JR Mullis

J.R. Mullis is a retired U.S. Air Force contracting officer whose career culminated in writing the contract policy playbook for non-traditional acquisition — work that became standard practice across the federal government. He knows how the government buys technology, and he built a business around that expertise. ellimaC Partners is J.R.‘s outsourced public sector BD firm, helping venture-backed tech companies break into government contracting through capture strategy, proposal writing, and direct government introductions. EllimaC has supported over $170 million in government contracts for its clients. Watchtower is a nonprofit technology incubator in Southern Pines, NC — built with a single mission: attract and grow technology companies in North Carolina so that the state’s extraordinary military talent has a place to build meaningful careers without having to leave home. Through partnerships with Duke University, NASA Langley, and SOCOM — including a formal CRADA with SOCOM — Watchtower is creating the ecosystem that keeps great people in NC and highlight the state as a place to build.