Defense Curious: From Curious to Mission Critical

​Defense Curious connects commercial founders and venture capital with senior national security leaders for a full afternoon of candid, tactical conversation. Designed for newcomers to defense, the event unpacks how to navigate government contracting, deploy capital, convert dual-use tech into mission-critical capability, and solve the space sector's most urgent capability gaps.

​Meet Representatives & Decision-Makers From: Connect directly with decision-makers, program offices, and key defense innovation hubs including general officers and senior executive leadership in attendance to validate capability gaps and pinpoint your government customers:

• ​Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)

• ​Missile Defense Agency (MDA)

• ​USSF PAE Leads

• ​Commercial Space Office (COMSO)

• ​Space Systems Command (SSC) Small Business Office

​Agenda Highlights
• Keynotes: Maj. Gen. Joseph Kunkel (Evolution of Military Space) and Ms. Natalie Riedel (Closing Critical Capability Gaps)

• ​Fireside Chat: Maj. Gen. Kim Crider (ret) on military to commercial innovation transitions

• ​Tactical Panels: Acquisition pathways, dual-use scaling, and regional economic growth

• ​Legal & IP Briefing: ITAR, FOCI, and protecting IP rights

• ​High-Value Networking: Interactive government Q&A, pre-assigned investor/founder matchmaking, and an extended evening reception with defense and military leaders

​Event Details
• Date: September 29, 2026
• Time: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• Location: THE BR-DGE, 777 South Aviation Boulevard, El Segundo, CA

​Key Attendance Information

• ​Government Tickets: Strictly for verified military/government personnel. Registration requires an official .mil/.gov email address (personal emails will be declined).

• ​Parking & Logistics: Rideshare encouraged. Onsite parking is $20 (credit/debit only; no Apple Pay).

• ​Sponsorships: Email marketing@dti.space for networking sponsorship opportunities.