Tough Tech Week 2026

An invitational pitch event for Cohort 2027 finalists, following application review and virtual presentations by selected semifinalists. The underlying program supports technical founders developing early-stage technology innovations. Its priority areas include domestic critical-mineral extraction, midstream processing and recycling; manufacturing scale-up for energy applications; industrial competitiveness; energy generation and power management; batteries; grid storage and security; and nuclear, fusion, transportation, computing, and biomanufacturing technologies.

Theme: “Manufacturing America's Future.” Topics include innovation, precision manufacturing, and the future of manufacturing. The overview lists keynote presentations, technology demonstrations, hands-on learning, and real-world solutions. No session titles or timed program were available.

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.

A premier aerospace R&D forum exploring the science, technologies, and capabilities transforming aerospace. The 2027 theme, “Resilience in a Changing World,” focuses on adaptation and innovation across aerospace, defense, and the broader engineering enterprise. Featured speakers include Tim Costa, Vice President and General Manager for Industrial and Computational Engineering at NVIDIA; Kerri Phillips, Technical Director for Missiles at Hanwha Defense USA; Will Roper, Founder and CEO of Istari Digital; and Brig. Gen. Douglas P. Wickert, USAF, Commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory.

The workshop covers advancements, challenges, and gaps in flexible hybrid electronics, hybrid electronics, and bio-signal sensing for real-time cognitive and physical state monitoring and augmentation, and includes AI for Metrology (AI4MT) sessions. Day 1, the Innovation Forum, features technical presentations on advances from FlexTech and NBMC. Day 2, Technical Gap Analysis, uses collaborative breakout sessions to examine technology gaps and roadmaps, shape FlexTech and NBMC research priorities, and inform future Request for Proposal directions. Day 3, the AI for Metrology Workshop, explores connecting metrology, failure-analysis, and test data across the semiconductor supply chain. Topics include AI-assisted defect localization and root-cause analysis, non-destructive modalities, targeted physical characterization, chiplets, heterogeneous integration, and advanced packaging. Industry tours at SkyWater Technology and NeoCity Academy are also listed.

The technology conference covers ironmaking, steelmaking, finishing processes, and engineering and equipment technologies. Program topics include safety and health; environmental technology; cokemaking; ironmaking and direct reduced iron; electric and oxygen steelmaking; specialty alloys and foundry operations; secondary refining and continuous casting; hot and cold rolling, galvanizing, tinplate, plate and long products; pipe and tube; metallurgy; energy and utilities; electrical and digitalization applications; project and construction management; maintenance and reliability; refractory systems; material handling; cranes; and transportation and logistics. Technical topics include hydrogen-based ironmaking, scrap optimization, energy efficiency, greenhouse-gas reduction, carbon capture and storage, water treatment and reuse, AI and digitalization, predictive maintenance, industrial control-system cybersecurity, steel product quality, and process reliability. The schedule lists technical sessions, the Howe Memorial Lecture, an undergraduate student project presentation contest, a graduate student poster contest display, a Steel to Students roundtable, Technology Committee meetings, and a Town Hall Forum. The event also includes an iron and steel exposition.

The event features exhibits in automation, robotics, smart manufacturing, precision machining, software, industrial IoT, and cybersecurity, alongside an executive keynote panel series and presentations, technology demonstrations, and interactive Knowledge Bars. The Knowledge Bars address how technology, innovation, and AI can help small and medium-sized manufacturers adopt technology. Featured technology areas also include additive manufacturing, advanced materials, digital transformation, energy and environmental efficiency, and manufacturing engineering. SME Mission Critical: Workforce 2030 focuses on manufacturers’ workforce challenges.

The 2026 conference marks NTSA’s 60th anniversary and centers on the U.S. Army lead-service theme, “Beyond the Battlefield: Training Readiness and Lethality for All-Domain Dominance!” The program combines executive presentations, technical papers, tutorials, professional development workshops, special events, and Next Big Thing talks focused on modeling, simulation, training, education, AI, autonomous systems, synthetic environments, operational test and evaluation, acquisition modernization, digital engineering, digital twins, cyber and information warfare, and the defense industrial base. Featured content includes an Industry Keynote by Brandon Tseng, President & Co-Founder, Shield AI; a Featured Government Keynote by Amy Henninger, SES, Ph.D., Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), DoW; and senior-leader discussions involving LTGEN Austin, USMC; MAJ GEN Cropsey, USAF; and MAJ GEN Smith, USSF. Special events include the Congressional M&S Caucus; Digital First discussions on defense acquisition through AI, digital engineering, simulation, and digital twins; Building an AI Ready Military Force; a Naval Aviation Flag Officer Panel; NATO mission-space digital twins; Air Force maintenance training; cyber, electromagnetic, wargaming, and information warfare; and program briefs on training acquisition and the All-Domain Marine. The program also includes perspectives from government, industry, academia, and international partners.

A metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing event where suppliers showcase technology and industry products and developments. The event connects manufacturing decision-makers with suppliers and solutions aimed at improving productivity and business results.