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The Midwest Defense Innovation Summit will debut downtown in mid-October with former Vice President Mike Pence headlining the speaker roster, organizers announced.
The summit aims to gather stakeholders for collaborative discussions and expert panels with the goal of strengthening the Department of Defense and the defense sector locally.
Lawmakers, regional partners and sector leaders are expected to attend the two-day summit on Oct. 16-17 at the Indiana Convention Center.
Registration is required and can be purchased online for $275.
The first day of the event will focus on science and technology policy efforts and trends in the defense sector. The next day will center on innovation and strategy efforts. An agenda has been posted.
Pence will deliver a keynote on the first day, reflecting on his experience working on national defense and security while in office. He also will intertwine his regional development strides as Indiana governor to give advice and insight into how to build a defense innovation hub in the Midwest.
Other scheduled speakers include U.S. Rep. Betty Louise McCollum of Minnesota; Allen Tillerson, senior advisor for the CHIPS program office; Deirdre Handford, chief executive director of NATCAST and several other Department of Defense and private sector leaders.
Bloomington-based Applied Research Institute, or ARI, is organizing the event. The not-for-profit prides itself as an “innovation orchestrator,” meaning it convenes stakeholders in academia, industry and government. It also leads Indiana’s three federal hub designations, including the Silicon Crossroads Microelectronics Commons Hub, and works with the Indiana Economic Development Corp. on overall economic development strategy and business deals.
“The Midwest Defense Innovation Summit is more than just an event; it’s an accelerator for progress in the defense industry,” ARI CEO David Roberts said in written comments. “By bringing together some of the brightest minds and most influential leaders in the field, we aim to inspire new ideas, foster partnerships, and catalyze the development of technologies that will keep our nation safe and secure.”
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