DIU team members include active duty military, reservists, civilians, and contractors who bring extensive military and private sector experience to accelerate commercial technology for national security.
Our leaders are invested in U.S. national security and represent the best talent from government and business. Contact us with questions or for additional information.
Senior Leadership and Portfolio Directors
Portfolio Deputy Directors & Technical Leads
Austin Baker, Deputy Portfolio Director, Space
Justin Norman, Acting Technical Director, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
Niels Olson, Chief Medical Doctor, Human Systems
Cherissa Tamayori
DIU Director of Acquisitions
DIU is a relatively young organization, and I have really enjoyed being a part of its growth story. I’m extremely proud of my team for championing the use of the Other Transaction Authority across the DoD and helping to drive DIU’s impact through the prototypes we’ve been able to contract over the last five years!
DIU: Powered by Talent
At the DIU, our team is the fuel to our fire. Our technical, acquisition, and industry experts work tirelessly to bring cutting-edge commercial technology to the DoD. Read more by following our Powered by Talent series.
Dr. Andrew Higier
Dr. Andrew Higier serves as the Director of the Energy Portfolio at the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), where he leads the team in delivering strategic energy capabilities to the military by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology and strengthening the national security innovation base.
He spoke to DIU to share more about his role, what project he's most exited about, and more. Read the interview.
Join Us.
Be Part Of Our Team.
We Break Down Silos DIU is a proven catalyst for reinvigorating how the government and business work together. We’re not bound by traditional DoD silos, enabling us to work across Services, at the seams of our portfolios, and the overlap among technology areas -- the intersection of space and cyber, health and AI, and more -- where the real innovation takes place and where new thriving businesses can be created.
We’re Trailblazers Our team embodies the same entrepreneurial spirit that drives the startups and companies at the leading edge of technology. We were founded because traditional approaches to defense acquisition were failing to capture innovative applications available to global consumers but out of reach for the U.S. military. DIU is intrinsically invested in getting to yes, whether it’s finding a new solution to a national security challenge or navigating simpler paths to success within the largest bureaucracy in the world.
We’re Passionate About the Mission Technological innovation is central to our future economic prosperity and national security. DIU is building the technology pipeline to ensure our global leadership alongside our allies and partners by forging new partnerships and growing the innovation ecosystem at the intersection of industry, academia, and government. A thriving public-private ecosystem is essential to maintaining American competitiveness and developing foundational discoveries that will sustain us for the next generation.
We Respect Ingenuity Good ideas can come from anywhere and, sometimes, the solution you think you want at the start doesn’t turn out to be the best option available. This principle permeates our culture, daily operations, and project execution. To find the best solutions and continuously improve, we regularly seek ideas and feedback from those, at every level, who feel the impact of a challenge or solution in their daily work. We champion the ideas that deliver optimal results.