Join us for the 2023 NSIN Presents: Defense Entrepreneur Symposium! We enjoyed record attendance in 2022 and expect this year's event to be equally jam-packed.

Watch the Event - August 17, 2023

NSIN Presents: Defense Entrepreneurial Symposium

About this Event

Join us Thursday, August 17, 2023, for the Defense Entrepreneurial Symposium to learn more about programs for collaboration and business opportunities/acceleration with NSIN, the National Security Innovation Network, a program office within the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

Our morning begins with presentations and our afternoon will focus on individual technology demonstrations. Throughout the event participants may interact with companies in the Expo section.

  • When and Where - August 17, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. CDT Virtual
  • Who - Early-stage ventures, startups, investors, small businesses, and innovators interested in the defense market, along with DoD personnel (Mission Partners) interested in novel technologies and solutions for DoD challenges.

Reasons to Attend

  • Gain insight into the DoD’s strategic imperatives for the defense ecosystem.
  • Discover existing or novel solutions, promising research, and pathways for solving long-standing problems.
  • Learn about the opportunities to leverage NSIN’s programs and services.
  • Make meaningful and enduring professional connections and partnerships.

Schedule of Events*

*Subject to change. All times are in Central Daylight Time (CDT). Updates will be posted here.

9:00-10:00 a.m. Introduction and Overview

  • Introduction
  • Eric Coffie, Founder/President, Govcon Giants
  • NSIN Venture Portfolio Overview from Abigail Desjardins, Venture Portfolio Director, NSIN
  • Jodi Essex, Director, APEX Accelerator
  • Chuck Beck, Director, APEX Accelerator

10:00-11:35 a.m. Special Presentations and Testimonials

  • Kiley Phelps, Omaha Center Director, Small Business Development Center
  • Mike Bynum Director, Department of Defense (DoD) Program Team, FEDTECH
  • Scott Henderson, Managing Principal, Nmotion, part of the Gener8tor Network
  • Chris Ramsay, Associate Director, Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Washington University in St. Louis
  • Major Dori McClelland, Holistic Health and Fitness Regional Coordinator, Army National Guard
  • Corey Bergsrud, Engineer, Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division
  • Mark “Shane” Hershman, Chief Innovation Officer, Department of the Air Force
  • Sam Gatley, Director of Operations, COMET Center (NJIT)
  • Emily Hemingway, Executive Director, TechSTL

11:35 a.m.-12:05 p.m.

  • Lunch Break

12:05-12:30 p.m. Investor and Venture Capital Presentations

  • Zach Beecher, Head of Strategic Partnerships, America’s Frontier Fund
  • Rebecca Gevalt, Managing Partner, Dcode Capital
  • Ben Williamson, Principal and General Council, Invest Nebraska

12:30-2:55 p.m. Company Presentations

  • Dwight Cox, Founding Member/Principal, Air Refueling Tanker Transport
  • Michal Nowicki, Director of Business Development, Peakmetrics
  • Jim Burke, Director of Business Development, Kinnami Software Corporation
  • Brian Streem, CEO, Vermeer
  • Shadi Mere, CEO, Bedestrian
  • Christine Moon, Co-Founder/President, Bluespace.ai
  • Kanwar Singh, Co-Founder, Skyline Nav AI, Inc.
  • Zach Oshinbanjo, Founder, Vetelligence
  • Ian Ramsdell, Founder/CEO, Kupros, Inc.
  • Jessi Korinek, President/CEO, Nave Analytics, Inc.
  • Kent Campbell, Co-Founder/COO, ThermOptical
  • Ilayda Samilgil, Co-Founder/CEO, Organic Robotics
  • Matt Barnard, Co-Founder/Senior Electrical Engineer, Upgrade Energy
  • Jerry Ladd, President, CIWRX

2:55-3:00 p.m.

  • Closing Comments

3:00 -4:00 p.m.

  • Company Exhibition Hall (Expo)
  • Product Demonstrations
  • Company-Specific Q&A Sessions

Register

Registration is now closed. To remain up-to-date with opportunities to attend future events and to find the recording of this year’s DES, please subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on LinkedIn.

About National Security Innovation Network

NSIN is a program office in the U.S. Department of Defense, nested within the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). We are set up to collaborate with a wide variety of innovators to include universities, researchers, students, entrepreneurs and start-ups. We create opportunities for collaboration across communities and connect those that might not traditionally work in national security. Together, we help drive national security innovation and develop technologies that directly support the individuals responsible for protecting our country.

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