The C4 Partnering Model
Creating a strong regional commercialization ecosystem for manufacturing focused on collaboration and rapid technology development using a novel industry-informed partnering approach for research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D).
Co-locate • Collaborate • Community • Communicate
Co-locate
Co-located researchers from industry, academia,
and the national labs in a single facility
Collaborate
Collaborative, open RDD&D environment that is optimized for commercialization
and fueled by streamlined partnerships with C4 program participants
Community
Community access to materials discovery and synthesis,
advanced manufacturing capabilities, and state-of-the-art equipment
Communicate
Communication on an intentional, continuous basis between
national laboratories and industry partners throughout the tech maturation process
Creating a Strong Regional Commercialization Ecosystem for Manufacturing
Current State
Today’s traditional approaches to moving technologies through the RDD&D continuum make it difficult for U.S. industry to commercialize lab-developed technologies.
Downfalls of serial approach:
Siloed capabilities at national laboratories, academia, and industry
Industry needs are not continuously considered
Manufacturability is not built in
Deployment is an afterthought
Future State
We envision an RDD&D continuum partnering model that connects national laboratories and industry partners, accelerating technology development and adoption in the manufacturing sector.
Benefits of C4 approach:
Break down of silos between capabilities
Increased speed and agility
Reduced administrative delays
Paving the Way to a More Collaborative Future
Develop a Hub & Spoke Model
Engage with national laboratory network and industry to develop a hub and spoke model that can be applied to different locations (i.e., spokes)
Co-locate Industry, Academic, and National Lab Partners
Remove barriers between labs and businesses by co-locating industry, academic, and national lab partners and bringing state-of-the-art lab resources and capabilities to industry challenges
Establish “Equipment & Tooling Showcase” Program
Showcase equipment from suppliers in the Sandia National Labs manufacturing space
Organize a Open Challenge
Bring innovators and manufacturers together to solve challenging problems within industry
Increase and Streamline Access to Lab IP
Provide advanced manufacturing bundled IP to program participants and create an IP matchmaking platform/website to bring in suppliers and participants for the Open Innovation Challenge
Ensure Viability & Growth
Develop an enduring long-term program viability plan
The Growing C4 Ecosystem
C4 has been embraced by regional partners, forming a collaboration of researchers, equipment suppliers and tooling companies, companies engaged in the open innovation challenge, and mentors and judges.
