Name: Tectonic Defense Summit Agenda 2026
Start: 2026-03-11T14:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-03-12T22:00:00-04:00
Location: Inn Cahoots

Tectonic Defense Summit Agenda 2026

AUSTIN, TX

MARCH 11-12, 2026

INN CAHOOTS

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Jane Robinson

Graphic Designer

12pm

Schedule item

12pm

Schedule item

Jane Robinson

Graphic Designer

12 pm

Welcome and Introductions

Our VP of Product Marketing, Ingrid Wantuch, kicks off the event with a welcome message.

Location: Blue Room

12 pm

Welcome and Introductions

Our VP of Product Marketing, Ingrid Wantuch, kicks off the event with a welcome message.

Location: Blue Room

12 pm

Welcome and Introductions

Our VP of Product Marketing, Ingrid Wantuch, kicks off the event with a welcome message.

Location: Blue Room

Buy Tickets

march 11–12, 2026

Welcome to the anti-conference. Where founders, investors, military leaders, and policymakers come together to reimagine the defense industry—without all the fuss.

agenda

March 11

9:00AM–9:45AM

morning networking

Grab your badge and join us for a light breakfast, coffee and networking

Location: inn cahoots, 1221 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702

9:45AM–10:00AM

welcome session

Opening remarks by Erin O'Brien, Managing Editor, Tectonic

Location: main garden

10:00AM–10:30AM

Building a Neoprime

Moderator: Erin O'Brien, Managing Editor, Tectonic

• Matt Grimm, Co-Founder & COO, Anduril

Location: main garden

10:15aM–10:45AM

Eyes on Earth: How Satellites Turn Imagery into Intelligence

Moderator: Jacqueline Feldscher, Managing Editor, Payload
• Susanne Hake, EVP and General Manager, U.S. Government, Vantor
• Luke Fischer, CEO, SkyFi
• Joe Morrison, GM, Remote Sensing, Umbra
• Justin Langlois, NRO

Location: payload space stage

10:30AM–11:00AM

Comms, Compute, and Capability: The Backbone of Modern Defense (Powered by Ultra I&C)

Moderator: Mo Islam, CEO, Tectonic
• Mladen Brkic, CFO, President, Mission Solutions, Ultra I&C
• Ian Eishen, Director, Global Public Sector, Aalyria
• Erik Daehler, SVP, Sierra Space Defense

Location: main garden

10:45AM–11:15AM

The Defense Turn: Why Space Companies Are Betting on the Pentagon

Moderator: Jacqueline Feldscher, Managing Editor, Payload
• Neil Buchanan, CEO, Lodestar Space

• Steve Kitay, VP of Space Defense, True Anomaly

• Andrew Peterson, CEO, Array Labs

Location: payload space stage

11:00AM–11:30AM

The Future of the Army

Moderator: Stephen Rodriguez, Operating Partner, DCVC

• Sam Spencer-Pittman, Private Capital Integrator, Army FUZE, US Army
• Casey Perley, Executive Director, Army Applications Laboratory

• Gen. Anthony Gibbs, Capability Program Executive, Mission Autonomy Capability, US Army

Location: main garden

11:15AM–11:45AM

From Orbit to the Front Line: How Space Can Enable Rapid Response

Moderator: Jacqueline Feldscher, Managing Editor, Payload
• Colin Doughan, CEO, Gravitics
• Jason Dunn, CEO, Outpost
• Josh Martin, VP Gov Affairs, Varda

Location: payload space stage

11:30AM–12:00PM

Built Better: A New Era of Defense Manufacturing

Moderator: Michelle Volz, GP, Pax Ventures

• Lukas Czinger, CEO, Divergent

• Troy Demmer, President & Co-Founder, Gecko Robotics

• Cameron McCord, CEO, Nominal

• Stephan Herrera, Co-Founder, Cambium

Location: Main Garden

11:45AM–12:15PM

The Bus Builders: Powering Missile Defense from Orbit

Moderator: Jacqueline Feldscher, Managing Editor, Payload
• Ryan Sullvan, CEO, Space Kinetic
• John Plumb, Head of Strategy, K2 Space Corp.

Location: payload space stage

12:00PM–12:30PM

AI on the Battlefield: The New Era of Planning, Integration, and C2

Moderator: Wendy Anderson, New Vista (VC)

• Zane Mountcastle, CEO, Picogrid

• Eliot Pence, Founder & CEO, Dominion Dynamics

• Peter Goldsborough, Co-Founder & CTO, Rune

Location: Main Garden

12:30PM–1:30PM

Lunch

1:30PM–2:00PM

Drone Dominance

Moderator: Barratt Dewey, Reporter, Tectonic
• Soren Monroe-Anderson, CEO, Neros
• Dan Magy, CEO, Firestorm

• Brig. Gen. (ret.) Patrick Huston, COO, Ondas

Location: main garden

2:00PM–2:15PM

Orchestrating the Arsenal: Scaling Defense Capability Through Connected Systems (Powered by Integrate)

Moderator: Mo Islam, CEO, Tectonic
• John Conafay, CEO & Co-Founder, Integrate

Location: main garden

2:15PM–2:45PM

Future of the Air Force

Moderator: Erin O'Brien, Managing Editor, Tectonic

• Brig. Gen. Jason Bartolomei, Commander, AFRL
• Reid Melville, Chief Innovation Officer, AFRL
• Arthur Grijalva, Director, SpaceWERX

Location: main garden

2:45PM–3:15PM

The Future of Space Defense (Powered by The Aerospace Corp)

Moderator: Brian Cameron, Deputy CTO, The Aerospace Corporation
• Trey Pappas, Chief Revenue Officer, CesiumAstro
• Alyssa Goessler, Vice President, AE Industrial Partners, LP

• Victor Vigliotti, Director, U.S. Space Force Front Door
• Dr. Bryan Dorland, Principal Director for Space Technology, Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies

Location: main garden

3:15PM–3:45PM

Afternoon break

3:45PM–4:15PM

Autonomy at Sea

Moderator: Erin O'Brien, Managing Editor, Tectonic

• Paul Lwin, CEO, HavocAI
• Vibhav Altekar, CTO, Saronic
• Vice Admiral (ret.) John Mustin, President, Saildrone

• Dan Hendrix, CRO, Vatn Systems

Location: main garden

4:15PM–4:30PM

a conversation with equity research (powered by bank of America)

Mariana Pérez Mora, Director, Bank of America Equity Research

Location: main garden

4:30PM–5:00PM

How to Spot Bullshit: Spotting Red Flags when Investing in Defense

Moderator: Erin O'Brien, Managing Editor, Tectonic
• Jocelyn Kinsey, Partner, DFJ
• Frank Finelli, Senior Advisor, The Carlyle Group
• Brian MacCarthy, Managing Partner, Booz Allen Ventures

• Kirsten Bartok Touw, Managing Partner, New Vista Capital

Location: main garden

5:00PM–7:30PM

Cocktail Reception

Join us for networking, food and drinks on the rooftop

Location: IYKYK Rooftop

March 12

9:00AM–10:00AM

morning networking

Grab your badge and join us for a light breakfast, coffee and networking

Location: inn cahoots, 1221 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702

10:00AM–10:30AM

Go Boom: The New Age of Missiles and Munitions

Moderator: Erin O'Brien, Managing Editor, Tectonic
• Andrew Krietz, CFO & Co-Founder, Castelion
• Naweed Tahmas, CEO, Aeon Industrial
• Chris Spagnoletti, CEO, Ursa Major
• Jason Hundley, CEO, X-Bow Systems

Location: main garden

10:15aM–10:45AM

Space Comms: How Space Boosts Security

Moderator: Jacqueline Feldscher, Managing Editor, Payload
• Zak Kirstein, Head of Growth, Northwood Space
• Michael Lajczok, CTO, York Space Systems

Location: payload space stage

10:30AM–11:00AM

The Power of 3D: Operational Terrain as a Strategic Advantage (Powered by Vantor)

Moderator: Mo Islam, CEO, Tectonic
• Derek Stevens, VP of Defense Programs, Vantor
• Kristen Lomastro, Head of Programs and Delivery, Anduril

• Niko Hughes, Chief Growth Officer, Reveal

Location: main garden

10:45aM–11:15AM

Adversaries in Space: The Race For the High Ground

Moderator: Jacqueline Feldscher, Managing Editor, Payload
• Shawn Barnes, Senior Advisor, The Artemis Group
• Kelli Furrer, CRO, Slingshot Aerospace

Location: payload space stage

11:00AM–11:30AM

Golden Era: Missile and Drone Defense

Moderator: Erin O'Brien. Managing Editor, Tectonic
• Andy Lowery, CEO, Epirus
• Chris Musselman, CMO, CHAOS Industries
• Church Hutton, CGO, AeroVironment (AV)
• Steven Simoni, Co-Founder and President, Allen Control Systems

• Jeff Cole, CEO, Hidden Level

Location: main garden

11:15aM–11:45AM

Laying the Lunar Groundwork: Early DoD Bets on Moon Infrastructure

Moderator: Jacqueline Feldscher, Managing Editor, Payload
• Michael Creech, VP of Strategy and Business Development, Firefly
• Eric Truitt, CEO, Mantis Space

• Gary Calnan, CEO, CisLunar Industries

• Justin Cyrus, Founder & CEO, Lunar Outpost

Location: payload space stage

11:30AM–11:45AM

A Fireside Chat on Contested Logistics (Powered by Grid Aero)

Moderator: Tom Gillespie, Head of the Alliance Fund, Geodesic Capital
• Arthur Dubois, CEO, Grid Aero

Location: main garden

11:45aM–12:15PM

Mission Critical Returns: How National Security Is Changing Space Investment

Moderator: Jacqueline Feldscher, Managing Editor, Payload
• Patrick Beatty, Managing Director-US, Beyond Earth Ventures
• Lewis Jones, Investment Principal, Generation Space

• Taylor Sargent, Partner, Industrious Ventures

Location: payload space stage

11:45AM–12:15pM

Growth Capital: Building Neoprimes

Moderator: Mo Islam, CEO, Tectonic

• Achal Upadhyaya, Founder & CEO, Interlagos
• Erik Kriessmann, Partner, Altimeter

Location: main garden

12:15pM–12:30pM

A Fireside chat with col. tim trimailo

Moderator: Jacqueline Feldscher, Managing Editor, Payload
• Col. Tim Trimailo, Director, Commercial Space Office

Location: space stage

12:15pM–12:30pM

A Fireside Chat with Hon. Mike Dodd, Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies

Erin O'Brien, Managing Editor, Tectonic Defense
• Hon. Mike Dodd, Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies, DoW

Location: main garden

12:30–1:30pM

Lunch

1:30pm–1:45PM

Vantor demo

Presented by Bill Tinney, Sr Director, Analytics & Insights (AI) Product Management and Partnerships, Vantor

Location: Main garden

1:45PM–2:15PM

Scaling Up: Autonomy Beyond FPV

Moderator: Erin O'Brien, Managing Editor, Tectonic
• Scott Sanders, CGO, Forterra
• Byron Boots, CEO, Overland AI
• Tim Burns, CTO, Merlin

Location: main garden

2:15PM–2:45PM

The Future of Artillery (Powered by Orrick & Firehawk)

Moderator: Montana Ware, Partner, Orrick
• Will Edwards, CEO, Firehawk
• Dhruva Rajendra, CEO and Co-Founder, Deterrence
• Michael Bate, Sr. Vice President and General Manager - Artillery Systems, General Dynamics

Location: main garden

2:45PM–3:15PM

Building and Buying at the Speed of War: The New Pentagon Acquisition System

Moderator: David Rothzied, Investor, Shield Capital
• Julie Bush, CEO & Founder, Valinor

• Pete Modigliani, Founder, Defense Tech and Acquisition

• Devin Bohanan, Program Manager, APFIT

• Col. Tim Trimailo, Director, Commercial Space Office

Location: main garden

3:15PM–3:45PM

Afternoon break

3:45pM–4:25pM:

Powering the fight

Moderator: Tabitha Kinchen, Deputy Director, Energy Portfolio, DIU

• Adam Warmoth, CEO & Co-Founder, Chariot Defense
• Erin Price-Wright, GP, a16z
• Jungwoo Lee, CEO & Co-Founder, South8 Technologies

Location: main garden

4:25pM–4:40pM

Design, Defense, and the Cost of Getting it Wrong (Powered by Teague)

Mo Islam, CEO, Arkaea Media Group
• Mike Mahoney, Senior Director, Space & Defense Programs, Teague

Location: main garden

4:40pM–5:10pM:

The Critical Minerals Problem

Moderator: Erin O'Brien, Managing Editor, Tectonic

• Matt Gialich, CEO, Astroforge

• Ellis Sullivan, CEO, ElementUSA
• Turner Caldwell, CEO, Mariana Materials

Location: main garden

March 13

9:00AM–12:00PM

Skyways flight ops observation

Skyways is a flight-as-a-service network built for mission delivery at scale—combining autonomous aircraft, operations software, mission planning, and fleet operations into a single operational platform. Participants will see how their system already operates in the field.

*Must apply to attend. Application info sent to all Tectonic Defense Summit pass holders.

Location: shared upon approval

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