Registration
The 2018 National Defense Strategy directs a focused investment in the modernization of key capabilities including advanced autonomous systems. In response, the DoD is investing broadly in the military application of autonomy, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, including rapid application of commercial breakthroughs, to gain competitive military advantages. The Assistant Director for Autonomy leads the DoD-wide, mission-focused strategy and execution plan for these investments, and invites innovative, non-traditional defense industry partners to participate in an Industry Engagement Day.
To foster collaboration among the DoD S&T community, the evolving Defense Innovation Ecosystem, and the businesses that continuously invent, reinvent, and apply value-creating technology solutions, these events are being held together in a U.S. hub of innovation, Boston, MA, and co-located with U.S. Air Force Accelerator Powered by Techstars Demo Day.
Industry Engagement Day is intended to encourage small businesses and/or non-traditional industry to work on defense autonomy, providing awareness of organizations and programs that target the acceleration and transition of innovative technologies.
Note: this event is intended for nontraditional industry. We reserve the right to balance the attendee list and prioritize nontraditional industry attendees.
Tables with information on government autonomy challenges and opportunities are setup in the collaborative space.
Mr. Wayne Nickols, Assistant Director for Autonomy for the Undersecretary of Defense (Research & Engineering).
Mr. Wayne Nickols covers topics around Autonomy, the National Defense Strategy (NDS), and the role of the Undersecretary of Defense (Research & Engineering).
Mr. JC Lede provides an overview of the Autonomy CoI and its role in engaging with industry. Dr. Nick Kasdaglis, MITRE, provides an introduction to the Simulation, Experimentation, Analytics and Test (SEAT) platform the Autonomy CoI is developing, and how it's being leveraged for nontraditional industry engagement.
Mr. JC Lede, Air Force Research Lab Technical Advisor and Autonomy CoI Lead, Dr. Bob Sadowski, Army Chief Roboticist, and Dr. Marc Steinberg, Office of Naval Research Program Manager, share the autonomy technology challenge areas from their respective organizations.
Mr. Dan Ward, MITRE, provides an overview and objectives of the DoD Innovation Ecosystem.
The DoD is changing the way it does business, adapting its processes and timeline to help remove barriers to entry for nontraditional industry. Mr. David Moody, MITRE Director of Massachusetts Operations and Strategic Development, leads a discussion with panelists from the DoD innovation ecosystem as they speak about the specific ways their programs and initiatives are working to lower the barrier of entry for industry. Panelists include, LtCol Aneel “Cramden” Alvares, Autonomy Portfolio Engagement Lead for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), Dr. Kevin Quinlan, Northeast Director for the National Security Innovation Network, Mr. Ted Bujewski, Director for the Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF) Program, Mr. Jon Lazar, Director for the Rapid Reaction Technology Office (RRTO), Capt Victoria Wyler, Executive Officer for PEO Digital, Capt Steve Lauver, Director for Technology Accelerators at AFWERX, and Dr. Bryan Glaz, Associate Chief Scientist, Army Vehicle Technology Directorate.
Warren Katz, Managing Director of the Air Force Accelerator Powered by Techstars, walks through the accelerator process from identifying technical gaps to technology transition – highlighting the cross-organization collaboration along the pipeline that’s necessary for successful acceleration and transition.
Dr. Alex Gruentzig, CEO and Co-Founder of Legionarius, shares the Legionarius journey from concept to rapid contracting, noting the innovation and defense innovation community that supported the company throughout the process.
This event is intended for nontraditional industry.
To accommodate attendees, the Fed building needs an estimate of attendees who plan to purchase lunch at the facility’s cafeteria. Please select a lunch option below.
In the space provided below, please submit questions or topics you would like to see covered, addressed, or explored during the event.
