Warfighting Innovation Summit
The Warfighting Innovation Summit is a curated national security convening hosted by the Creative Defense Foundation and powered by the Navy’s Inland Empire Tech Bridge and FedTech. The Summit will highlight emerging capabilities and early-stage technologies from across the Department of War’s technology transition accelerators and will serve as the culminating pitch showcase for Inland Empire’s Crucible Ignitor and Accelerator cohorts.
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About the event
The Warfighting Innovation Summit is a focused national security and defense innovation convening hosted by the Creative Defense Foundation, in partnership with the Navy’s Inland Empire Tech Bridge and FedTech. Launching in 2026 as part of Creative Disruptors In the Desert, the Summit convenes early-stage innovators from across the Department of War’s technology transition accelerators, alongside venture partners and government stakeholders, to explore how emerging technologies can deliver operational advantage to the warfighter.
As the culminating pitch showcase for the Crucible Ignitor and Accelerator cohorts, the Summit features companies commercializing mission-aligned technologies and advancing early-stage capabilities with near-term battlefield relevance. The experience sets the tone for the broader conference by catalyzing high-impact discussions, fostering cross-community collaboration, and surfacing forward-looking solutions that expand the defense innovation ecosystem.
We are assembling a focused group of stakeholders for discussions on national security innovation. If you believe your role aligns, please use the "Register Now" button to request your invitation to attend.
Keynote Speaker
Congressman Ken Calvert
Rep. Calvert was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1992 and is one of the most senior members serving in the legislative body. Rep. Calvert is the Dean of the California Republican Delegation.
In the 119th Congress, Rep. Calvert continues to serve on the House Appropriations Committee. Rep. Calvert serves as the Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. He also sits on the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee.
In the 119th Congress, Rep. Calvert's legislative priorities includes: enacting pro-growth policies that will help strengthen our economy for American families; supporting the men and women serving in our military around the world; fixing our broken immigration system by restoring the rule of law and making the use of E-Verify mandatory for all employers in the U.S.; honoring promises made to our veterans, advocating for NIH research for cures for our most deadly diseases; creating long-term solutions to California's water challenges; reducing the time it takes to build infrastructure projects by making common sense, bipartisan reforms to our environmental laws; funding the development of the life-saving Earthquake Early Warning System; and, much more.
Panels
The Future Battlefield – Emerging Technologies and Defending the Indo-Pacific
This panel offers an opportunity to engage policymakers and community experts to provide companies with critical context on how emerging technologies can support warfighters in this theater. Speakers will highlight capability gaps, priority technology areas, and openings for industry to contribute.
Innovation in the Inland Empire: The Southern California Aerospace and Defense Coalition
The Inland Empire has a strong history as an engine of defense manufacturing and innovation. A new generation of local leaders are building new pathways and partnerships to increase the region’s contribution to the nation’s defense industrial base.
The Real Lessons from Ukraine and Israel
Moderator: Matt MacGregor, COO, Creative Defense Network
A deep dive into defense and technological lessons emerging from current conflicts, with a focus on how the private sector is contributing to the warfighter.
The Adoption Gap – A New Approach to Startup Integration
New acquisition guidelines across the federal government emphasize measurable impact and rapid delivery. This session will examine how commercial technologies can be integrated more quickly into defense programs, focusing on existing barriers and new pathways/pilot programs designed to accelerate adoption timelines.
Capital Pathways for Dual-Use Innovation
The dual-use funding landscape is changing. Investors are more interested in defense tech than ever before, the future of SBIR is uncertain, and new government-led funding pathways are popping up across the Pentagon. Where do startups go to find funding and develop their technology?
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