Emerging Tech Horizons

Join host Dr. Arun Seraphin for a conversation with Cheryl Ingstad, Deputy Director for Digital Platforms & Developer Ecosystem at the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). In this episode, Ms. Ingstad discusses DIU’s new Digital OnRamp Platform that connects commercial technology companies to DOD award opportunities, fulfilling warfighter needs. Additionally, we cover who this platform is made for, how it incorporates emerging AI technologies, and how industry can get involved in shaping the platform. DIU wants the help of the commercial sector and academia to support the rollout of the Digital OnRamp this Fall. Sign up to become a test user of the platform when it is launched later this year at: https://www.diu.mil/digitalonramp Additionally, DIU has an open solicitation for the platforms AI tools. Don’t wait to apply, this opening closes on July 8th, 2025. To submit your solution, visit: https://sam.gov/opp/f5e0bec63b684fd49d91b82bbf0932ea/view If you want to learn more about DIU’s work on the Digital OnRamp, you can watch ETI’s previous webinar covering the platform in even more detail at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2fhvJEezbU Join us for the NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition on August 27-29 at the Washington D.C Convention Center. Registration is now open at ⁠https://www.ndiatechexpo.org⁠. This year, we will be joined by Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emil Michael and USD for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey as two of our engaging keynote speakers. The conference will also feature numerous breakout panels, government-industry speed dating, networking sessions, and a multi-day Hackathon. Be sure to like and subscribe to stay up to date. Thank you for listening to another episode of Emerging Tech Horizons.http://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.orghttps://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETIhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institutehttps://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI

In this episode, we are joined by John Weiler, CEO of the IT-Acquisition Advisory Council, to discuss the past, present, and future of DOD IT acquisitions. We discuss the past failures of DOD IT-acquisition programs and how the Pentagon can learn from those mistakes. Additionally, Mr. Weiler details the best commercial practices the Department of Defense should adopt to successfully procure and deploy the best software for their mission.   Executive Order 14222 - Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency“ Cost Efficiency Initiative:  https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/implementing-the-presidents-department-of-government-efficiency-cost-efficiency-initiative/ [https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/implementing-the-presidents-department-of-government-efficiency-cost-efficiency-initiative/] DOD Memo on Implementation of Executive Order 14222 - Department of Government Efficiency Cost Efficiency Initiative: https://media.defense.gov/2025/May/28/2003725174/-1/-1/1/MEMORANDUM-DIRECTING-IMPLEMENTATION-OF-EXECUTIVE-ORDER-14222-DEPARTMENT-OF-GOVERNMENT-EFFICIENCY-COST-EFFICIENCY-INITIATIVE.PDF [https://media.defense.gov/2025/May/28/2003725174/-1/-1/1/MEMORANDUM-DIRECTING-IMPLEMENTATION-OF-EXECUTIVE-ORDER-14222-DEPARTMENT-OF-GOVERNMENT-EFFICIENCY-COST-EFFICIENCY-INITIATIVE.PDF] Visit the IT-AAC's website at: https://it-aac.org/ [https://it-aac.org/] Join us for the NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition on August 27-29 at the Washington D.C Convention Center. Registration is now open at https://www.ndiatechexpo.org [https://www.ndiatechexpo.org/]. https://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.orghttps://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETIhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institute https://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI

In May 2025, the Emerging Technologies Institute and MITRE Corporation released a report that explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can improve the Department of Defense’s acquisition system and support its workforce. Several of the authors, including Adam Bouffard (Group Leader and Principal Decision Analyst at MITRE), Chris Barlow (Senior Acquisition Analyst), and Wilson Miles (Associate Research Fellow at ETI) joined the podcast to discuss both the opportunities of inserting AI into the acquisition lifecycle and barriers to implementation. Additionally, the guests describe several potential paths forward to accelerate the adoption of AI for acquisition needs. Accelerating the Future: Leveraging AI for Transformative Federal Acquisition, https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/publications/research-papers/accelerating-the-future [https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/publications/research-papers/accelerating-the-future] To receive updates about the NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition on August 27-29, 2025 at the Washington D.C. Convention Center, please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up or visit our website at: https://www.ndiatechexpo.org [https://www.ndiatechexpo.org/] https://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org [https://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/] https://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETI [https://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETI] https://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institute https://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI

In this episode, we are joined by Tom Huntley, who is Vice President of Government Relations and Defense at REGENT, to discuss the future of advanced maritime mobility. We discuss the technological breakthroughs that have allowed for recent developments in Seagliders and the current state of play in the maritime industry. Additionally, Huntley lays out the potential commercial, homeland security, and defense missions that seagliders are well-suited for.  For more information on REGENT, visit their website: https://www.regentcraft.com/  To view the first flight of REGENT’s quarter-scale seaglider, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka1GpNGdjXM To receive updates about the NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition on August 27-29, 2025 at the Washington D.C. Convention Center, please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up  http://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org https://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETI https://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institute https://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI

In this episode, we are joined by William C. Greenwalt, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), to evaluate the state of the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDs). Drawing on the release of his new report, “Required to Fail | Beyond Documents: Accelerating Joint Advantage through Direct Resourcing and Experimentation,” Greenwalt discusses the need to reform JCIDs to ensure military capabilities serve joint force needs rather than individual services, driving interoperability across services, and connecting strategy to acquisition by validating the alignment of new requirements. Additionally, Greenwalt highlights opportunities to improve how the United States aligns warfighter needs with technology development.   Required to Fail | Beyond Documents: Accelerating Joint Advantage through Direct Resourcing and Experimentation report: https://www.hudson.org/technology/required-fail-beyond-documents-accelerating-joint-advantage-through-direct-resourcing-dan-patt-william-greenwalt [https://www.hudson.org/technology/required-fail-beyond-documents-accelerating-joint-advantage-through-direct-resourcing-dan-patt-william-greenwalt] To receive updates about the NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition on August 27-29, 2025 at the Washington D.C. Convention Center, please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-uphttp://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.orghttps://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETIhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institutehttps://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI