This defence innovation summit and exhibition is a TechConnect event with origins in 2012, produced by TechConnect within ATI to connect technology developers with national-security missions. Its keynotes, critical-technology spotlights, pitches, workshops and expo cover space, autonomy, cyber, electronics, energy and logistics for government teams, companies, researchers, startups and investors.
About Defense TechConnect 2026
Defense TechConnect Innovation Summit and Expo brings government, industry, researchers and investors together around technologies relevant to national security. The 2026 event runs from 22 to 24 September at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. It is co-located with related TechConnect programmes covering defence innovation, small-business funding, resilience, logistics and infrastructure.
The programme is built for discovery and action rather than only presentation. Keynotes provide agency and industry context; Critical Technology Spotlights let selected innovators present solutions against defined problem areas; workshops examine implementation requirements; and the expo gives suppliers and programme teams a place for direct comparison. Co-located events include the SBIR/STTR Fall Innovation Conference, MOSA Industry and Government Summit, Operational Energy and Logistics Summit, Resilience Week and Smart Cities Connect. That breadth creates useful crossover, but it also means attendees should distinguish the Defense TechConnect sessions from content belonging to a neighbouring programme. Federal-agency participation does not imply endorsement of event participants or products, a limitation stated by the organiser. Current session listings and registration inclusions should therefore guide claims about access and programme involvement.
Event history and organiser
Defense TechConnect traces its origins to 2012 and describes itself as an early innovation hub supporting United States defence and national-security missions. Its continuing role is to bring emerging technology providers into contact with government priorities, established contractors, researchers and sources of commercialisation support. TechConnect produces the event as part of ATI, while participating agencies and invited government speakers contribute programme content without becoming commercial endorsers. Over successive editions, the format has combined a summit, exhibition and structured innovation-presentation routes. The 2026 edition strengthens those links through co-location with SBIR/STTR, modular open systems, operational energy, logistics and resilience programmes. This arrangement reflects the event’s position between research, acquisition and market adoption rather than as a conventional equipment show alone. Historical claims are kept to the organiser’s stated 2012 origins; the current website is the authority for 2026 speakers, agencies, exhibitors and technology challenges because those elements change with each edition.
Topics and themes
Defense TechConnect organises emerging technology around mission problems and routes to adoption. Its spotlights and co-located programmes show how technical capability must connect with procurement, integration and deployment.
- Space, autonomy and advanced electronics: innovation spotlights examine sensing, communications, mission software and autonomous platforms for demanding contested operating environments.
- Cybersecurity and resilient systems: sessions address protection of operational technology, networks, critical infrastructure and increasingly connected operational defence platforms.
- Manufacturing and modular architectures: open-system approaches and industrial capability support faster integration, replacement and scaling of technology.
- Operational energy and logistics: power, mobility, supply and resilient infrastructure are treated as mission capabilities rather than background services.
- Small-business commercialisation: SBIR/STTR and pitching formats connect innovators with agencies, prime contractors, investors and pathways beyond initial research funding.
Who should attend?
Defense TechConnect is most relevant to government and military technology teams seeking solutions against current capability needs. Defence primes, integrators and established suppliers can use the programme to scout technologies, meet small businesses and understand agency priorities. Startups and SBIR/STTR companies have value in the innovation spotlights, exhibit floor and commercialisation discussions, provided they follow the published application route. University researchers, national laboratories and technology-transfer teams can assess how research may move toward mission adoption. Investors and corporate innovation teams can review companies working in regulated, technically demanding markets. Space professionals should focus on the dedicated space-innovation and autonomy content rather than assume the whole event is a space conference. Registration access varies across the co-located programmes, so attendees should check which sessions and expo areas their pass includes.
View Defense TechConnect informationPractical information
The summit and expo run at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor from 22 to 24 September. The venue also hosts the co-located TechConnect programmes.
Check the current registration inclusions, detailed agenda, innovation-application status, exhibitor access and any government-contractor workshop requirements. Do not treat agency participation as official endorsement of a company or product.
Frequently asked questions
When and where is Defense TechConnect 2026?
The event runs from 22 to 24 September 2026 at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, near Washington, DC. Check the official schedule for daily access times.
What kind of event is Defense TechConnect?
It combines a national-security innovation summit with technology spotlights, pitches, workshops, an exhibition and several co-located programmes focused on adoption and commercialisation.
Which technologies are covered?
Themes include space systems, autonomy, advanced electronics, cybersecurity, resilient communications, modular architectures, manufacturing, operational energy, logistics and small-business defence innovation.
Who should attend?
The event serves government technology teams, military users, defence primes, suppliers, startups, researchers, technology-transfer groups, investors and innovation scouts working on national-security problems.
How can innovators present technology?
Use the official Feature Your Innovation and programme routes. Selection, presentation format and deadlines depend on the relevant spotlight, challenge, poster or co-located programme, so applicants should follow the named route carefully.
Does government participation endorse exhibitors?
No. The organiser states that participation by a United States federal agency does not constitute endorsement of a participant, sponsor, opinion, product or service displayed at the event.