould Property Company / Hyatt, Regency Crystal City, Knobbe Martens, Leonid Capital, Nooks, Pillsbury, Silicon Valley Defense Group and Technomics, among others.
What Activities Will It Support?
National IQ will begin a national search for its executive director as it launches its first-year programming this February. Some of the district’s planned activities include innovation competitions, investor forums, product demonstrations, global soft-landing program and startup accelerators aimed at advancing economic growth and innovation
“We are proud to serve as a National IQ founding partner, which reflects our leading commitment to building the partnership ecosystem across public and commercial sectors to deliver mission-critical solutions for our government customers,” said Bob Ritchie, chief technology officer of SAIC.
“By collaborating with industry leaders and local partners, we aim to leverage our joint expertise to proactively accelerate the development of technologies that enhance national security, improve operational efficiency, and provide real-world impact for the missions we serve,” the GovCon expert added.
