Building the Indiana Uplands Regional Defense Cluster

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Abstract

The Indiana Uplands defense cluster was initiated to establish better linkages between the two largest drivers of the regional economy – IU Bloomington and Crane, a naval installation located 26 miles from Bloomington. This process began after the 2014 Strategic Plan for Economic and Community Prosperity in Southwest Central Indiana identified the lack of connectivity between Crane and IU as a major impediment to regional economic growth.

For IU Bloomington, this initiative has the potential to significantly enhance our economic development prowess. Priorities Seven and Eight of the IU Bicentennial Strategic Plan focus on economic development, entrepreneurship and creating “a culture of building and making.”  The DOD provides significant applied research funding and is highly focused on accelerating technology transition. We seek to leverage these programs to create new and enhanced technological capabilities that are directly relevant to the needs of our external partners.