Day 2 Recap of SXSW-- Liz Young McNally (DIU), Dino Mavrookas (CEO of Saronic Technologies), and Congressman Jake Ellzey started the day of Policy, Innovation, and the Future of Defense & Space deep dives. I love it when all my worlds collide. The key takeaway? We need to move faster. The long delays caused by outdated processes are holding back progress, and it’s time to shift toward a “good enough” mindset—getting capabilities and assets into the hands of warfighters sooner. History has shown us how quickly we can mobilize when the need arises, and that’s exactly why I’m excited to chair Sustainment—a company helping manufacturers accelerate innovation and production. I also had the opportunity to connect with Congressman Gabe Amo (RI), who is doing incredible work in New England’s maritime innovation space. I expect big things coming out of Newport in the future. The day continued with a visit to Capital Factory House and Startup Crawl, where I ran into Robert Gordon IV—an accomplished entrepreneur leading BLCK VC. The evening wrapped up with an insightful discussion hosted by Liberty Ventures at the University of Austin (UATX), featuring Alexander McCobin and Travis Monteleone, alongside Hugh Forrest. Mr SXSW himself! The real question is: How do you get Hugh Forrest on a panel during the biggest weekend of the year at SXSW? That’s the kind of magic this week creates. And just when I thought the day couldn’t be more packed—my interview on The Building Texas Show episode dropped! I had the chance to discuss the rapid growth of the Texas space industry, the importance of jobs, education, and workforce development, and how Space Workforce Incubator for Texas (SWIFT) is playing a critical role in preparing the next generation for careers in space. Exciting times ahead for defense, innovation, and the future of space! Let’s keep the momentum going. #SXSW #DefenseInnovation #SpaceWorkforce #Manufacturing #Sustainment #BetterTexas #SWIFT #Innovation
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