Mike Colson, Director of Public Sector Growth at Akamai, discusses the company’s focus on solving critical challenges for the Department of Defense, intelligence community, and Five Eyes nations. Speaking at OODAcon, Colson highlights the event’s value as a forum for exploring emerging technologies, addressing gaps in government-industry collaboration, and advancing Akamai’s mission to deliver innovative solutions for national security. With 20 years of experience in building custom capabilities for defense and intelligence, Akamai’s sponsorship of OODAcon reflects its commitment to supporting the warfighter and intelligence operators with cutting-edge technology.

Colson underscores Akamai’s role in navigating the convergence of technologies, such as AI, quantum computing, and cybersecurity, to reshape national security strategies. Recent acquisitions, including linode and Noname Security, have strengthened Akamai’s cybersecurity portfolio, particularly in API security, as organizations face increasing risks from poorly controlled dependencies. Colson also explores the critical need for secure and effective mission partner environments, highlighting Akamai’s work in data-centric architectures, attribute-based access controls (ABAC), and AI-driven policy enforcement.

Looking ahead, Colson emphasizes the importance of global collaboration among allies, particularly through Mission Partner Ecosystems, to tackle near-peer adversaries. He describes how Akamai’s expertise in mesh networks, data fabrics, and secure communication protocols will enable seamless interoperability between coalition forces, ensuring tactical-level success. With data sovereignty and trust-building at the forefront, Colson sees this approach as vital to enhancing operational effectiveness and supporting allied missions across regions.

This discussion offers valuable insights into how Akamai is maturing its data-centric solutions to address evolving national security challenges, while also driving innovation through collaboration and advanced technology integration. Watch to learn more about the strategies reshaping defense, intelligence, and public-sector operations in an era of convergence.

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