Whether you're brand new to the defense industry or a seasoned veteran, it can be challenging to identify the best events to attend in order to maximize your ROI. To help you ID ways to engage across investors, government and industry defense leaders, and other innovators, below is a curated list from 2F.
DEFCON
Where and When — DEFCON 30 2022 will be held Aug. 11-14, at Caesars Forum and Flamingo, Harrah's and Linq in Las Vegas.
Who and What — DEFCON is an annual hacker conference based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was founded by hacking and internet security expert Jeff Moss, also known as Dark Tangent. DEFCON attendees include hackers, corporate IT professionals, and representatives of government agencies. DEFCON offers everything including training sessions and workshops, tech demos, hacking contests and competitions, and guest speakers.
Why — DEFCON allows people from all corners of IT security to absorb and spread the latest cutting edge hacking and security research. The event allows security professionals to gauge future vulnerability and risk management trends.
TechNet Augusta
Where and When — TechNet Augusta 2022 will be held Aug. 15-18, at the Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center in Georgia.
Who and What — TechNet Augusta is orchestrated by the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) with the assistance of the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence. AFCEA is an international non-profit organization dedicated to “increasing knowledge through the exploration of issues relevant to its members in information technology, communications and electronics for the defense, homeland security and intelligence communities.” TechNet Augusta provides a forum for key military professionals to discuss issues and share ideas in the Cyber domain. Attendees include members of the U.S. Army Cyber Command, PEO offices, the Army CIO and G6 Offices, and related commands, as well as a mix of service cyber components, agencies, industry, academia and the military services.
Why — TechNet Augusta is designed to give government and industry defense professionals a chance to discuss advances in technology, as well as procurement challenges. It facilitates networking, education, and problem-solving.
GVSETS
Where and When — GVSETS 2022 will take place Aug. 16-18, at Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, MI.
Who and What — The Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering Technology Symposium (GVSETS) is hosted by the Michigan Chapter of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) in coordination with the Engineering Society of Detroit (ESD). Professionals from government, academia, and industry are invited to attend. Discussion topics will include advanced materials & manufacturing, autonomy, artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity of ground systems, digital engineering / system engineering, and modeling simulation and software.
Why — NDIA is dedicated to ensuring that U.S. and allied warfighters have access to the most modern capabilities available whether it is sourced from the government, academia, industry, or a combination of the three.
CCTI Digital Engineering Conference
Where and When — The 2022 CCTI Digital Engineering Conference will be held Aug. 23-24, at the Eccles Conference Center in Ogden, Utah.
Who and What — The Catalyst Campus for Technology & Innovation (CCTI) Digital Engineering Conference is a two-day event that brings together thought leaders, disrupters, academia and government leaders to explore the latest research, network, and spark innovation to meet the Department of Defense’s (DoD) current and future challenges. The conference features industry and government leaders from the digital engineering space as keynote speakers and panelists. It also includes in-depth breakout sessions focusing on four tracks: Software Factory, Modeling & Simulation, AI/Machine Learning and Cyber.
Why — Founded by the O’Neil Group Company, the CCTI is a center for technological innovation in Colorado Springs that brings together small businesses, academia, and government to solve real problems for the DoD. In pursuit of these efforts, CCTI delivers capabilities to the Air Force and Space Force.
DLA Industry Collider Day
Where and When — The Defense Logistics Agency’s (DLA) Industry Collider Day 2022 will be held virtually on Sept. 8 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Who and What — DLA is the nation’s combat logistics support agency. It manages the end-to-end global defense supply chain for the five military services, 11 combatant commands, federal, state and local entities, as well as partner and allied nations. Industry Collider Day is DLA’s virtual professional development event geared especially toward innovative small businesses. The topic for Industry Collider Day 2022 is “Renewing and Reshaping our Global Supply Chain Solutions.” Attendees have the opportunity to engage and collaborate with DLA’s R&D Manufacturing Technology and Logistics Research Program Managers, as well as earn R&D funding awards. At Industry Collider Day, experts from government, industry, and academia can share and absorb innovative research and solutions to defense supply chain challenges. The event includes discussions from panelists and keynote speakers.
Why — The goal of Industry Collider day is “to explore new and innovative solutions that optimize and safeguard our supply chains in alignment with our national defense initiatives and priorities”
Prodacity
Where and When — Prodacity 2022 will be held Sept. 7-8, at the Showroom in Washington D.C.
Who and What — Prodacity 2022 is a two-day event organized by Rise 8. It is geared toward educating government software professionals on creating and maintaining high performing DevOps teams. Attendees will learn how to launch, scale, and continuously improve the next generation of government software organizations with the lessons learned to do it better, faster, and cheaper. The event includes many incredible experts and panelists from industry and government such as Gene Kim, co-author of “The Phoenix Project.”
Why — The goal of Prodacity 2022 is to “set a baseline for how to do DevOps in government and achieve mission outcomes.”
Intelligence and National Security Summit
Where and When — The 2022 AFCEA/INSA Intelligence and National Security Summit will be held Sept. 15-16, at Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Maryland.
Who and What — The Intelligence and National Security Summit (INSS) is a two-day national security event organized by AFCEA and the Intelligence National Security Alliance (INSA). The annual event is host to an average of around 1,500 leaders and professionals from government, industry, and academia. It includes five plenaries and six breakout sessions covering topics pulled from headlines such as Chinese threats to U.S. supply chains, election security, civic intelligence, and the commercial space.
Why — The goal of INSS is to foster the advancement of collaborative solutions to critical intelligence and national security challenges. INSS serves as a forum for unclassified dialogue betweens government intelligence agencies and their industry and academia partners.
AFA Air, Space, and Cyberspace Conference
Where and When — The Air Force Association’s 2022 Air, Space & Cyber Conference will be held Sept. 19-21, in National Harbor, MD.
Who and What — Organized by the Air & Space Forces Association, the Air, Space, and Cyber Conference is a professional development event for Air Force and Space Force officers, enlisted members, civilians, veterans, and defense industry leaders and representatives. The three-day event features many riveting discussion topics such as startup culture, manned-unmanned teaming, and space as a warfighting domain, to name a few.
Why — The Air, Space and Cyber Conference aims to bring together leaders and representatives from the defense space to discuss challenges facing aerospace and cyber communities.
Fed Supernova
Where and When — Fed Supernova 2022 will be held Sept. 27-29, at Capital Factory in Austin, Texas. It also includes options to attend virtually.
Who and What — Fed Supernova is a three-day event, hosted by Capital Factory, that marries defense priorities with trending technology. Discussion topics are informed by DoD, federal, and corporate thought leaders. Federal acquisition corps, entrepreneurs, investors, corporations, and decision-makers from around the world will be in attendance. Past participants include AWS, IBM, Deloitte, MITRE, AFWERX, and more.
Why — Fed Supernova brings together entrepreneurs, government, and industry to bridge the “Valley of Death” between commercial technology and Department of Defense (DoD) programs.
Alamo ACE
Where and When — Alamo Ace 2022 will be held Nov. 14-17, at the La Cantera Resort in San Antonio, Texas.
Who and What — The Alamo Chapter of AFCEA hosts the Alamo AFCEA Chapter Event (Alamo ACE), an annual event geared toward the discussion of “current developments in cyberspace and future challenges in transforming to multi-domain operations strategically, and military cyber and ISR operations battlespace in the future.” The event gives attendees access and insights on these topics from the perspectives of senior leaders and experts from government, industry, and academia. It includes two full days of panels and keynote speakers focused on information warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and human capital.
Why — The goal of Alamo ACE is an extension of the goals of AFCEA: to connect people, ideas, and solutions for global security. The Alamo Chapter of AFCEA organizes events like Alamo ACE to “promote professional development for those serving in the cyber operations/ defense, communications, computer, command, control, intelligence and electronic warfare disciplines.”
I/ITSEC 2022
Where and When — I/ITSEC 2022 will be held Nov. 28 to Dec. 2, in Orlando, Florida at the Orange County Convention Center.
Who and What — The Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation & Education Conference (I/ITSEC) is a modeling, simulation, and training event organized and sponsored by the National Training and Simulation Association (NTSA). NTSA is an affiliate subsidiary of the NDIA. The event brings together government, industry, and academia to discuss and collaborate on improving training and education programs. The event achieves this through professional development workshops, tutorials, tech exhibits, and keynote speakers.
Why — I/ITSEC is designed to promote “international and interdisciplinary cooperation within the fields of modeling and simulation (M&S), training, education, analysis, and related disciplines.”
DoDIIS Worldwide
Where and When — The 2022 DoDIIS Worldwide Conference will be held at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas from Dec. 12-15.
Who and What — The Department of Defense Intelligence Information System (DoDIIS) Worldwide Conference is a 20 year old annual defense and information technology conference organized by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). It is an opportunity to hear from distinguished speakers, collaborate with trusted partners, and experience new technology solutions up close. The theme for DoDIIS Worldwide 2022 is “Transcending Strategic Competitors through Innovation, Adaptation, and Collaboration.” This theme underscores the race to develop and deploy disruptive emerging technologies to maintain the U.S.’s strategic and tactical advantage.
Why — DoDIIS Worldwide is designed to bring together subject matter experts, decision makers, and stakeholders in order to forge relationships and foster collaboration to support the warfighter.
What events do you think we should add? Email us to let us know.
