The American Competitiveness Institute now known as ACI Technologies Inc. (ACI) is an American scientific research corporation founded by Alan J. Criswell in 1992. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ACI operates a 10,000-square-foot (930 m2) facility dedicated to both the advancement of the state of the electronics industry, as well as research and development of various electronic manufacturing methods and materials. Early in its existence, ACI acquired a defense contract from the Office of Naval Research known as the Electronics Manufacturing Productivity Facility (EMPF).