/ About this event
RapidFort invites you to Golden Gate Yacht Club for a special event for Defense Innovators. As geopolitical risks rise globally, the imperative for rapid, cutting-edge technological innovation within the Department of the Air Force and Space Force has never been more critical. Join over 200 defense tech founders, investors, and national security leaders at an iconic San Francisco Marina District waterfront location for an intimate evening dedicated to scaling dual-use innovation.
This event during #SFTechWeek will feature the official announcement of the SpaceWERX Small Business Innovation Research Program — a strategic response designed to directly address and solve the historical barriers startups face when scaling within the Department of War.
Following the announcement, an elite panel of leaders from industry, government, technology, and investment will examine the lessons behind breakout defense technology successes and the path from commercial innovation to operational capability.
Moderated by Vishal Amin, Presidential Scholar and Founder of the Spades Institute, the panel will feature Gen. Richard G. Moore, Jr., USAF (Ret.), Arthur Grijalva, Director of SpaceWERX, Malina Johnson, Global AI Go to Market Leader at Microsoft, and Neil Mehta, Founder and Managing Partner of Greenoaks Capital.
Together, the panel will explore how government and industry can strengthen collaboration, accelerate the deployment of trusted technologies, improve capital efficiency, and sustain America’s military and technological advantage.
Attendees will leave with actionable next steps on how to participate in the Small Business Innovation Research Program and engage directly with SpaceWERX and AFWERX on mission partner defense pathways.
This event is a part of #SFTechWeek — a week of events hosted by VCs and startups to bring together the tech ecosystem. Learn more at www.tech-week.com.
