Helena Krusec
Michigan Regional Engagement Principal
Phone: 734-763-0614Email: [email protected]
Ms. Helena Krusec is the new Regional Engagement Principal for the state of Michigan with the Defense Innovation Unit’s Commercial Operations (CommOps) team. In this role she will be instrumental in cultivating partnerships across the state within the academic and venture ecosystems, and driving ideation around defense and dual use technology research and applications. She will create new opportunities to inject resources from the Department of Defense into local businesses and institutions to accelerate commercialization outcomes and help build the defense industrial base in the state.
Ms. Krusec spent the previous four years as a Civilian at AFWERX where she served as a Branch Chief to the Capital Initiatives Division, building private capital and ecosystem strategy for the entire organization. She is an Acquisition Professional with deep experience in SBIR/STTR contracting, PIA, OTAs, and other FAR-based contracting methods. Prior to her work in the government, she led defense investment and venture platform development for the Texas VC firm Capital Factory, and has over a decade of experience working at the intersection of startups and national security.