“This year’s Defense Investment Forum sparked important discussions about pressing undersea and maritime challenges and how government, industry, and investors are working together to address them,” said UTIC CEO Molly Donohue Magee. “Our presenters underscored the essential role of communication and collaboration in solving complex problems.”
“The Defense Investment Forum is a premier meeting point for investors, scaling undersea innovators, industry primes, and government leaders. With 10 sessions and more than 30 speakers drawn from across these communities, this year’s forum was a tremendous success,” elaborated Toby Stapleton, Director, Blue Venture Forum.
The event included a series of panels focused on: The New Era of Maritime Competition; Maritime Threats Accelerating Ocean Tech Innovation; Rebuilding the Naval Industrial Base; Dual Use – Bridging Commercial and Defense; Where Defense Capital is Moving; and Importance of Innovation to the Fleet.
Several recurring themes were highlighted, including:
Congressional Focus on Speed, Partnerships
The event included remarks from US Senator Jack Reed and US Congressman Gabe Amo. Sen. Reed emphasized that equipping warfighters at the speed of innovation is crucial, and that he is working with government and industry to speed up the acquisition process. He highlighted continued investment in submarine shipbuilding as the lynchpin for maintaining the United States’ competitive undersea advantage.
Rep. Amo spoke about the power of global partnership, including the continued value of the AUKUS (Australian, United Kingdom, United States) alliance. He touched upon the urgent need for Congress to prioritize national security, and the importance of passing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) without delay.
Government-Industry Communication and Collaboration
Several panels focused on the value of increased collaboration between government and industry, and the need to break down barriers with ‘radical collaboration.’ Panelists agreed that solving critical fleet challenges requires a comprehensive understanding of the problem, including regular and direct communication between established industry leaders, startup companies, and the program and acquisition teams inside the US Navy.
UTIC and BVF facilitate this collaboration through annual convenings including the Defense Investment Forum, UTIC Industry Days, BVF Blue Innovation Symposium, and other industry events.
Building the Undersea Workforce Talent Pipeline
Industry presenters agreed that there is no one workforce development strategy that will build the next generation of undersea talent. Instead, industry and government must come together to increase K–12 engagement, create additional veteran training programs, and foster and sustain long-term career paths.
Investing in Defense
A range of investors provided a market-level view of where capital is flowing, discussed valuation trends, and highlighted which defense sectors are attracting attention. They also provided cautionary insights into the importance of focus and the evolving expectations of investors and companies seeking investments.
The sold-out event also included a series of “flashtalk” presentations for startup companies to present their breakthrough technologies addressing naval operations, logistics, cyber defense, and autonomous systems to an audience that included defense investors.
