Join us as DEF's Executive Director sits with Dr. Marina Theodotou, Lolita Horne and Eric Farraro of DAU!
Using industry and academic research, and insights from the workforce, the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) created the Innovation Competencies and Skills Model. The model includes a self-assessment and personalized learning recommendations based on assessment results. This video introduces viewers to several members of the Innovate to Win (Phase I ) team, describes the Innovate to Win initiative, as well as provides an overview of the Innovation Competencies and Skills model, self-assessment, and curated learning pathways. It concludes with an invitation for viewers to participate.
The Masked Innovator is a new take on Podcasts from the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum! Take a listen and see if you can figure out who the guests are before the end!
No self promotions, no sales pitches, just honest opinions on the topic of innovation within the Department of Defense!
Come learn how to navigate the challenging world of SBIR's and STTR's!
DEF's executive director Trish Martinelli talks with Heath Murray, the Indiana Agora lead, about the recent DEF Drink and Think and the importance of local Agoras in the national DEF ecosystem. Trish and Heath also discussed the unique nature of the DEF community and how it connects and empowers innovative thinkers in the national security space.
DEF's executive director Trish Martinelli talks with Nicholas Marchand, the lead for the 757 Agora. Nick hosted one of many DEF events on November 10, 2022, now unofficially known as National DEF Day. Trish and Nick discussed the 757 Agora, its unique position in the national security ecosystem, and the value local Agoras add to DEF's mission to inspire, connect, and empower.
DEF's executive director Trish Martinelli talks with Alex Gorsuch, the Chicago Agora lead, about his recent DEFx event, the Chicago entrepreneurial ecosystem, and his company Ascent. Trish and Alex also discuss future plans for the Chicago Agora and for DEF overall, and why individuals interested in the national security innovation space should get involved.
DEF's executive director Trish Martinelli talks with Alexis Bonnell about her time as a facilitator at I Am Remarkable, a Google project seeking to inspire and empower working people to take pride in their achievements. This kind of empowerment is a critical component to true success and fulfillment in both the defense and innovation spheres.
The National Security Innovation Network (NSIN “Esign”) runs a program called “Foundry” that matches DOD technology with Entrepreneurs with the goal of creating private entities to sell the DOD technology to both the commercial and public/DoD sector.
Featuring:
Mark Anholt – Program Manager of Foundry, can speak to program, selection critea, historical successes, and goals to increase women’s participation
Trish Martinelli – Executive Director of DEF, Regional Director at NSIN
Ellen Chang – BMNT “Hacking For” Executive
Emily Harman – Senior Executive (retired) from Department of the Navy, expert in small business with the DoD
VR Small – Founder and CEO of Veterans Women’s Enterprise Center
Heather Jo Richman – BMNT VP, DoD and IC Innovation lead
Emily McMahan – Academy Investor Network, Supporting Dual Use entrepreneurs
Tai Sunnan – NSIN University of Southern California (USC) University Program Manager and
Harvard Instructor of leadership development and PhD in Social Entrepreneurship
On January 31st, 2022 we hosted our first Agora Launch party. An event where we 'unboxed' the Agora-In-A-Box tool and demonstrated the process it takes to start a new Agora. We had a great turnout and are excited to see how many Agora will emerge in the coming months.
If you weren't able to attend you can now listen to the recording from the event. If you have any questions or are interested in starting an Agora in your city shoot us an email to hello@def.org.
On the 29th of January as another big storm bore down on the Northeast, the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum (DEF) held it’s quarterly volunteer summit, and the first Summit under the new Executive Director Trish Martinelli. More than 15 volunteers, leaders, staff, past and present Executive Directors, and DEF Board members kicked off the Summit and invested 4 hours in charting the way ahead for DEF in 2022.
The meeting was led by Lee Gimpel by Better Meetings. If you are interested in enhancing the quality of your meetings, visit their website https://bettermeetings.expert/
About DEF
The mission of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum is to inspire, connect and empower people by convening events, forging partnerships and delivering tangible solutions. We do this in order to promote a culture of innovation in the U.S. national security community.
We are united in this purpose through service to our nation and the desire to bring new ideas and innovations to the national security ecosystem. We recognize that large, multi-tiered organization can stymie new ideas and ways of solving problems. Within any such group, there are people driven to find new, better, faster, cheaper, easier and more effective solutions. DEF unites those people, enabling them with avenues to express themselves, connect with like-minded individuals, and gain the insights, mentorship and support necessary to bring their ideas to execution.
If you have an interest in national security, regardless of whether you work in government, academia, a startup, policy or industry, you may also be a virtuous insurgent.
Find out more and join us at DEF.org.
This episode features another monthly gathering of the JSOFT Community, the Federal DevSecOps Community of Practice. During this episode, JSOFT highlights the “Sec” in DevSecOps with a powerhouse crew of cloud-native security experts talking about their experiences working in the security space with the Federal Government. Our panel features Chris Hughes, Principal Cybersecurity Engineer, Rise8; Steve White, Cloud Security Advisor, Oracle; Alex Barbato, Modern Compliance Architect, vmware; and Lonye Ford, CEO, Arlo Solutions.
The mission of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum is to inspire, connect and empower people by convening events, forging partnerships and delivering tangible solutions. We do this in order to promote a culture of innovation in the U.S. national security community.
We are united in this purpose through service to our nation and the desire to bring new ideas and innovations to the national security ecosystem. We recognize that large, multi-tiered organization can stymie new ideas and ways of solving problems. Within any such group, there are people driven to find new, better, faster, cheaper, easier and more effective solutions. DEF unites those people, enabling them with avenues to express themselves, connect with like-minded individuals, and gain the insights, mentorship and support necessary to bring their ideas to execution.
If you have an interest in national security, regardless of whether you work in government, academia, a startup, policy or industry, you may also be a virtuous insurgent.
Find out more and join us at DEF.org.
This episode features another monthly gathering of the JSOFT Community, the Federal DevSecOps Community of Practice. This episode features Lt Col Max Reele, Chief of Operations and Deputy Commander of Kessel Run. Lt Col Reele shares his journey being at the forefront of DoD digital transformation and how Kessel Run is growing.
The mission of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum is to inspire, connect and empower people by convening events, forging partnerships and delivering tangible solutions. We do this in order to promote a culture of innovation in the U.S. national security community.
We are united in this purpose through service to our nation and the desire to bring new ideas and innovations to the national security ecosystem. We recognize that large, multi-tiered organization can stymie new ideas and ways of solving problems. Within any such group, there are people driven to find new, better, faster, cheaper, easier and more effective solutions. DEF unites those people, enabling them with avenues to express themselves, connect with like-minded individuals, and gain the insights, mentorship and support necessary to bring their ideas to execution.
If you have an interest in national security, regardless of whether you work in government, academia, a startup, policy or industry, you may also be a virtuous insurgent.
Find out more and join us at DEF.org.
DEF founding member and long-time champion Mark Jacobsen just published a new book: “Eating Glass: the Inner Journey Through Failure and Renewal.” Join us to hear a fireside chat with Mark about his work and these tough, meaningful themes for all entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, and humans.
Mark D. Jacobsen is an Air Force officer and professor of strategy and innovation. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Stanford University and has spent his career building and leading teams to tackle wicked problems at the intersection of technology and politics. He also writes fiction and non-fiction about grappling with complex, uncertain futures. He lives in Montgomery, Alabama with his wife and three children. Learn more at markdjacobsen.com.
The mission of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum is to inspire, connect and empower people by convening events, forging partnerships and delivering tangible solutions. We do this in order to promote a culture of innovation in the U.S. national security community.
We are united in this purpose through service to our nation and the desire to bring new ideas and innovations to the national security ecosystem. We recognize that large, multi-tiered organization can stymie new ideas and ways of solving problems. Within any such group, there are people driven to find new, better, faster, cheaper, easier and more effective solutions. DEF unites those people, enabling them with avenues to express themselves, connect with like-minded individuals, and gain the insights, mentorship and support necessary to bring their ideas to execution.
If you have an interest in national security, regardless of whether you work in government, academia, a startup, policy or industry, you may also be a virtuous insurgent.
Find out more and join us at DEF.org.
For the last several years, DEF has hosted an evening event in conjunction with NVIDIA’s flagship annual conference, GTC 21. Join NVIDIA’s Anthony Robbins (a long-time friend and champion of DEF) for a roundtable with our Board of Directors.
DEF’s BOD includes Morgan Plummer, Jen Sovada, Josh Marcuse, Meagan Metzger, Chris Lynch, Evanna Hu, Ian Eishen, and Joy Shanaberger.
The mission of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum is to inspire, connect and empower people by convening events, forging partnerships and delivering tangible solutions. We do this in order to promote a culture of innovation in the U.S. national security community.
We are united in this purpose through service to our nation and the desire to bring new ideas and innovations to the national security ecosystem. We recognize that large, multi-tiered organization can stymie new ideas and ways of solving problems. Within any such group, there are people driven to find new, better, faster, cheaper, easier and more effective solutions. DEF unites those people, enabling them with avenues to express themselves, connect with like-minded individuals, and gain the insights, mentorship and support necessary to bring their ideas to execution.
If you have an interest in national security, regardless of whether you work in government, academia, a startup, policy or industry, you may also be a virtuous insurgent.
Find out more and join us at DEF.org.
This podcast is a recording from the Bay Area Agora kickoff where Steve Blank joined us for a fireside chat and Q&A session covering:
- how to better align national security and commercial incentive structures
- a framework for creating an innovation overlay to the acquisition process
- and how DEF can drive these changes at the operational level
The mission of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum is to inspire, connect and empower people by convening events, forging partnerships and delivering tangible solutions. We do this in order to promote a culture of innovation in the U.S. national security community.
We are united in this purpose through service to our nation and the desire to bring new ideas and innovations to the national security ecosystem. We recognize that large, multi-tiered organization can stymie new ideas and ways of solving problems. Within any such group, there are people driven to find new, better, faster, cheaper, easier and more effective solutions. DEF unites those people, enabling them with avenues to express themselves, connect with like-minded individuals, and gain the insights, mentorship and support necessary to bring their ideas to execution.
If you have an interest in national security, regardless of whether you work in government, academia, a startup, policy or industry, you may also be a virtuous insurgent.
Find out more and join us at DEF.org.
It's been a year since we last interviewed Justin Lynch as part of the DEF Boston - AI Strategy & Defense event. The NSCAI has completed their final report, and will now join a roundtable discussion with DEF Boston Lead Adam Beal and DEF Executive Director Michael Madrid. During the roundtable, Justin and Courtney will share key findings from their research, as well as information on how the DEF community can help promote action on critical initiatives to ensure the U.S. is prepared to defend and compete in the AI-era
Justin Lynch served as an active-duty army officer before transitioning to the Army National Guard. As a civilian, he has served in multiple roles in the national security enterprise, and is currently a Director of Research and Analysis at the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence.
Courtney Barno is a Director for Research and Analysis for NSCAI focused on the application of AI for national security missions. Prior to joining NSCAI, Courtney was on the staff of the Defense Innovation Board and worked on software acquisition and development issues. She has also supported the U.S. Department of State in a number of positions focused on overseas security policy and operations.
The mission of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum is to inspire, connect and empower people by convening events, forging partnerships and delivering tangible solutions. We do this in order to promote a culture of innovation in the U.S. national security community.
We are united in this purpose through service to our nation and the desire to bring new ideas and innovations to the national security ecosystem. We recognize that large, multi-tiered organization can stymie new ideas and ways of solving problems. Within any such group, there are people driven to find new, better, faster, cheaper, easier and more effective solutions. DEF unites those people, enabling them with avenues to express themselves, connect with like-minded individuals, and gain the insights, mentorship and support necessary to bring their ideas to execution.
If you have an interest in national security, regardless of whether you work in government, academia, a startup, policy or industry, you may also be a virtuous insurgent.
Find out more and join us at DEF.org.
The mission of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum is to inspire, connect and empower people by convening events, forging partnerships and delivering tangible solutions. We do this in order to promote a culture of innovation in the U.S. national security community.
We are united in this purpose through service to our nation and the desire to bring new ideas and innovations to the national security ecosystem. We recognize that large, multi-tiered organization can stymie new ideas and ways of solving problems. Within any such group, there are people driven to find new, better, faster, cheaper, easier and more effective solutions. DEF unites those people, enabling them with avenues to express themselves, connect with like-minded individuals, and gain the insights, mentorship and support necessary to bring their ideas to execution.
If you have an interest in national security, regardless of whether you work in government, academia, a startup, policy or industry, you may also be a virtuous insurgent.
Find out more and join us at DEF.org.
In case you missed it... hear from leaders within the DOD. Listen to we are doing with Additive Manufacturing and where we are headed in the future!
this is the first part of a monthly series dedicated to increasing communications between organizations within the Department of Defense!
**This is a recording from a live event**
Register for next months event to hear from AM operators in field: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/def-additive-manufacturing-in-the-dod-tickets-138636564697
The mission of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum is to inspire, connect and empower people by convening events, forging partnerships and delivering tangible solutions. We do this in order to promote a culture of innovation in the U.S. national security community.
We are united in this purpose through service to our nation and the desire to bring new ideas and innovations to the national security ecosystem. We recognize that large, multi-tiered organization can stymie new ideas and ways of solving problems. Within any such group, there are people driven to find new, better, faster, cheaper, easier and more effective solutions. DEF unites those people, enabling them with avenues to express themselves, connect with like-minded individuals, and gain the insights, mentorship and support necessary to bring their ideas to execution.
If you have an interest in national security, regardless of whether you work in government, academia, a startup, policy or industry, you may also be a virtuous insurgent.
Find out more and join us at DEF.org.
This episode of DEF's Tech Leader series helps national security innovators apply data science and AI to achieve mission outcomes.
COL Benigni, a chief data scientist at US Special Operations Command, guides DEF listeners towards that goal by sharing insights from applying these capabilities at the tactical edge. COL Benigni offers a models for applying data science to tactical challenges, explains areas of opportunity for emerging leaders, and imparts best practices for operational commanders.
This Cornerstones Workshop looked at the two parties of a startup transaction: the investor and entrepreneurs. Raising capital for most startup founders is a tricky, potentially stressful undertaking. Knowing some common practices – and insider’s tips – can make the journey much less painful.
We will give a brief overview of how angel investing works.
On the entrepreneurs side, we will discuss key strategies for obtaining angel investments and developing positive relationships with angel investors.
On the investor side, we’ll go inside the angel investors' mind to highlight what they commonly look for when investing in startups and how angels can improve their odds of having successful outcomes.
Jeremy Bauman is Managing Partner of New Dominion Angels, a Washington DC based investors group that has invested ~$12M into 25+ early stage tech startups. He is also a Lead Consultant in the Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation Practice at the World Bank Group, where his work focuses on developing early stage capital markets. In addition to his local investing, he has worked with entrepreneurs and investors in the Caribbean, Central/Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Peter Dolch is a member of the New York Angels and MIT Alumni Angels. He is the President and co-Founder of Thaumaturgix, Inc. (Tgix), a pioneering web development and infrastructure company, which was twice ranked in the Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies list. He is also the Founder and Managing Partner at AEON Foundry — an early-stage venture fund and advisory services company — and more recently the Founder and ex-CTO of Biospectal, a Swiss-basedMedtech company. He has more than 25 years of experience in both enterprise technology and in launching and guiding technology-based startups across the worlds of Media & Entertainment, Fintech, Medtech, eCommerce, Social Media, and more. An M.I.T. graduate with a degree in Management Information Systems and additional academic experience at Harvard, Peter is no stranger to the hard work, innovation, and outside-of-the-box-thinking that it takes to turn ‘ideas on a napkin’ into industry-leading, globally recognized companies, both public and private. He put the 1st US Stock Exchange on the web (AMEX) and has been integral in the development of eCommerce solutions for some of the most globally recognized brands like B&H Photo. He has worked closely with AWS from the very start and has managed global application development for various Fortune-level companies, including building a Global Information Warehouse for Hewlett Packard, a Global Pricing & Reimbursement System for Pfizer, and a Content Management and Publishing System for AT&T Research Labs. His strategy, advisory and operational work with numerous startups (over 30) has led to successful exits including sales and IPOs.
