Innovation Empire: Competing on the National Stage in Technology & Innovation

Troy Clarke, Director of the Inland Empire Tech Bridge, addresses attendees at the 2024 Inland Empire Innovation Summit in Riverside, CA.

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If you want to know what it takes to connect entrepreneurs with Navy opportunities, ask Troy Clarke. As Director of NavalX’s Inland Empire Tech Bridge, anchored by the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Corona Division, Troy is at the helm of initiatives that bridge defense innovation with regional talent and technology. With a career spanning over two decades in Navy public affairs and strategic engagement, his leadership is instrumental in breaking down silos between the Department of Defense, academia, and private industry.

Under Troy’s direction, the Inland Empire Tech Bridge focuses on key technology areas such as data analytics and visualization, networked data environments for live, virtual, and constructive training, and advanced measurement science, including high-energy laser technology. But more importantly, his work ensures that these innovations don’t just stay in the lab—they reach the fleet.

One standout example is the Crucible Innovation Accelerator, launched in 2024 to support dual-use technology development. This initiative creates new ventures based on patents from federal labs and top-tier universities such as Stanford, UCLA, UC Riverside, and UC Irvine. So far, the Crucible has launched 18 startups and is currently working with another 23 existing companies to adapt commercial technologies to military use. From rapid-charging lithium batteries to mission-planning holograms and water-from-air systems, these innovations are being accelerated for real-world defense applications.

Complementing Crucible is the Inland Empire Innovation Summit, another signature initiative driven by Troy. This annual event convenes more than 300 stakeholders—Department of Defense officials, entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, and government leaders—to fast-track technology transfer and foster collaboration across sectors. “Through initiatives like these,” Troy says, “we’re finding better, faster ways to bridge the gap between research and commercialization.”

Beyond the programs, Troy’s broader mission is embodied in his vision of Innovation Empire—a regional movement to position Riverside and San Bernardino counties as national leaders in innovation, driven by defense  technology, advanced manufacturing, and beyond. Leveraging the Inland Empire’s unique assets—proximity to logistics corridors, world-class academic institutions, growing tech infrastructure, and a strong manufacturing base—Innovation Empire is redefining the region’s economic trajectory.

Troy’s past as the award-winning Director of Public and Congressional Affairs at NSWC Corona and his multiple Navy public affairs honors underscore his ability to build networks, communicate strategy, and deliver results. Today, he uses that expertise to drive Innovation Empire forward, forging public-private partnerships and expanding access to opportunity.

The Inland Empire is no longer just watching Silicon Valley, Boston, or Austin lead the way—it’s stepping onto the national stage with its own identity as a hub for forward-looking innovation. Thanks to Troy’s leadership and the Tech Bridge’s growing network, the region is not only keeping up—it’s setting the pace for what’s next in national security and regional economic growth.