Event Details:
Time & Location:
March 20, 2025, 09:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Johnson County Community College Regnier Center, College Blvd, Overland Park, KS 66210
Click to register for the Defense Innovation Forum
Lunch, refreshments and snacks will be provided during the event.
Thank You to our Sponsors:
Join Us at Defense Innovation Forum: Kansas City - A Commercial Onramping and Thought Leadership Event Where Founders, Funders, Government, and Academia Collaborate
Hosted by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Rocky Mountain Region and in collaboration with Defense Innovation OnRamp Hub: Kansas, Kansas SBDC, Kansas APEX Accelerator, and Pittsburg State University’s Encountering Innovation, this regional event lays the foundation for greater collaboration between industry, government, academia, and investors.
Our dynamic agenda revolves around four impactful tracks highlighting ecosystem strengths in biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, and enabling technologies.
The four tracks include:
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DoD Demand Signals
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Biotechnology & Human Systems
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Advanced Manufacturing & Supply Chains
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Academia & Commercialization
Q&As will be conducted for each track. We highly encourage submitting a question for our panel discussions.
*The agenda, including speakers and presentations, is subject to change. Please check back regularly for updates.
Overview of Tracks:
DoD Demand Signals
As global challenges evolve, the demand for new and enhanced capabilities increases. Hear insights from innovation experts on critical technology areas and opportunities for the national security innovation base to align with Department of Defense needs.
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Panel Moderator: Jason Combs, DIU Rocky Mountain Regional Director
Discover how advances in biotechnology and biomanufacturing can optimize warfighter lethality, survivability, and readiness. Join industry leaders in a discussion over topics including biologics, manufacturing innovations, and novel health applications.
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Panel Moderator: Melissa Roberts Chapman, KC BioHub President
Advanced Manufacturing & Supply Chains
Innovations in material science, digital engineering, and automation are transforming the speed and scale of production. Hear from industry experts on technological change in the defense industrial base and the future of manufacturing.
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Panel Moderator: Rob Carpenter, Defense Innovation OnRamp Hub: Kansas Managing Director
Academia & Commercialization
Bridging the gap between cutting-edge academic research and industry. Join top researchers and commercialization experts on exploring how innovations can be transitioned from university lab to the battlefield.
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Panel Moderator: To Be Announced
Featured Presenters
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DoD Information Analysis Centers
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US Commercial Service-Kansas City
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University of Missouri-Kansas City-Missouri Institute for Defense & Energy
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Wichita State University-National Institute for Aviation Research
Why attend?
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Gain a deeper understanding of the national security innovation base
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Connect with peers and collaborate across industries to build meaningful partnerships
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Learn how to leverage resources and programs to drive competitiveness
Click to register for the Defense Innovation Forum