DARPA

The event combines a briefing, interactive Q&A, and one-on-one conversations on approaching DARPA, positioning technologies and capabilities, and exploring opportunities to work with the agency. It is aimed at founders, technical leaders, and business development professionals at companies developing technologies and products with potential defense applications. Richard Fuentes’ work as a DARPA program advisor includes helping adapt DARPA technologies to Army needs and incorporating warfighter input into technology development.

The 2027 forum theme, “Resilience in a Changing World,” examines tools, approaches, and breakthroughs intended to strengthen resilience across aerospace, defense, and the broader engineering enterprise amid rapid technological and global change. The program combines technical sessions focused on research and technologies addressing specific problems with plenary and Forum 360 sessions on issues affecting aerospace. It serves civil, commercial, and national security sectors and connects academic, industry, and government professionals. Featured speakers include James Kenyon, Associate Administrator of NASA’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate; Daniel Hettema, Director of Digital Engineering, Modeling & Simulation at the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering; and Sha-Chelle Devlin Manning, Chief of Commercial Strategy at DARPA.