ABOUT USCCAT San Diego has been operational since July 1, 2001. The Founding partners include San Diego State University (SDSU) Research Foundation and the Entrepreneurial Management Center; ORINCON Corporation (acquired by Lockheed Martin), CONNECT (formerly with University of California San Diego); and the SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific). A sister Center, which offers similar awards and services, was established in late 2002 at California State University San Bernardino.
CCAT's initial government sponsor was the Department of Defense Office of Naval Research and now includes the Office of Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas' Security Affairs and the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate. In addition, CCAT collaborates with numerous industry, investment, and academic, and government organizations nationwide to "fast track" enabling technologies addressing priority Departments of Defense and Homeland Security needs from the research laboratory to the military, 1st Responder, and commercial marketplace.
In September 2010, the Small Business Administration funded the San Diego Advanced Defense Technologies Cluster Initiative as a pilot program designed to support small businesses in transitioning their technologies into the defense marketplace and as a result achieve economic growth. This initiative is a spin-off of the CCAT program, leveraging the CCAT processes, project team, and other resources. It has a San Diego regional focus and engages numerous prime contractors, industry associations, small business services providers, and other regional organizations involved with business development and economic recovery.
