Government & Defense
Where the public sector meets Texas deep tech.
Capital Factory connects startups with partners across government and academia, forming a one-stop shop for dual-use innovation.
For startups, we help navigate the non-dilutive funding maze and make introductions to our government partners. Co-creation between military innovators, entrepreneurs, world-class technology companies, and investors makes Capital Factory a true catalyst for military modernization.
Our portfolio reflects it: companies like Saronic, Apptronik, and Paradromics are building at the frontier of national security, and Capital Factory portfolio companies have received more than $500 million in non-dilutive funding from government agencies.
Government partners
Hats off to our government partners.
Center for Dual-Use Innovation
The only place outside the Pentagon where military leaders collaborate across every branch.
The Center for Dual-Use Innovation (CDI) is an unprecedented collaboration between the public and private sectors. It brings together entrepreneurs and government innovators to build the future of America’s national-security frontier.
CDI opened its doors in early 2019 and has grown to include partners across all military branches. Whether they’re part of the Army, Air Force, Navy, or almost any other federal acronym, military leaders can ditch their uniforms and work collectively. No secret rooms. No classified materials.
2018
Army Futures Command establishes its headquarters in Austin. AFWERX and the Defense Innovation Unit come to Capital Factory.
2019
The Center for Defense Innovation opens its doors at Capital Factory.
2020
SXSW is canceled, spurring the first-ever Fed Supernova: a virtual conference for the dual-use ecosystem.
2021–24
The center and Fed Supernova grow to include partners from across all military branches.
2024
A joint DoW innovation space opens on the 8th floor of the Austin Centre, and the Center for Defense Innovation formally rebrands to the Center for Dual-Use Innovation.
Programs
Fed Supernova
A three-day event that connects entrepreneurs, government, and industry to collaborate on dual-use solutions and put commercial technology in the hands of the DoW. A force multiplier for military innovation: the entire ecosystem converges, once a year, with a shared mission.
Dual-Use Academy
The government spends billions in contract money each year, and evaluating those opportunities is hard. Dual-Use Academy teaches the first steps to pursuing the government customer, from navigating contracts to engaging with acquisition officers.
Station DC
Supercharging the DC innovation scene.
STATION DC launched in July 2024 in partnership with the City of Washington, D.C. Located in the Union Market District, it fosters collaboration between innovators and policymakers in the heart of the nation’s capital.
Looking to get involved in our government ecosystem? Our team will connect you with the right people in our orbit.