Online Event
Contested Seas, Contested Budgets: Where Navy Innovation Money Goes
The Navy's former Deputy CTO on how tech really goes from lab to fleet, and how founders break in.
Date
Aug 11, 2026
Time
11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Address
Online Event
The Navy spends billions on research and development every year, yet most promising technologies never make it from the lab to the fleet. Why? In this fireside chat, the former Deputy CTO of the Navy pulls back the curtain on how the sea services actually evaluate, fund, and field new capability. We'll trace the real path from science-and-technology dollars to an acquisition program that buys, map the players that matter (ONR, SYSCOMs, and the PAEs), and get candid about where the Navy is putting its money now; autonomy, shipbuilding, the submarine industrial base, and contested logistics.
What You'll Learn:
- How the Navy organizes R&D — ONR, NRL, NavalX, and the Tech Bridges — and which door a founder should knock on first
- The difference between getting science-and-technology funding and getting a real acquisition program to buy
- How the SYSCOMs (NAVSEA, NAVAIR, NIWC) and PEOs make buying decisions, and how to find your sponsor inside them
Additional Resources:
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About Founder Institute:
The Founder Institute is the World's Largest AI-Native Company Builder, giving idea-stage, first-time founders, and employees making the leap to entrepreneurship the tools, global network, and proven methodology to build an AI-powered startup from zero to funding. Since 2009, our structured programs have helped over 9,000 founders across 100 countries raise more than $2BN in funding. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 6 continents, our mission is to empower talented and motivated people everywhere to build impactful, AI-powered companies.
The Founder Institute is the World's Largest AI-Native Company Builder, giving idea-stage, first-time founders, and employees making the leap to entrepreneurship the tools, global network, and proven methodology to build an AI-powered startup from zero to funding. Since 2009, our structured programs have helped over 9,000 founders across 100 countries raise more than $2BN in funding. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 6 continents, our mission is to empower talented and motivated people everywhere to build impactful, AI-powered companies.
Speakers
Platinum Partners
Local Partners
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