USSOCOM Virtual Innovation Foundry (IF8) Event

02-04 June 2021

Submissions Closed 05 May 11:59 PM ET

U.S. Citizens Only

Purpose
SOFWERX, in collaboration with USSOCOM’s Directorate of Science and Technology (S&T), will host the Eighth Innovation Foundry (IF8) Event. The objective is to bring together Special Operations Forces (SOF) representatives and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to assist USSOCOM in discerning future capability areas for technology exploration for SOF in the conduct of Next-Generation Effects (NGE) and Precision Strike. 

Why You Should Participate
The event will be a compelling opportunity for leading minds in Industry, Academia, Labs, and Government, as well as Subject Matter Experts in NGE and Precision Strike to ideate, collaborate, and improve the investment decision making for the future needs of SOF. USSOCOM has also used Innovation Foundries to build key relationships with local and regional entrepreneurs and technology developers.

Problem Statement
S&T Futures and NGE Capability Focus Areas (CFAs) will investigate concepts for novel SOF-peculiar scalable kinetic and non-kinetic effects to achieve physical, virtual, and cognitive objectives across all domains in the Competition and Conflict spaces of the Force Development window. These concepts will include, but not be limited to, Directed Energy (DE), Cyber, Military Information Support Operation (MISO), Electronic Warfare (EW), temporary, permanent effects, and will be designed to solve mission scenarios in a 2030 great power competition. 

“The scenarios were sophisticated and intentionally difficult in order to drive new and creative approaches to the problem sets.” — RDML Rodriguez (NSWC Deputy), IF3

Event Timeline
Phase 1 – 19 April 2021 to 05 May 2021 Submissions Open: NGE and Precision Strike Subject Matter Experts and visionaries from Industry, Academia, and National Labs request to attend the IF8 Event by submitting a CV below (NLT 05 May).

Phase 2 – 06 May 2021 to 12 May 2021 SME Downselect: The S&T Directorate Future’s Team will downselect participants to attend the IF8 Event. Selected participants will be notified via e-mail o/a 13 May.

Phase 3 – 02 June 2021 to 04 June 2021 Virtual Innovation Foundry 8 Event: During the event, selected participants will collaborate and ideate with fellow SMEs, the S&T Directorate Future’s Team, and SOF Operators on the concept areas above. Selectees should plan for workdays from 0800-1700 ET.

Questions?
For event-related questions, please contact Lindsay Horst, lindsay.horst@sofwerx.org