AIM Photonics is one of nine manufacturing innovation institutes (MIIs) established by the United States Department of Defense. The DoD MIIs bring new technologies to life with federal, taxpayer dollars combined with matching funds from academia, industry and state governments, building a national network of public-private partnerships and creating an industrial commons for manufacturing R&D, and workforce education and development. Marshalling the best talent across the country, the network strategically aligns resources to address critical technologies and drive interconnected manufacturing systems.