CLT.BIZ LLC · Strategic Consulting · Charlotte, NC
SEDIC is a formally incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a Defense Innovation Unit OnRamp Hub designation for Charlotte and the Southeast — connecting the region's commercial technology base to the Department of Defense marketplace.
Section One
The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is expanding its national network of OnRamp Hubs — physical "front doors" connecting non-traditional commercial companies to the Department of Defense marketplace. Congress has authorized a hub for North Carolina with $5 million in NDAA funding championed by Senator Ted Budd. These two foundational documents make the comprehensive case for Charlotte as the superior site — and establish SEDIC's full strategic framework.
Eight DIU OnRamp Hubs have been designated since 2023. Not one of them is located in the Southeast. That gap is not an accident of geography — it is a policy failure. Congress has begun to correct it. The organizations that establish their institutional identity, build their coalition, and engage the Applied Research Institute (ARI) in 2026 are the ones that will be designated in 2027. Charlotte is ready.
NC Research Campus in Kannapolis — 350 acres, eight co-located universities, operational today.
UNC Charlotte's National Defense and Intelligence Innovation Institute (NDI3), launched January 2026.
Corvid Technologies — Top Secret-cleared defense engineering company, $350M annual revenue, Mooresville, NC.
Applied AI · Energy & Contested Logistics · Cyber & Quantum · Advanced Weapons · Uncrewed Systems · Biotechnology
The foundational article making the case for a DIU OnRamp Hub in the Charlotte–Kannapolis–Mooresville corridor. Covers the hub's mission as the Pentagon's "front door," the strategic rationale for the Charlotte region's geographic centrality, transportation advantages, military proximity to SOCOM and the 18th Airborne Corps, and how this hub would serve all eleven combatant commands — extending into South Carolina, Tennessee, and national laboratory networks.
Download PDFThe comprehensive 13-page strategy document establishing SEDIC's full case. Outlines what a DIU OnRamp Hub provides — cyber hardening, TRL assessments, OTA/SBIR education, matchmaking between commercial technology and warfighter needs — and makes the detailed argument that Charlotte outperforms the Research Triangle Park alternative on every criterion DIU uses to evaluate locations. Includes SEDIC's six technology portfolios and organizational structure.
Download PDFSection Two
SEDIC's communications strategy is built around a single frame: We Are Already the Hub. These documents establish the strategic playbook, editorial calendar, and digital infrastructure for demonstrating to DIU, ARI, and the congressional delegation that the Southeast defense innovation community is organized, self-motivated, and already delivering on the DIU mission — with or without a formal hub designation.
The full strategic communications framework covering seven integrated channels: Website, Newsletter, Hub & Resource Platform, Vendor Database, Speaker Series, Accelerator Forums, and Social Media. Each channel is designed to serve a specific function — building the case for the hub designation, recruiting the vendor pipeline, and demonstrating ecosystem readiness to ARI and DIU leadership. Includes the complete advocacy communications strategy targeting the congressional delegation and DoD leadership.
Download PDFThe full 26-issue editorial calendar covering April 2, 2026 through March 19, 2027. Every issue includes a Contract Opportunity of the Week, OTA/CSO Alert, Federal Procurement Calendar, Charlotte Corridor News, Glossary Term, and Upcoming Events. Issues are organized into nine thematic categories: Launch, Education, Market Intelligence, Procurement, Technology, Policy/Advocacy, Workforce, Spotlight, and Year-End. A complete editorial infrastructure for building SEDIC's vendor pipeline and regional credibility.
Download PDFVisual mockup and screenshot documentation of SEDIC's draft public-facing landing page at sedic-launchpad.lovable.app. Shows the complete six-section layout: Hero with live signup form and four key Carolina defense metrics; What Is SEDIC mission explanation with five pillars; Who This Is For audience cards; How It Works four-step sequence; Endorsements section; and second signup form with footer. Demonstrates the visual identity and user experience of SEDIC's digital front door.
Download PDFComplete technical instructions for deploying SEDIC's landing page, including the full HTML source code. Covers the three required steps before going live: connecting the signup form via Formspree or Mailchimp, adding real endorser names and quotes, and uploading to SEDefense.org. Includes guidance on form endpoint configuration, endorsement section customization, and hosting platform compatibility. A complete implementation guide for SEDIC's digital infrastructure.
Download PDFSection Three
One of SEDIC's most powerful arguments to DIU and ARI is the density and breadth of existing defense innovation assets across North and South Carolina. This mapping document catalogs military installations, research institutions, tech bridges, and innovation centers across the two-state SEDIC network — demonstrating that Charlotte's hub would activate an already-operational ecosystem, not build one from scratch.
Fort Bragg, Pope Army Airfield, Camp Lejeune, MCAS Cherry Point, Fleet Readiness Center East, Shaw AFB, and more across NC and SC.
NC State, East Carolina University, Fayetteville State University, Clemson University CUICAR, RTI International, US Army Research Office.
Wireless Research Center (one of five DARPA Commercial Accelerators), NC Military Business Center, Joint Innovation Outpost (JIOP), First Flight Venture Center.
Elbit Systems of America, Vulcan Elements, SCTAC (world's only F-16 production line), Center for Manufacturing Innovation, NC Global TransPark.
A comprehensive mapping and inventory of military installations, defense research assets, innovation centers, and industry partners across North and South Carolina. Identifies the full geographic scope of the SEDIC hub-and-spoke network — from the Charlotte corridor to Eastern NC's warfighter demand signal corridor, across the South Carolina border to Clemson, Columbia, and Charleston. Demonstrates to ARI that SEDIC's reach extends well beyond Charlotte into a genuine two-state defense innovation ecosystem.
Download PDFSection Four
SEDIC's formal formation announcement is scheduled for April 30, 2026 at Flywheel Coworking in Concord, NC. These two documents cover the full media launch strategy and the board recruitment prospectus — the governance foundation that ARI evaluates when assessing hub applicants. Every board and advisory member recruited before SEDIC's formal ARI application becomes part of the application itself.
DIU's OnRamp Hub program is not an open standing solicitation. The eight existing hubs were internally selected — the organizations that won designations were the ones that built relationships with ARI and DIU before the formal selection moment arrived. Round 3 of hub designations is forming now. The board built in April and May 2026 is the difference between leading that conversation and responding to it.
The complete press package for SEDIC's formation announcement event at Flywheel Coworking, 57 Union Street South, Concord, NC — April 30, 2026, 3:00–5:00 PM EDT. Contains four sections: full Charlotte metro and statewide media distribution list with contact information for broadcast, print, and digital outlets; Media Advisory/Event Notice; News Release (embargo lifts 9:00 AM April 30); and Partner Network list. A complete media launch infrastructure for establishing SEDIC's public identity and generating regional coverage of the Southeast's first defense innovation hub initiative.
Download PDFThe confidential recruitment prospectus for SEDIC's founding Board of Directors (9–11 members) and Advisory Board (10–14 members). Details six board seat profiles — Operational Leadership (Rick Hudson and Bill Thunberg), Military/Defense Intelligence, University/Research, Defense Industry, Finance/Philanthropy, and Public Sector/Economic Development — each with specific qualifications and time commitments. Advisory Board is organized into four lanes: Congressional & Policy, Defense Innovation & DIU, Industry & Venture Capital, and Regional & Civic. Includes candidate suggestions across all categories and the strategic rationale for recruiting now.
Download PDFHub Operators
President & CEO, SEDIC · Hub Operator · Board of Directors (Operational Leadership Seat)
Hub Operator · Board of Directors (Operational Leadership Seat)
Outside Strategic Consultant & Coalition Builder · CLT.BIZ LLC · Charlotte, NC
Visit SEDefense.org for the latest SEDIC news, events, and vendor registration.
Section Five
These two confidential working directories identify the highest-priority organizations and decision-makers for SEDIC network affiliation across North and South Carolina — including contact information, outreach sequencing, specific asks, and talking points for each organization. They represent SEDIC's complete coalition-building infrastructure for the April–September 2026 outreach campaign.
Every organization that commits to SEDIC before the formal ARI application is submitted becomes part of that application. ARI evaluates the quality of a hub's institutional coalition — who is committed, what they represent, and what relationships they bring. These directories are SEDIC's roadmap to building the coalition that wins the designation.
A 9-page confidential directory of all major North Carolina defense innovation organizations targeted for SEDIC network affiliation, organized across three geographic corridors: Charlotte/Western NC (hub core), Research Triangle/Central NC, and Eastern NC. Covers 11 organizations in three tiers — from Tier 1 critical contacts (UNC Charlotte NDI3, NCRC, Corvid Technologies, NCMBC) to Tier 2 regional anchors (ENC Tech Bridge, NCEast Alliance, Wireless Research Center, First Flight Venture Center) to Tier 3 supporting assets (ECU, NC Global TransPark). Each entry includes specific contact names, phone numbers, emails, SEDIC role, and a tailored outreach approach. Includes a complete April–September 2026 outreach sequence and five universal NC talking points.
Download PDFA 6-page confidential directory of the highest-priority South Carolina organizations for SEDIC network affiliation. Organized in three tiers: Tier 1 critical contacts (Palmetto Tech Bridge/NIWC Atlantic, SC Competes/SC Defense, South Carolina Research Authority), Tier 2 high-value assets (McNair Center/USC, SCTAC/Lockheed F-16, Clemson CU-ICAR), and Tier 3 supporting assets (Elbit Systems, Greenville Tech CMI). Strategic framing throughout: SEDIC is inviting SC organizations to be recognized charter spoke-partners in the Southeast's first DIU OnRamp Center — amplifying their existing DoD relationships with national-level DIU access. Includes complete April–June 2026 outreach sequence and five universal SC talking points.
Download PDFAt a Glance
UNC Charlotte / NDI3 · NC Research Campus (Kannapolis) · Corvid Technologies · NCMBC / DEFTECH
ENC Tech Bridge / FRCE · NCEast Alliance · NC State IES / NCDIDI · Wireless Research Center · First Flight Venture Center
Palmetto Tech Bridge / NIWC Atlantic · SC Competes / SC Defense · South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA)
McNair Center / USC · SCTAC / Lockheed F-16 Production · Clemson CU-ICAR · Elbit Systems of America