leaders met with technologists, startups and venture capitalists at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, March 8-11 to discuss national and global security challenges. As the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force, AFWERX plays a critical role in acquiring the cutting-edge technologies needed to meet these challenges.
The three-day event featured panels and fireside chats focused on providing practical advice to small companies about topics such as artificial intelligence, autonomy, cyber security, venture capital, foreign ownership issues and navigating the defense innovation ecosystem. The event comes as the Department of the Air Force undertakes one of its most significant recalibrations in recent history, positioning the Air Force and Space Force to maintain supremacy in an era of Great Power Competition.
During his March 8 keynote speech, “Chasing Innovation: Lessons Learned,” Col. Elliott Leigh, AFWERX director and DAF chief commercialization officer, said the department’s transition to an enterprise focused on Great Power Competition will require a pipeline of cutting-edge technologies from startups and military personnel to AFWERX.
“We work contracts-we run the front end of the pipeline,” Leigh said. “We do prototypes, and we transition those technologies, but there are other elements of this. It’s really people that win the wars. It’s Airmen and Guardians, members of our armed services. It’s soldiers and sailors. It’s Marines. You’re going to see the…
