Emily M. Fehrman Cory, Ph.D., is a technology executive and strategist who bridges the gap between high-level federal R&D and market-ready commercialization. As the Founder and Principal Consultant of Airship Consulting LLC, she leverages over a decade of experience in DoD technology commercialization to empower startup-to-small businesses during critical phases of growth and expansion.

Currently, Emily serves as the CEO and Co-Founder of Dayton Photonics Systems LLC, where she has successfully raised $1 .5M in investor capital and $200,000 in grant funding. Under her leadership, the company achieved a rapid transition from bench prototype to pre-production unit in just four months, bringing advanced fiberless optics to the world’s most challenging environments.

A recognized expert in the federal innovation ecosystem, Emily previously served as the Chief Technology Advisor for America Makes, the $500M National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute. During her tenure at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRU, she spearheaded the creation of the AFRL Maker Hub-the Air Force’s first public-private makerspace-providing small businesses with a dedicated environment to co-create alongside government researchers.

Emily is a prolific mentor and ecosystem builder within the Midwest technology corridor. As an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Entrepreneurs’ Center, she coaches scalable tech companies through the $23M Entrepreneurial Services Provider (ESP) program, specializing in the transition from SBIR Phase I to Phase II. Her commitment to fostering the next generation of innovators is further evidenced by her time as Faculty of Practice for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Dayton, where she developed a business incubator that launched 11 technology startups.

She holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Electro-Optics from the University of Dayton and is a certified Innovation Engineering Black Belt. Beyond her corporate roles, Emily serves as the Board Chair for the Dayton Collaboratory, where she leads strategic initiatives focused on community well-being and net-positive social impact.