Collaboration Will Benefit Area Technology Companies
Image by Hanscom AFB Public Affairs
01/31/2025
Lincoln, Mass. — A new partnership announced this week between the UMass Lowell Applied Research Corp. and Hanscom Air Force Base seeks to speed the creation and transfer of technology, supporting Hanscom’s unique and vital acquisition mission. The Partnership Intermediary Agreement is the 16th of its kind in the Air Force and first in New England.
The agreement will promote collaboration focused on technology transfer while offering opportunities for business and industry partners aligned with Hanscom's mission in the areas of command and control, communication, battle management, cyber, networks, electronic warfare, information systems, and enterprise digital infrastructure. It is designed to both foster innovation and improve national defense and security.
New training and education programs stemming from the agreement will ensure that Hanscom personnel acquire the latest knowledge and skills necessary to engage with the industry regarding emerging technologies effectively. The partners envision these technologies serving dual purposes: first, "spinning in" technology from industry to the Air Force, and second, "spinning out" technologies from a military context to explore civilian applications and opportunities for commercialization.
The collaboration highlights the synergy between the UMass Lowell Applied Research Corp. and Hanscom, which aligns with the Massachusetts Leads Act. The economic development bill, signed by Gov. Maura Healey in November 2024, aims to promote job creation and economic growth in microelectronics, artificial intelligence and cyber.
The Partnership Intermediary Agreement also positions UMass Lowell Applied Research Corp. to better connect potential academic and industry partners with UMass Lowell and the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor (LINC). The LINC project is a public-private partnership aimed at creating a hub for innovation, research, and entertainment centered around UMass Lowell.
“In the Cyber & Networks portfolio, we connect the warfighter with secure, superior combat communications capabilities, while energizing and enabling DoD partners to do the same in the areas of cyber, networks, cryptologic, and tactical data link systems,” said Maj. Gen. Anthony Genatempo, PEO Cyber & Networks. “First of its kind in New England, the PIA tool will present new options and insight for us to access innovation and carry forward our mission.”
State and UMass leaders also heralded the agreement.
“We are very pleased to see this longstanding partnership deepen in a way that will benefit students and Hanscom Air Force personnel,” University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan said. “The agreement announced today opens doors for the creation of new technologies and more opportunities for economic development in the Commonwealth.”
“This agreement represents exciting opportunity for the UMass Lowell ARC and our partners at Hanscom Air Base,” added UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen. “The more than 10-year collaboration between UMass Lowell and Hanscom has been enormously beneficial, starting with educational mission to this point. This is an opportunity to accelerate the development and transfer of technology, and to cultivate an ecosystem of innovation in a robust defense sector that benefits our state and its workforce, and ultimately UMass Lowell students.”
“The partnership between the UMass Lowell Applied Research Corp. and Hanscom Air Force Base is a model of innovation for others to follow,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. “The new agreement between them will help Massachusetts retain our competitive edge in job-creating sectors such as microelectronics, cyber and Artificial Intelligence, along with significant benefits for our defense industrial base and our economy.”
“This partnership between UMass Lowell and Hanscom Air Force Base will strengthen our national security, solidify the Commonwealth’s global leadership in research and development, and create more opportunities for the next generation of engineers and scientists to help prepare for the threats of tomorrow,” said Congresswoman Lori Trahan. “I’m grateful to President Meehan and Chancellor Chen, the Healey-Driscoll administration, and my colleagues in the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation for their support for this agreement, which will benefit students, workers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs across the Merrimack Valley and beyond.”
The agreement was formally signed Dec. 13, 2024.
About UMass Lowell Applied Research Corp.
The University of Massachusetts Lowell Applied Research Corp. (UMLARC) is a 501(c)3 university affiliate focused on soliciting and accepting Department of Defense applied research contracts. UMLARC supports UMass Lowell’s Research Institute and other University of Massachusetts research centers. www.umlarc.org