It was 2019, and Dave Harden, a former C-17 pilot-turned-businessman-turned-Air Force Reserve Colonel, had already spent several years building AFWERX from the ground up as Chief Operating Officer and Architect. AFWERX, a United States Air Force program, was designed to foster a culture of innovation within the service—a culture that landed the program as the #16 Best Workplaces for Innovators by Fast Company, placing it ahead of such companies as Amazon and Salesforce. The experience allowed him to cross paths and connect with various individuals at MIT, and he ended up building a professional relationship with the school focusing on the arena of innovation. Over time, he cultivated solid relationships with several faculty members and professors, including Fiona Murray, Associate Dean for Innovation at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and he recognized the impressive thought leadership that was accessible through Executive Education. He decided it was time to explore the opportunity himself.
“I was already part of the ecosystem, so pursuing an MIT Sloan Executive Certificate was a natural next step,” Harden says. “I had this growing relationship with the school, and it made sense to freshen up my credentials with a great institution like MIT.”
The timing was perfect, as Harden was preparing to make a major professional move with the June 2019 launch of The Outpost, a dual-use technology ecosystem and post-accelerator advisory firm that helps companies “hop the valley of death” as they work to advance next-generation technology at the intersection of the commercial and national security sectors. By pursuing the Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation, he was able to immerse himself in the latest news and knowledge in these areas while tapping into resources that ultimately would benefit him on his continuing professional journey. In fact, in the last 12 months alone, The Outpost has helped companies close more than $70 million in non-dilutive funding and has opened a venture capital arm called Outpost Ventures. In addition, adding a splash of Hollywood to its repertoire, Outpost Ventures and Harden recently partnered with up-and-coming Amazon Prime pitch show “2 Minute Drill.”
Making the Transition
“Fresh perspectives trigger thoughts and ideas. They can make you think about things in an often unintentional or different way and spark inspiration. It often can help you figure out how to incorporate new ideas into your business model,” says Harden, who was looking for just that type of insight and motivation as he made the transition from a full-time role as a reservist and COO of AFWERX back into the commercial arena, where he would serve as founder and CEO of The Outpost.
"Fresh perspectives trigger thoughts and ideas. They can make you think about things in an often unintentional or different way and spark inspiration. It often can help you figure out how to incorporate new ideas into your business model."
For Harden, the Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation was the perfect fit. He selected courses like Innovation Ecosystems: A New Approach to Accelerating Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship with Professor Murray and Platform Strategy: Building and Thriving in a Vibrant Ecosystem with Professor Pierre Azoulay. His goal was to find parallels between what he learned during the in-person courses and what he was experiencing in his own business. Many of those parallels came directly from his peers, who represented countries, companies, and industries from all over the world. “I was able to see trends and learn about challenges that the other participants faced in their corporations and also share hands-on perspectives with the professors,” he notes. “It gives you a wider perspective when you see what others are wrestling with and how that may affect what you are doing. I walked away with some really important anchoring frameworks that I could build on and create consistent approaches to my business.”
With a fairly easy commute between Washington, DC, and Cambridge, Harden dedicated himself to completing all four in-person courses required to receive his Executive Certificate over six months in 2019. Yet, his affiliation with MIT was far from over. In fact, in 2021, his relationship with the school has kicked into high gear.
Coming Full Circle
Over the past several years, Harden has worked with internal MIT organizations like the MIT Lincoln Laboratory, giving him a keen understanding of how the institution views innovation and the role he and The Outpost can play in its operations today. This year, The Outpost joined forces with the MIT Innovation Initiative (MITii) to formalize a fast-track pilot program for Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) companies. The goal is to help funnel these organizations through non-dilutive federal grant funding programs so they can secure capital and advance their ideas and technologies across a host of industries. The collaboration undoubtedly will be a success, as The Outpost has already had favorable outcomes with MITii regarding several companies over the last couple of years. Most recently, the two organizations worked together to support VIA Science, located in the Cambridge area, as it won a Phase I contract with the government; MITii and The Outpost brought the firm in to apply for the STTR program and helped it develop the winning proposal that led to its coveted Phase I contract. Now, The Outpost is working with the company to prepare and submit a Phase II proposal to support additional growth. “We’ve had great success with that company, and I think it will continue to be a wonderful success story for both MITii and The Outpost,” Harden states.
“I love being part of the MIT community. It really was a door opener that meant a lot to me personally,” he continues. “There’s a certain credibility that comes along with being part of that community. And now, two years later, being able to take it to a level beyond and continue the relationships that I fostered then is really like coming full circle.”
Harden, with his ongoing passion for learning and inspiring others, currently is encouraging all of his employees at The Outpost to participate in the MIT Sloan Executive Certificate program and encourages any interested individuals to do the same. “I believe it’s a critical career enabler,” he says. “I tell people, “Don’t wait. Go do it. Learn, do, learn again!”
Learn more about MIT Sloan Executive Certificates.