Defense Investment Forum
October 28 @ 8:00 am – 6:30 pm
Defense Investment Forum
Ensuring Maritime Supremacy Through Innovation
Registration Opening Soon
Wyndham Newport Hotel, Middletown, RI
8:00AM-6:30PM
October 28, 2026
The Defense Investment Forum is dedicated to exploring geopolitical developments, emerging technologies, and capital trends shaping the future of maritime defense. Bringing together investors, naval and maritime industry leaders, government stakeholders, founders, and strategic partners, the forum serves as a platform for high-level discussion on emerging opportunities across autonomous systems, subsea technologies, maritime cybersecurity, dual-use innovation, ocean surveillance, resilient supply chains, and next-generation defense infrastructure.
Through keynote presentations, investor panels, startup showcases, and strategic networking sessions, the forum examines how geopolitical shifts, naval modernization, and the evolving security landscape are driving investment and innovation throughout the maritime defense ecosystem.
Registration is opening soon and will be limited to participants from AUKUS countries (Australia, United Kingdom, and the United States) and Canada.
Agenda (DRAFT)
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Registration & Networking Breakfast (Upstairs Ballroom)
9:00 AM – 9:10 AM Welcome Remarks & Conference Overview (Downstairs Ballroom)
Molly Magee, CEO, Undersea Technology Innovation Consortium (UTIC)
Toby Stapleton, PhD, Director, Blue Venture Forum, Inc.
9:10 AM – 9:30 AM Opening Remarks from a legislator on the importance of maritime defense on national security
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM Keynote: The New Era of Maritime Competition
This keynote will explore how geopolitical rivalry, contested sea lanes, and rapid technological change are reshaping naval strategy and investment priorities. The session will examine the intersection of national security, innovation, and industrial capacity.
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM Panel Discussion: Rebuilding the Naval Industrial Base
Panel Description
Naval readiness increasingly depends on the resilience and scalability of the industrial base. This panel examines how governments, shipbuilders, manufacturers, and investors can modernize maritime production capabilities while addressing workforce shortages, supply chain vulnerabilities, and aging infrastructure.
Panelists will discuss investment opportunities across advanced manufacturing, additive production, digital shipyards, and strategic materials, as well as the policies required to sustain long-term industrial competitiveness.
10:45 AM – 11:15 AM Networking Break & Exhibit Hall Demos
11:15 AM – 12:00 PM Panel Discussion: Dual-Use Innovation: Bridging Commercial and Defense
Panel Description
Commercial technology companies are increasingly shaping the future of defense capability. This conversation explores how startups can successfully transition from commercial markets into national security applications while navigating procurement complexity, regulatory constraints, and operational requirements.
The discussion will focus on lessons learned from scaling dual-use businesses, securing government contracts, and balancing commercial agility with defense reliability.
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Networking Lunch (Downstairs Ballroom)
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM Panel Presentation: AI, Autonomy & the Intelligent Fleet
Panel Description
Artificial intelligence and autonomous systems are redefining naval operations across surveillance, logistics, targeting, and fleet coordination. This panel explores how defense organizations are deploying AI-enabled maritime systems while addressing operational trust, cybersecurity, and human-machine collaboration.
1:45 PM – 2:00 PM Flashtalk Presentations
Selected startups will present their breakthrough technologies addressing naval operations, logistics, ISR, cyber defense, and autonomous systems.
2:00 PM – 2:45 PM Panel Discussion: Where Defense Capital Is Moving
Panel Description
Investors across venture capital, private equity, sovereign wealth, and institutional finance are rapidly increasing exposure to defense and strategic technologies. This session provides a market-level view of where capital is flowing, which sectors are attracting the strongest interest, and how investors are evaluating geopolitical and procurement risks.
Panelists will share perspectives on valuation trends, emerging subsectors, and the evolution of defense as an institutional asset class.
2:45 PM – 3:30 PM Networking Break
3:30 PM – 4:15 PM Winning the Innovation Race at Sea (Panel or Keynote)
Session Description
This closing keynote, or panel discussion, will attempt to synthesize the day’s themes into a roadmap for maintaining maritime superiority through technology, industrial strength, and strategic capital deployment.
The address will focus on accelerating defense adoption cycles, strengthening allied innovation ecosystems, and building resilient maritime capabilities for the next decade.
4:15 PM – 4:30 PM Closing Remarks
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM Cocktail Reception & Tech Mixer (Downstairs Ballroom)