DMDII

What DMDII does

MxD (formerly DMDII — Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute, rebranded MxD / Manufacturing x Digital) is the United States' designated Digital Manufacturing and Cybersecurity Institute, founded in 2014 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The organization operates as a solution-neutral convener under a formal partnership with the U.S. Department of War, working to strengthen the U.S. industrial base across economic prosperity and national security dimensions. It serves a network of 350+ members spanning tier-1 defense primes (Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX, Rolls-Royce), major industrials (Siemens, DMG MORI, Dow, Eaton, Oshkosh, Olin), technology providers (Google Cloud, Cisco, Cognizant, CDW, Tech Mahindra), telecoms (AT&T, T-Mobile), healthcare manufacturers (Abbott, Baxter), professional services (EY), and academic institutions. Member engagement is delivered through the xChange online portal, the annual MxD Summit, staff-led tours of the MxD Factory Floor (a physical experiential manufacturing facility in Chicago), and project-based collaboration.

The product portfolio is organized around four pillars: Digital Manufacturing (Data as Foundation, 5G Wireless Factory Hub), Cybersecurity (Cyber Resource Hub, CMMC Playbook, Cyber Playbook for Additive Manufacturing, Cyber Report, Cybersecurity Buyer's Guide), Workforce (Virtual Training Center and sector-specific Workforce Readiness/Hiring Guides for cybersecurity, digital, EV, and OIB), and Defense Collaboration. Recent additions include the Casting & Forging Digital Fabric Roadmap (June 2026) targeting defense manufacturing supply chains. A leadership change added Kathleen S. Miller to the Board of Directors on June 15, 2026; William P. King serves as Chief Technology Officer.

Revenue mechanics are mixed: (i) recurring membership fees from the 350+ member network (specific tier pricing undisclosed), (ii) government partnership / professional services contracts anchored to the U.S. Department of War, including a disclosed $10 million DOD award in February 2019, and (iii) training and workforce development revenue via the Virtual Training Center and published hiring/workforce guides. The go-to-market is community-led: member engagement, exclusive access to workshops and networking events, facility tours, and the annual MxD Summit function as the primary acquisition and retention vehicles. Geographic scope is single-country (United States), and no public funding rounds beyond the 2019 DOD award are reported in the source material.

Name

DMDII

Legal name

MxD | The Digital Manufacturing and Cybersecurity Institute

Website

https://uilabs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

MxD (formerly DMDII) is the U.S. Digital Manufacturing and Cybersecurity Institute, a Chicago-based, membership-driven convener partnering with the U.S. Department of War to modernize, secure, and upskill the American manufacturing and defense industrial base for its 350+ enterprise and academic members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Manufacturing & Cybersecurity Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial & Process Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAF)

Keywords

• Digital manufacturing services
• Manufacturing cybersecurity
• Industrial base strengthening
• Workforce development training
• Defense manufacturing collaboration

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: MxD operates as a membership-based organization with a network of 350+ members including manufacturers, technology companies, and defense contractors. Members receive exclusive access to hands-on workshops, networking events, collaborative project opportunities, and facility tours.
2. Government Partnerships: MxD partners with the U.S. Department of War (Department of Defense) to strengthen the U.S. industrial base through digital adoption in manufacturing and cybersecurity initiatives.
3. Training and Workforce Development: Revenue generated through Virtual Training Center, workforce readiness guides, and specialized hiring guides for cybersecurity, digital, and EV sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MxD (DMDII) operates as a solution-neutral advisor and convener focused on digital manufacturing and cybersecurity for the U.S. industrial base, in partnership with the U.S. Department of War. The institute delivers membership-based convening, advisory and training services through its MxD Factory Floor experiential facility, xChange member portal, Virtual Training Center, 5G Wireless Factory Hub, and structured Cybersecurity and Workforce programs, serving 350+ enterprise members across aerospace & defense, manufacturing, healthcare, technology, and academia.

Product overview

MxD (Manufacturing x Digital) operates as a single unified institute providing digital manufacturing and cybersecurity services to strengthen the U.S. industrial base. The organization offers a multi-faceted portfolio combining advisory services, physical facilities, workforce development, and member engagement. Core service areas include Digital Manufacturing (Data as Foundation, 5G Wireless Factory Hub), Cybersecurity (Cyber Resource Hub, CMMC Playbook, Cyber Playbook for Additive Manufacturing), Workforce (Virtual Training Center, Workforce Readiness Guides for cybersecurity/digital/EV/OIB), and Defense Collaboration. Member engagement is facilitated through the xChange member portal and the MxD Factory Floor physical facility for hands-on experimentation. The institute serves as a solution-neutral advisor and convener partnering with the U.S. Department of War.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• xChange Member Portal Online self-serve member portal providing 350+ MxD members with exclusive access to networking, collaborative project opportunities, workshops, and member resources for digital manufacturing and cybersecurity collaboration.
• MxD Factory Floor State-of-the-art physical experiential manufacturing facility at the MxD Chicago campus, offering staff-led tours and hands-on access to digital manufacturing technologies for members, prospects, and event participants.
• Virtual Training Center (VTC) Online training platform providing accessible learning tools and courses to develop digital manufacturing and cybersecurity skills for the U.S. manufacturing workforce.
• Digital Manufacturing Program Core program area advancing data-driven manufacturing and 5G-connected factory environments, including the Data as Foundation initiative and the 5G Wireless Factory Hub, for members modernizing U.S. manufacturing operations.
• Cybersecurity Program Core program area providing manufacturers with cybersecurity practices, resources, and guidance, including the Playbook for CMMC and the Cyber Playbook for Additive Manufacturing, to secure U.S. manufacturing environments.
• Workforce Program Core program area empowering the U.S. manufacturing workforce with accessible learning tools, including the Virtual Training Center and Workforce Readiness Guides for cybersecurity, digital, EV, and OIB sectors.
• Defense Collaboration Program Collaborative initiative working with the U.S. Department of War to strengthen the U.S. industrial base through defense manufacturing partnerships, including initiatives such as the Casting & Forging Digital Fabric Roadmap.
• MxD Recording Studio Professional recording studio facility at the MxD campus available to members and event hosts for producing multimedia content and recordings.
• 5G Wireless Factory Hub Dedicated initiative hub focused on 5G wireless connectivity for factory environments, enabling connected and smart manufacturing operations and supporting member deployment of private 5G in U.S. factories.

Named customers22 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• U.S. Department of WarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMxD partners with the U.S. Department of War (Department of Defense) to strengthen the U.S. industrial base through digital adoption in manufacturing and cybersecurity initiatives. This is the primary government partnership defining MxD's mission to advance economic prosperity and national security.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute: One of the Manufacturing USA Innovation Institutes funded by DoD, focused on robotics in U.S. manufacturing. Shares the same public-private partnership structure, membership-based model, and U.S. industrial-base mandate as MxD, making them direct peers in federal innovation funding and convening.
• IACMI (Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation): Manufacturing USA composites institute with university and industry member network. Comparable member-based, federally-funded innovation institute addressing manufacturing technology adoption for defense and industrial applications.
• AIM Photonics: Manufacturing USA institute for integrated photonics. Comparable public-private partnership structure with DoD funding and member-driven service delivery model.
• NextFlex: Manufacturing USA institute for flexible hybrid electronics. Same federal funding structure, same member ecosystem model, and overlapping defense manufacturing modernization mission as MxD.
• CESMII (Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute): Manufacturing USA institute focused on smart manufacturing and data systems. Peer in convening manufacturers, technology providers, and academia around digital transformation — overlapping directly with MxD's "Data as Foundation" focus area.
• LIFT (Lightweight Innovations For Tomorrow): Detroit-based Manufacturing USA institute serving defense and automotive manufacturers on lightweight materials. Comparable as a federally-designated innovation institute with defense mandate, member network, and project-based funding model.
• America Makes: National additive manufacturing innovation institute and Manufacturing USA flagship. Comparable as a DoD-backed, membership-driven consortium serving defense and industrial manufacturers — overlapping with MxD's Cyber Playbook for Additive Manufacturing and digital manufacturing portfolio.
• RAPID (Rapid Advancement in Process Intensification Deployment): Manufacturing USA institute led by AIChE focused on process intensification. Peer in convening manufacturers, academic, and government stakeholders around industrial technology advancement.

Regional players

• Fraunhofer USA: U.S. affiliate of Germany's applied research organization, operating R&D centers that contract applied manufacturing research for U.S. industry. Conceptually comparable as a non-vendor applied research and advisory organization serving U.S. manufacturers, though structured differently and funded primarily through contract research.
• Catalyst Connection (Pittsburgh): U.S. nonprofit industrial resource center providing manufacturing technology adoption, cybersecurity, and workforce services to small and mid-sized U.S. manufacturers. Comparable as a mission-driven manufacturing advisory organization, though smaller and regionally scoped.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCB9yv90uJXvKnCY-0vpjvtw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ui-labs
• Xx.com/dmdii_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DMDII