USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc.

Defense Research & Engineering Servicesiae.eng.usf.edu

USF Institute of Applied Engineering is a university-affiliated research institute, established in 2018, that bridges academia, industry, and government to deliver applied engineering capabilities — including cybersecurity, biotechnology, energy sciences, and trusted AI — to the U.S. Department of Defense.

Company typePrivate
Founded2018
HeadquartersTampa, FL, United States
Headcount11–50
GTM typeB2B
OfferingServices

What USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. does

USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. (IAE) is an applied engineering research institute established in 2018 as a wholly-owned entity of the University of South Florida, operating from 12351 University Mall Court in Tampa, Florida with an additional presence at the USF St. Petersburg campus. IAE is structured as a bridge between academia, industry, and government, with an explicit mission of advancing national security by delivering applied engineering capabilities to the U.S. Department of Defense and its agencies. The institute's stated research focus areas include cybersecurity, biotechnology, energy sciences, radio-frequency training technology for soldiers, and — more recently — trusted AI for national security.

IAE's product and capability surface consists of the core research organization, the Rapid Experimentation Lab (REL) for rapid prototyping, the IAE Internship Program that channels USF engineering talent into defense projects, and the Academic Consortium platform that connects grant sponsor organizations with peer academic institutions. Notable customer engagements include a five-year research partnership with the U.S. Army DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory covering cybersecurity, biotechnology, and energy sciences (formalized ceremonially in 2025), a partnership with defense technology firm By Light to advance trusted AI (formalized April 8, 2026), and participation in the eMERGE 2026 Hackathon (Project SCALPEL) alongside AWS and the Florida High Tech Corridor.

The institute's business model is government-contract-driven: revenue is generated through managed-services and professional-services contracts with DoD agencies and laboratories, plus collaborative R&D engagements with defense industry partners. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and follows standard federal acquisition mechanisms. Distribution is via direct government contracting and the Academic Consortium channel. Leadership transitioned in mid-2026 with Taylor Johnston appointed as President and CEO (also serving as Executive Director of the Global and National Security Institute). The institute has been recognized regionally via the 2024 Abilene Trophy from the Tampa Bay Chamber.

USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. firmographics

Firmographics

Name: USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc.
Legal name: USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc.
Website: https://iae.eng.usf.edu
Company type: Private
Founded year: 2018
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 11–50 employees
Short description: USF Institute of Applied Engineering is a university-affiliated research institute, established in 2018, that bridges academia, industry, and government to deliver applied engineering capabilities — including cybersecurity, biotechnology, energy sciences, and trusted AI — to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. industry classification

Industry

Product category: Defense Research & Engineering Services
NAICS: Engineering Services (54133), National Security (928110)
SIC: Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
akta.pro primary industry: Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAM)
akta.pro secondary industries: Integrated Air & Missile Defense (IAMD) Systems (IMABAOAD), Identity & Access Management (IAM) Managed Services (BPAEADAE)

Keywords

Defense research services
Applied engineering research
National security technology
Military R&D solutions
Defense contracting services

Where USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Tampa, FL
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

Department of Defense Research Contracts: Primary revenue generated through government contracts with the Department of Defense and its subsidiary agencies. The IAE provides research capabilities and technical expertise to defense organizations, including the U.S. Army DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory. Revenue is secured through competitive contract awards and formal partnership agreements with defense entities.
Defense Industry Partnerships: Collaborative research and development engagements with defense contractors and technology companies serving national security needs. These partnerships involve joint development of technologies and solutions for defense applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. product offering

Product offering

Core offering

The USF Institute of Applied Engineering (IAE) is a university-affiliated applied research institute established in 2018 that delivers engineering research, prototyping, and technology development services to the U.S. Department of Defense and defense industry partners. It serves as a bridge connecting academia, industry, and government to advance national security, with capabilities spanning cybersecurity, biotechnology, energy sciences, radio-frequency training technology, and trusted AI for defense applications.

Product overview

The Institute of Applied Engineering (IAE) is a university-based institute that serves as the central platform connecting academia, industry, and government for national security research. The IAE operates as a unified organization comprising the Rapid Experimentation Lab (REL) for prototyping, an Internship Program for workforce development, and an Academic Consortium for institutional collaboration. The institute primarily serves the Department of Defense, providing capabilities in areas such as cybersecurity, biotechnology, energy sciences, and radio-frequency training technology. The IAE was established in 2018 and maintains partnerships with organizations including the U.S. Army DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Rapid Experimentation Lab (REL)

Quantifiable outcome

Established five-year partnership with U.S. Army DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory

Companies that use USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc.

Customer profile

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

By LightcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2026Partnership formalized to advance trusted AI for national security applications. By Light is a defense technology company.
Florida High Tech CorridorminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Supported the eMERGE 2026 Hackathon (Project SCALPEL) as a regional technology corridor partnership.
U.S. Army DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (ARL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Ceremonial signing to celebrate a newly awarded five-year partnership that will drive groundbreaking research in cybersecurity, biotechnology, energy sciences, and more. This is a flagship partnership for the IAE.
Academic Consortium PartnerscoreOthersThe Academic Consortium delivers solutions that make it safer and easier for Grant Sponsor organizations and top Academic Institutions to work together on defense research initiatives.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

Riverside Research: Nonprofit scientific research organization serving the DoD and intelligence community in radar, remote sensing, and national security analytics — comparable as a mid-sized defense-focused research institute.
MIT Lincoln Laboratory: Federally funded R&D center (FFRDC) operated by MIT for the DoD, conducting applied research in sensors, communications, cyber, and electronic systems — a directly comparable university-affiliated defense research operation.
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL): University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) operated for the U.S. Department of Defense, delivering applied research across cybersecurity, advanced physics, and national security — the closest structural analogue to USF IAE.
Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI): University-affiliated applied research organization at Georgia Tech performing sponsored research for DoD and federal agencies across sensors, cybersecurity, and systems engineering — a structurally close peer to USF IAE.
Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute: FFRDC operated by Carnegie Mellon for the DoD, focused on software engineering, cybersecurity, and AI for national security — directly comparable in mission and university-affiliated structure.

Broad incumbents

SRI International: Independent nonprofit research institute with substantial DoD and intelligence community work in AI, bioscience, and sensors — comparable as a multidisciplinary research organization serving national security customers.
Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA): FFRDC that performs scientific, technical, and analytic research for the DoD and other federal agencies — comparable as a nonprofit institution serving the same customer base with similar research mandate.
Applied Research Associates (ARA): Private employee-owned research and engineering firm delivering applied science and engineering solutions across defense, homeland security, and infrastructure — comparable as a DoD-facing applied engineering services provider.
RAND Corporation: Nonprofit research organization with deep DoD, national security, and policy research programs — comparable as a nonprofit institution delivering applied research and analysis for federal defense clients.
Battelle Memorial Institute: Large nonprofit applied science organization with significant national security, cyber, and energy sciences portfolios — comparable as a multi-domain research organization serving DoD and federal sponsors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc.

What does USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. do?

Is USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. a public or private company?

USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.

When was USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. founded?

USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. based?

USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. is headquartered in Tampa, FL, United States, in the North America region.

How does USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. make money?

Two revenue lines are on record. Department of Defense Research Contracts are the primary driver. The others are defense Industry Partnerships.

Who are USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc.'s main competitors?

Direct peers on record are Riverside Research, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) and Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute. Broad incumbents are SRI International, Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), Applied Research Associates (ARA), RAND Corporation and Battelle Memorial Institute.

Does USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. have an API?

No public API is recorded for USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc..

What industry is USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc. in?

USF Institute of Applied Engineering, Inc.'s product category is Defense Research & Engineering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAIAM, Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting, with a secondary code of IMABAOAD, Integrated Air & Missile Defense (IAMD) Systems. Its NAICS code is 54133 and its SIC code is 8711.