The technologies reshaping national security are increasingly being developed at the intersection of the military, private industry, startups, universities, and research institutions.
This session explores how defense technology moves from an emerging idea to a capability in the hands of the warfighter—and why collaboration between government and the private sector has become essential to keeping pace with rapidly evolving threats.
Panelists will examine advances in areas such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, unmanned platforms, cybersecurity, electronic warfare, advanced sensing, communications, and other dual-use technologies. The discussion will also address one of the defense sector’s biggest challenges: shortening the distance between identifying an operational need, developing a solution, testing it, securing funding, and deploying it at scale.
The conversation is particularly relevant to Tampa Bay. With U.S. Special Operations Command headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base and organizations such as SOFWERX connecting government with industry, academia, national laboratories, and nontraditional innovators, the region has developed an increasingly important defense innovation ecosystem. SOFWERX, for example, specifically works to connect innovators with USSOCOM requirements and accelerate solutions to warfighter challenges.
Panelists will also explore the growing importance of dual-use innovation—technologies with applications in both defense and commercial markets—and how defense investment can help create companies, intellectual property, high-skilled jobs, and technologies whose impact extends well beyond the battlefield. Tampa Bay’s current economic-development strategy specifically identifies defense, cybersecurity, AI, and maritime defense technology as areas for regional growth.
Key questions include: How can smaller and nontraditional companies successfully enter the defense ecosystem? How can procurement and acquisition move at the speed of technological change? What role should universities and private capital play? And how can regions like Tampa Bay turn their military and national-security assets into a broader engine for innovation and economic growth?
