OUR OBJECTIVE: Challenge the business community to better solve defense problems. Entering its third year, the 2024 HBS and MIT Sloan Technology and National Security Conference will accelerate defense innovation by bringing practitioners and thinkers from the public and private sectors together to solve national security problems. This year’s theme, “Innovating for Democracy: What Does It Take to Win?” reconciles the implications of the unprecedented rate of technological advancement in conjunction with the DoD’s halting shift away from a Cold War-era acquisition mindset as we enter the middle of the so-called “Decisive Decade.”
The race to contain Russia, out-compete China, and secure free access to the global commons highlights the current strengths and weaknesses of U.S. industrial and innovation capacity. The DoD has begun to pivot towards a more agile acquisitions framework, and investors have poured money into new defense contractors. However, it’s not clear if these changes will be enough. Policy and contracting have struggled to keep pace with technology, and Washington and Silicon Valley still seem to lack a mutual understanding. Beyond the United States, these insights are particularly relevant to allied and partner defense and industrial policy as senior U.S. decision-makers look to foster cooperation on shared geopolitical challenges. This conference will explore the strategies, trends, and investments shaping this landscape.
How can we build a defense eco-system that ensures that we win?”
Visit the website for more information.
