22-24 September 2026 | National Harbor, MD
Built for Discovery,
Connection, and Action
Icons indicate sessions with strong relevance to special topics across our co-located events. Topics may not be the sole focus, and icons represent only select opportunities.
 = Energy |
 = Security |
 = Critical Infrastructure |
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| Defense TechConnect Innovation Summit | Resilience Week | SBIR/STTR Innovation Conference | Innovation Challenges | |||
| TUESDAY, September 22 | ||||||
| 0730-0830 | Coffee and Networking | |||||
| 0830-1000 | Keynotes | |||||
| 1000-1030 | Coffee Break | |||||
| 1030-1115 | Critical Technology Spotlight: Biotech and Health Security I | How to Work with the Department of War (DoW) |
LEAN Power Overview of Collaboration and Funding Opportunities |
Session in Coordination | SBIR/STTR 101 and Agency Briefings | AI x SatCom Launch Vehicle |
| 1130-1215 | Critical Technology Spotlight: Biotech and Health Security II | Defense Investment Panel |
Session in Coordination | |||
| 1215-1330 | Lunch (On Own) | |||||
| 13:00 | Expo Hall Opens, LEAN Power Office Hours at Booth (1300-1800), SBIR/STTR Agency Pavilion Opens | |||||
| 1330-1415 | Critical Technology Spotlight: Advanced Electronics I | Operational Energy and Logistics (OELS) I: Contested Logistics |
Department of War (DoW) SBIR I (invited) | Session in Coordination | Session in Coordination | Industrial Biotech Innovation Prize Challenge |
| 1430-1515 | Critical Technology Spotlight: Advanced Electronics II | TechConnect Critical Technology Spotlight: Energy and Resilience I |
Department of War (DoW) SBIR II (invited) | Session in Coordination | Session in Coordination | |
| 1530-1615 | Panel Sponsored By: |
TechConnect Critical Technology Spotlight: Energy and Resilience II |
Department of War (DoW) SBIR III (invited) | Session in Coordination | Session in Coordination | |
| 1600-1800 | Defense TechConnect Innovation Summit, SBIR/STTR Agency Pavilion, and Poster Session Reception in the Expo | |||||
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| Defense TechConnect Innovation Summit | Resilience Week | SBIR/STTR Innovation Conference | Innovation Challenges | |||
| WEDNESDAY, September 23 | ||||||
| 0745-0830 | Coffee and Networking | |||||
| 0830-1000 | Keynotes | |||||
| 1000-1030 | Coffee Break | |||||
| 1030-1115 | AI Adoption for Defense and National Security |
DARPA Connect |
LEAN Power Technical Managers Briefings |
Session in Coordination | Session in Coordination | Maritime Manufacturing Innovation Challenge |
| 1130-1215 | TechConnect Critical Technology Spotlight: Autonomy/ATI /Cyber I |
Frontier House |
Session in Coordination | Session in Coordination | ||
| 1215-1330 | Lunch (On Own) | |||||
| 13:00 | Expo Hall Opens, LEAN Power Office Hours at Booth (1300-1800), SBIR/STTR Agency Pavilion Opens | |||||
| 1330-1415 | TechConnect Critical Technology Spotlight: Autonomy/ATI/Cyber II |
Materials and Manufacturing Innovation Spotlights I | DoW SBIR IV (invited) | Session in Coordination | Session in Coordination | Advanced Nuclear Energy Technology Challenge |
| 1430-1515 | Space Innovation Spotlights I | Materials and Manufacturing Innovation Spotlights II | DoW SBIR V (invited) | Session in Coordination | Session in Coordination | |
| 1530-1615 | Panel Sponsored By  |
OELS II: Energy in the Battlefield |
DoW SBIR VI (invited) | Session in Coordination | Session in Coordination | |
| 1600-1800 | Defense TechConnect Innovation Summit, SBIR/STTR Agency Pavilion, and Resilience Week Poster Session Reception in the Expo | |||||
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| Defense TechConnect Innovation Summit | Resilience Week | |||||
| THURSDAY, September 24 | ||||||
| 0800-0900 | Coffee and Networking | |||||
| 0900-0945 | TechConnect Critical Technology Spotlights | OELS III: Critical Infrastructure |
Modularity Meets Hard Science: Tools to Define Munition Performance Requirements by AFRL | Session in Coordination | ||
| 1000-1045 | TechConnect Critical Technology Spotlights | OELS IV: Roundtable/Path Forward to 2027
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MOSA for Modern Flight: Integrating Autonomous Behaviors Across Uncrewed Platforms by SNC | Session in Coordination | ||
| 1100-1200 | TechConnect Critical Technology Spotlights | Accelerating Resilient Navigation through a Modular Testing Open System Architecture (TOSA) for Hypersonic Platforms by Colvin Run Networks | Session in Coordination | |||
| 1200 | Close of Conference | |||||
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2026
After the Presentation of Colors and National Anthem, join us for keynotes featuring defense, investment, energy resilience, and small business leadership.
U.S. Air Force Honor Guard
Vocalist, U.S. Air Force Band
TBA, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Designed for those new to the DoW innovation space, learn about how the DoW enterprise works with research, business, and small business communities to address critical technology areas in support of the warfighter and national security. This roundtable of experts across DoW, federal agencies, and service providers will also take audience questions.
LEAN Power and EMC²: Funding Opportunities in Support of Operational Energy Technology and Installation Energy infrastructure
LEAN Power, in partnership with Expeditionary Missions Consortium – Crane (EMC²), will address the growing need within the Navy for solutions to contested logistics, and resiliency challenges. In this morning session, learn about collaboration opportunities between Government, Industry, Academia that support energy related solutions.
The Defense TechConnect (DTC) Critical Technology Spotlights are designed to accelerate private-sector and defense-sourced technology solutions aligned with warfighter and national security problem-sets.
The Defense TechConnect (DTC) Critical Technology Spotlights are designed to accelerate private-sector and defense-sourced technology solutions aligned with warfighter and national security problem-sets.
Join us for day one in the exhibit hall, featuring over 200 exhibitors, SBIR/STTR Agency Pavillion, and Expo Theater
Have a question about LEAN Power and current funding opportunities? Representatives from ATI, Crane Indiana, and Navy Op Energy will be available to speak with attendees on a first come, first serve basis. No appointments required or needed.
Visit with participaitng SBIR/STTR Federal Agencies and learn more about areas of interest for small businesses and universities.
The Defense TechConnect (DTC) Critical Technology Spotlights are designed to accelerate private-sector and defense-sourced technology solutions aligned with warfighter and national security problem-sets.
The Defense TechConnect (DTC) Critical Technology Spotlights are designed to accelerate private-sector and defense-sourced technology solutions aligned with warfighter and national security problem-sets.
The Defense TechConnect (DTC) Critical Technology Spotlights are designed to accelerate private-sector and defense-sourced technology solutions aligned with warfighter and national security problem-sets.
Innovation Accelerators… Navigating DoW Programs for Transition & Production Advancement
Raise a glass and network with attendees and exhibitors from all co-located events!
The poster session is strongly attended by both military and industry technology scouts seeking future solutions to their needs.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2026
Join us for keynotes featuring defense, investment, and small business leadership.
John Williams, Executive Director, Small Business Innovation Research Consortium (SBIRC)
Critical Technology Spotlights: Autonomy/AI/Cyber Innovation Spotlights I, Sponsored by IDTechEx
The Defense TechConnect (DTC) Critical Technology Spotlights are designed to accelerate private-sector and defense-sourced technology solutions aligned with warfighter and national security problem-sets.
The Defense TechConnect (DTC) Critical Technology Spotlights are designed to accelerate private-sector and defense-sourced technology solutions aligned with warfighter and national security problem-sets.
LEAN Power, in partnership with Expeditionary Missions Consortium – Crane (EMC²), will address the growing need within the Navy for solutions to contested logistics, and resiliency challenges. In this morning session, learn about collaboration opportunities between Government, Industry, Academia that support energy related solutions.
Critical Technology Spotlights: Autonomy/AI/Cyber Innovation Spotlights II, Sponsored by IDTechEx
The Defense TechConnect (DTC) Critical Technology Spotlights are designed to accelerate private-sector and defense-sourced technology solutions aligned with warfighter and national security problem-sets.
Join us for day two (final day) in the exhibit hall, featuring over 200 exhibitors, SBIR/STTR Agency Pavillion, and Expo Theater
Have a question about LEAN Power and current funding opportunities? Representatives from ATI, Crane Indiana, and Navy Op Energy will be available to speak with attendees on a first come, first serve basis. No appointments required or needed.
Visit with participaitng SBIR/STTR Federal Agencies and learn more about areas of interest for small businesses and universities.
Critical Technology Spotlights: Autonomy/AI/Cyber Innovation Spotlights III, Sponsored by IDTechEx
The Defense TechConnect (DTC) Critical Technology Spotlights are designed to accelerate private-sector and defense-sourced technology solutions aligned with warfighter and national security problem-sets.
Critical Technology Spotlights: Materials and Manufacturing Innovation Spotlights I
The Defense TechConnect (DTC) Critical Technology Spotlights are designed to accelerate private-sector and defense-sourced technology solutions aligned with warfighter and national security problem-sets.
Critical Technology Spotlights: Materials and Manufacturing Innovation Spotlights II
The Defense TechConnect (DTC) Critical Technology Spotlights are designed to accelerate private-sector and defense-sourced technology solutions aligned with warfighter and national security problem-sets.
Raise a glass and network with attendees and exhibitors from all co-located events! This is the final day of the Expo!
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
The Defense TechConnect (DTC) Critical Technology Spotlights are designed to accelerate private-sector and defense-sourced technology solutions aligned with warfighter and national security problem-sets.
