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Emerging Tech Horizons: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Dr. Arun Seraphin
ETI provides research and analyses to inform the development and integration of emerging technologies into the defense industrial base. This podcast will feature topics and speakers focusing on emerging technologies.
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- Today35 min
The Future of Defense Innovation and National Security: Part 1 on the NDAA 2027
The fight over the FY27 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is about far more than acquisition policy. It is a debate about who controls intellectual property, how the Defense Industrial Base deploys capital, and whether the Department of Defense (DoD) can attract the commercial innovators driving defense innovation and emerging technology.In this episode of Emerging Tech Horizons, Arun Seraphin sits down with acquisition policy expert Moshe Schwartz, President of Etherton and Associates, to break down the most consequential Defense Industrial Base provisions moving through Congress in Part 1 of a two-part discussion on the NDAA 2027. As lawmakers continue pushing reforms aimed at accelerating defense innovation, strengthening national security, and expanding the Defense Industrial Base, many of the biggest questions center on implementation and unintended consequences.Key topics include:Why Congress is pressuring the Department of Defense (DoD) to finally implement commercial acquisition reforms passed in previous NDAAs to accelerate defense innovation.New intellectual property provisions that could significantly expand government-purpose rights and reshape how commercial firms, startups, and subcontractors engage with the Department of Defense (DoD).Senate proposals restricting stock buybacks and dividends, and what they reveal about Congress's growing interest in shaping corporate investment decisions across the Defense Industrial Base.The rise of strategic capital, equity investments, adversarial capital oversight, and new institutions designed to strengthen national security by accelerating emerging technology adoption and economic competition in defense policymaking.NDIA Emerging Technologies Institute: https://www.ndiaeti.org NDIA Emerging Technologies Conference: https://www.ndiatechexpo.org Be sure to follow us on social media for updates, early access to upcoming events, inside scoops, & more: LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4htROo0 Twitter: https://bit.ly/48LHAx3 Facebook: https://bit.ly/47vlht8 And for more podcasts, articles, & publications covering all things emerging tech, visit: ndiaeti.org #DefenseInnovation #DoD #DefenseIndustrialBase #NationalSecurity #EmergingTechKeywords:- National Security- Defense innovation- Defense industrial base- Department of Defense (DoD)- Emerging technology
- 1 weeks ago37 min
From Startup to Defense Supplier: Building a Stronger Defense Industrial Base
The Department of Defense (DoD) has spent decades building programs to attract innovative small businesses and accelerate emerging technology into the defense market. Yet according to former Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Small Business Programs Director Farooq Mitha, the department was still losing 3 to 5 percent of its small business Defense Industrial Base each year. The challenge facing defense innovation is no longer simply finding promising technologies. It's creating pathways that allow innovative companies to grow, compete, and remain part of the Defense Industrial Base.In this episode, host Dr. Arun Seraphin sits down with Mitha, now CEO of the Imbue Group, to discuss the evolving role of small businesses in Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition, emerging technology, and innovation. Drawing on more than a decade of experience inside the Pentagon, Mitha reflects on efforts to expand small business participation, modernize programs such as Mentor-Protégé, and strengthen pathways for emerging companies to compete in the defense market while supporting the Defense Industrial Base.Seraphin and Mitha also examine the growing role of venture capital in national security, emerging technology investment, and the Pentagon's efforts to connect private investment with defense priorities. As Mitha notes, "the government cannot out-invest the private sector," but attracting capital is only part of the challenge. The harder task is creating the demand signals, acquisition pathways, and growth opportunities that allow innovative firms to become enduring players in the Defense Industrial Base, strengthening the Department of Defense (DoD) innovation ecosystem and the broader defense market.For updates on our content, sign up for our weekly mailer: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up2026 NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition September 9-10, 2026, at the Walter E. Washington DC Convention Center: ndiatechexpo.orgBe sure to follow us on social media for updates, early access to upcoming events, inside scoops, & more:LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4htROo0 Twitter: https://bit.ly/48LHAx3 Facebook: https://bit.ly/47vlht8And for more podcasts, articles, & publications on emerging technology, check out our website at: ndiaeti.org #DefenseInnovation #DefenseIndustrialBase #Departmentofdefense #DefenseMarket #EmergingTechnology Keywords:- Defense Industrial Base- Department of Defense (DOD)- Defense Market- Emerging Technology
- 2 weeks ago58 min
Could Biotechnology paired with Biomanufacturing Be the Next Emerging Technology for National Security?
In this episode of Emerging Tech Horizons, Dr. Arun Seraphin speaks with Bruce Friedrich, CEO and Co-founder of the Good Food Institute, about why alternative proteins and food biomanufacturing are emerging as strategic biotechnologyinnovations. As biotechnology reshapes industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to manufacturing, advances in cultivated meat, precision fermentation, and plant-based proteins could strengthen military logistics, improve supply chain resilience, and reinforce America's technological competitiveness through emerging technology.The conversation explores how food biomanufacturing could reduce dependence on vulnerable supply chains by enabling deployable food production, from remote operating bases to submarines and even future space missions. Bruce also explains how these biotechnology innovations are progressing from scientific breakthroughs to scalable biomanufacturing, while highlighting the policy and investment challenges that remain.The discussion also examines the growing international competition in biotechnology, particularly China's investments in food biomanufacturing, and why maintaining U.S. leadership in emerging technology will require sustained innovation, workforce development, commercialization support, and continued investment in biotechnology.Read ETI’s Report "Food Biomanufacturing for National Security: Growing a New Segment of the U.S. Defense Industrial Base ": https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/-/media/ndia-eti/reports/food-biomanufacturing/eti_foodbiomanufacturing_report_final.pdfRead Bruce Friedrich’s book, Meat: https://meatbook.org/ Learn more about the Good Food Institute: https://gfi.org/ For updates on our content, sign up for our weekly mailer: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-upBe sure to follow us on social media for updates, early access to upcoming events, inside scoops, & more:LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4htROo0Twitter: https://bit.ly/48LHAx3Facebook: https://bit.ly/47vlht8And for more podcasts, articles, & publications on emerging technologies, visit ndiaeti.org.#Biotechnology #NationalSecurity #Biomanufacturing #EmergingTechKeywords:- Biotechnology- Biomanufacturing- Emerging Technology
- 3 weeks ago52 min
Inside Future Force Capabilities 2026: Scaling Speed, Production, and the Next Generation Force
Warfare is entering a new phase—where innovation happens in real time, and emerging technologies move from concept to deployment at unprecedented speed. At the 2026 Future Force Capabilities Conference, leaders across defense and industry explore what it takes to keep pace. Recorded live at the conference, Mary-Edens McAbee speaks with conference organizers and technology leaders working across munitions, autonomy, and manufacturing. She is joined by Nick Perry, Jeff Janey, Pete Paulin, Chris Millson, and John Williams to examine how emerging priorities are accelerating the development of next-generation capabilities while placing new demands on the industrial base, acquisition processes, and the workforce responsible for operating them. A central theme throughout the conversation is the growing importance of speed—not only in how technologies are developed, but in how quickly they can be produced, integrated, and put into use. Speakers return repeatedly to the idea that many of the necessary capabilities already exist, but the challenge now is scaling them effectively and getting them into the hands of operators. Drawing on observations from current conflicts, including Ukraine, the episode underscores how rapidly evolving operational environments are reshaping expectations for development timelines and feedback loops between operators and industry.For updates on our content, sign up for our weekly mailer: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-upREGISTER: 2026 NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition September 8-10, 2026, at the Walter E. Washington DC Convention Center: https://www.ndiatechexpo.org/Be sure to follow us on social media for updates, early access to upcoming events, inside scoops, & more:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eti-emerging-technologies-instituteTwitter: https://x.com/EmergingTechETIFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETI/And for more podcasts, articles, & publications on emerging technology, check out our website at: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/#DefenseInnovation #IndustrialBase #Autonomy #FutureForce #DefenseTech
- 4 weeks ago48 min
Mobilizing Private Capital on Aligning Private Investment with DoD Needs
Private capital is playing an increasingly visible role in the defense industrial base, but its impact depends less on the amount of money flowing in than on how effectively government demand shapes investment decisions. The central question for policymakers is not whether capital is available, but whether the system converts that capital into deployable capability. In this episode, host Dr. Arun Seraphin is joined by Sam Moyer, Research Fellow at NDIA’s Emerging Technologies Institute (ETI), to discuss ETI’s recent work on mobilizing private capital for defense. The conversation examines how different forms of private capital, including venture, private equity, and internal investment, interact with the Department of Defense acquisition system, and why investors ultimately respond to credible signals of future demand. Moyer outlines a framework for understanding what drives investment into the defense sector: demand signaling, catalytic capital tools, and the broader business environment. He explains how mechanisms such as acquisition roadmaps, long-term purchase commitments, and communication between government and industry can reduce uncertainty and lower the cost of capital. The discussion also addresses newer policy tools, including federal equity investments and loan programs, and the governance and oversight challenges they introduce. The episode highlights a key constraint on defense innovation: investment is already present, but its effectiveness depends on whether the system is legible and predictable to investors. Improving clarity and alignment, not simply increasing funding, will shape the next phase of growth in the defense industrial base. Read ETI’s White Paper " Mobilizing Private Capital for Defense: Tactics and Recommendations": https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/-/media/ndia-eti/reports/mobilizing-capital-for-defense/mobilizingcapitalreport_2026_final.pdf. For updates on our content, sign up for our weekly mailer: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up 2026 NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition September 8-10, 2026, at the Walter E. Washington DC Convention Center: https://www.ndiatechexpo.org/ Be sure to follow us on social media for updates, early access to upcoming events, inside scoops, & more: LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4htROo0 Twitter: https://bit.ly/48LHAx3 Facebook: https://bit.ly/47vlht8 And for more podcasts, articles, & publications on emerging technology, check out our website at: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/ #DefenseInnovation #PrivateCapital #Acquisition #NationalSecurity
- Jun 24, 202651 min
From Detection to Decision: Dr. Marc Mendonca on Closing the Radiation Response Gap
You can detect radiation in seconds. Understanding what it does to the human body can take far longer. This gap defines a leading challenge of radiation biology, the field that studies how radiation interacts with living systems. In this episode, Dr. Marc Mendonca, Associate Vice President of Research at the University of Central Florida, joins host Dr. Arun Seraphin to discuss what problems radiobiologists are attempting to solve, and how these problems shape the realities of warfighters, first responders, cancer patients, astronauts, and civilians. The conversation highlights persistent limits in assessing how much radiation an individual has actually absorbed, how their body will respond, and why so many sectors rely on better understanding these effects. It also examines the operational strain created by the “walking well” in mass exposure scenarios. Mendonca outlines key research gaps in the field, including radiation’s influence on the immune system, the mechanisms behind radiation-induced cancer, the need for effective post-exposure mitigation, and the development of faster, field-ready diagnostic tools. Watch ETI’s “Tech 101: Radiation Biology” seminar: https://www.ndia.org/events/2026/5/19/tech-101-radiation-biology For updates on our content, sign up for our weekly mailer: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up 2026 NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition September 8-10, 2026, at the Walter E. Washington DC Convention Center: ndiatechexpo.org Be sure to follow us on social media for updates, early access to upcoming events, inside scoops, & more: LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4htROo0 Twitter: https://bit.ly/48LHAx3 Facebook: https://bit.ly/47vlht8 And for more podcasts, articles, & publications on emerging technology, check out our website at: ndiaeti.org #RadiationBiology #EmergingTech #PublicHealth #EmergencyResponse
- Jun 17, 202638 min
Wearables for Warfighters: How WHOOP is Powering Human Performance in National Security
Two of WHOOP's first 100 paying customers were LeBron James and Michael Phelps. The device built to optimize elite athletic performance is now finding a second calling in national security — and the story of how it got there says as much about military institutions as it does about the technology. Todd Stiefler, VP of Enterprise and Public Sector at WHOOP, joins Dr. Arun Seraphin at Emerging Tech Horizons to explain how a consumer fitness wearable became a force readiness tool, and what's still standing in the way of adoption at scale. Learn more about WHOOP here: https://www.whoop.com/us/en/Be sure to follow us on social media for updates, early access to upcoming events, inside scoops, & more: LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4htROo0 Twitter: https://bit.ly/48LHAx3 Facebook: https://bit.ly/47vlht8 And for more podcasts, articles, & publications all things emerging tech, check out our website at: https://bit.ly/47oA5K1 #ETI #EmergingTech #WearableTech
- Jun 10, 202659 min
Inside NDIA’s Defense Hackathon: How Collaboration, Learning, and Rapid Problem Solving Come Together
Hackathons are becoming an increasingly important tool in the defense innovation ecosystem. When designed intentionally, hackathons can work for everyone involved in defense innovation. In this episode of Emerging Tech Horizons, Dr. Arun Seraphin is joined by Nick Lanham, Chair of NDIA’s Data Analytics and Enterprise Platforms Division and Senior Data & AI Analyst at Kairos, and Charles Ott, Vice President and Solution Strategist at Maximus, to discuss NDIA’s hackathon model and what makes it effective.The conversation offers a practical look at how this hackathon works: bringing together technologists, industry leaders, and government users for a focused, time‑boxed effort to tackle real defense problems. Rather than operating as a competition or a coding exercise, the hackathon is designed as a collaborative learning environment—one where participants share knowledge, test ideas, and better understand both user needs and institutional constraints. Lanham and Ott explain why this approach benefits everyone involved. Across the board, participants leave with a clearer picture of the problem space and stronger connections across the defense innovation community.The episode looks back at NDIA’s inaugural hackathon, highlights what worked, and previews what’s planned for the upcoming event at the Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference. More broadly, it explains why thoughtfully designed hackathons are emerging as a valuable complement to traditional acquisition and innovation processes.Learn more and get involved with this year’s NDIA Hackathon: https://hackathon.ndia.org/browse?status=upcomingRead ETI’s brief on Hackathons as a defense acquisition tool: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/publications/brief-series/competing-for-capabilitySAVE THE DATE: 2026 NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition September 9-10, 2026, at the Walter E. Washington DC Convention Center: ndiatechexpo.org/Be sure to follow us on social media for updates, early access to upcoming events, inside scoops, & more:LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4htROo0Twitter: https://bit.ly/48LHAx3Facebook: https://bit.ly/47vlht8 And for more podcasts, articles, & publications all things emerging tech, check out our website at: ndiaeti.org#DefenseHackathon #DefenseInnovation #EmergingTechnologies #NationalSecurity
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