MIT Innovation Initiative: How to Navigate Your Tech Startup in both Government and Commercial Markets
Jan 11-15, 2021
The Dual-use Ventures series helps technology startups navigate early-stage challenges in market research, use cases, and federal funding opportunities. We provide insights into navigating SBIRs, STTRs, and other federal funding opportunities while working within the commercial marketplace so that tech founders – when thoughtful and working rigorously – can take their Minimum Viable Product from $0 in revenue to $1,500,000 in defense contracts over the course of 24 months. This program is intentional about instruction and training – our eminent goal is to help MIT-affiliated tech startups traverse the trough of disillusionment and commercialize tough tech products for the betterment of humankind.
Key Outcomes
Learn about criticality, non-dilutive funding opportunities, and nuances of the defense and dual-use markets
Understand the need to move opportunistically across both commercial and defense markets in the early stages of ventures
Learn and ask hard questions about IP constraints when working with the DoD
Understand initial cybersecurity compliance challenges that exist now and will expand in the near future
Schedule
Day 1 | Monday, January 11th, 2021 | Welcome & Overview on Dual-use Ventures & the DoD Landscape for Tech Startups
10:00 AM – 11:30AM
Welcome & The DoD Landscape for Tech Startups, Katy Person
Program Manager, Mission Innovation Program, MIT Innovation Initiative
2:00PM – 3:30PM
The DoD Landscape for Tech Startups: The importance and history of dual-use ventures in today’s society, Fiona Murray, William Porter Professor of Entrepreneurship, Associate Dean for Innovation & Inclusion, Co-Director, MIT Innovation Initiative, Faculty Director, Legatum Center, Member of the UK Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology (CST)
Day 2 | Tuesday, January 12th, 2021 | Air Force as a Customer – Founder Perspective & Current Programs
10:00 AM – 11:30AM
Air Force as a Customer – Founder Perspective & Recent Air Force Transformations, Warren Katz, Managing Director, Air Force Accelerator Powered by Techstars
2:00PM – 3:30PM
How the Air Force Buys Things; AF Ventures; Matching Program, Jason Rathje
Director, AFVentures, AFWERX, United States Air Force
Day 3 | Wednesday, January 13th, 2021 | Pathways to Working with the Navy & How SOCOM Thinks About & Uses Tech
10:00 AM – 11:30AM
Pathways to Working with the Navy, Steven Bordonaro, Chief Scientist, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Newport
2:00PM – 3:30PM
How SOCOM Thinks about & Uses Tech, Marcos Cervantes, Senior Project Manager, United States Special Operations Command, US Department of Defense
Day 4 | Thursday, January 14th, 2021 | DoD & IP and Cybersecurity Compliance Now and Soon
10:00 AM – 11:30AM
IP and Data Rights: What you need to know when working with the DoD, David Jacobs, Chief Legal Counsel, Air Force Artificial Intelligence Accelerator
2:00PM – 3:30PM
Cybersecurity Compliance Now & Soon, Amy Williams, Director of Proactive Services, BlueVoyant
Day 5 | Friday, January 15th, 2021 | Dual-use Ventures Framework, Startup Stories, and Networking
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Dual-use Ventures Framework Overview & Startup Examples, Gene Keselman
Executive Director, MIT Innovation Initiative
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Deciphering between Players in the Accelerator & Investment Spectrum – A Panel with MassChallenge, the Engine, IndieBio, Techstars, Arsenal Ventures, and the Defense Investors Network
Christian Melton, Senior Manager of Strategic Partnerships, MassChallenge
Orin Hoffman, Venture Partner, The Engine
Pae Wu, CTO & Partner, IndieBio
Warren Katz, Managing Director, Air Force Accelerator Powered by Techstars
Adam Goobic, Principal, Arsenal Growth
Heather Richman, Founder, Defense Investor Network
2:00PM – 3:30PM
Breakout Room Speed Networking & Happy Hour