The annual OODAcon event brings together the hackers, thinkers, strategists, disruptors, leaders, technologists, and creators with one foot in the future to discuss the most pressing issues of the day and provide insight into the ways technology is evolving.
Our theme for OODAcon 2024 is: Convergence
Convergence is about the merging and integrating of different capabilities, ideas, technologies and business models to create new value, invent new technologies, or disrupt existing systems. At OODAcon we will look to identify non-obvious convergence and understand and predict the impact that these collisions will have in business, civil society, and scientific domains.
At OODAcon you can expect to engage in enriching discussions, peer to peer networking, and plenary speaker sessions that not only challenge the status quo but also offer a unique perspective on integrating these advancements into our daily lives and industries.
The conference will feature an impressive lineup of speakers—pioneers who are steering the direction of their respective fields towards a unified vision of the future. OODAcon 2024 is your arena to witness, participate, and contribute to the dialogue that drives innovation forward. Join us in hacking the future, together, as we navigate the complexities of convergence and pave the way for a technologically integrated tomorrow.
Early registration is now open and OODA Network Members receive a 50% discount.
November 6, 2024
Reston, VA
OODAcon 2024 Agenda
Bootstrapping the Future – Welcome to OODAcon 2024
Cyber Diplomacy for Cyber & AI Safety – Keynote Conversation
Beyond Human Limits: Charting the Future of AI Innovation
Materializing Tomorrow: Advances and Challenges in Materials Science
Disruption as a Catalyst: Tech Innovations That Will Solve Global Challenges
China – Current Threats and Emerging Risks
The Age of Exponential Blockchain Disruption
Cross Domain Innovation – Driving Deep Tech Convergence
Touching the Void: Persona Based AI and the New Age of Expertise
The Cybersecurity Dilemma: Board Expectations for Managing Cyber Risk
Annual Global Threat Brief
The Net Assessment for the Future
Navigating the Future: Strategic Insights and Global Trends from America’s New Map
Confirmed Keynote Speakers
Ambassador Nate Fick: Nathaniel C. Fick was sworn in on September 21, 2022 as the inaugural U.S. Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy. Prior to joining the State Department, Ambassador Fick was a technology executive and entrepreneur. He was CEO of the cybersecurity software company Endgame from 2012 through its acquisition by Elastic in 2019. Ambassador Fick spent nearly a decade as an operating partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, working with management teams to build technology businesses. In 2018, he was named by Fast Company magazine as one of the “100 Most Creative People in Business,” and Endgame was selected by Forbes as one of the “100 Best Cloud Companies in the World.” From 2009 to 2012, Ambassador Fick was CEO of the Center for a New American Security, a national security research organization in Washington. Earlier in his career, he served as a Marine Corps infantry and reconnaissance officer, including combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. His book about that experience, One Bullet Away, was a New York Times bestseller, a Washington Post “Best Book of the Year,” and one of the Military Times‘s “Best Military Books of the Decade.” Ambassador Fick graduated with high honors in Classics from Dartmouth College and holds an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Thomas Barnett: Thomas is geostrategist, analyst and author whose groundbreaking works, like “The Pentagon’s New Map,” have shaped our understanding of global strategy and leadership. His latest book, “America’s New Map: Restoring Our Global Leadership in an Era of Climate Change and Demographic Collapse,” delves into the evolving geopolitical landscape and its implications for leaders in politics, international relations, science, technology, finance, and business. His perspectives are crucial for anyone interested in the future of global strategy.
Confirmed Speakers
Dr. James N. Miller is President and CEO of Adaptive Strategies LLC, which advises private sector clients on technology trends and strategy. He is a senior fellow at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Lab and at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs, and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Center for a New American Security. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and the Defense Science Board, where he co-chaired a recent study on cyber deterrence. Dr. Miller served as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from 2012 to 2014, and Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from 2009 to 2012. Dr. Miller received a B.A. with honors in economics from Stanford University, and a Ph.D. in public policy from the Kennedy School at Harvard University.
Will Hurd: For over two decades William Hurd has been involved in the most pressing national security issues challenging the country, whether in the back-alleys of dangerous places overseas, boardrooms of top international businesses, or the halls of Congress.
He has had a diverse and impactful career as a Member of Congress, cybersecurity executive, undercover officer in the CIA, Artificial Intelligence policy pioneer, Presidential candidate, investment banker and is author of the book American Reboot.
Al Tarasuik: Al is the Chief Information Security Officer at Citigroup. He is a strategically focused senior executive with 34 years of professional experience leading information technology, information security and cybersecurity at large, complex and dynamic information -intensive global enterprises. Al and one of Citi’s board members will discuss lessons learned and best practices for corporate directors and technology leaders seeking to drive value for the corporation while mitigating systemic risk.
Kristin Del Rosso is the Public Sector CTO for Sophos, with a background in security product management and threat intelligence. With a range of corporate experience, she has successfully launched and grown a variety of security and intelligence offerings, as well as focused on hands-on malware reverse engineering, malicious actor tracking, vulnerability research, and OSINT investigations. Kristin is also the Founder of the ChinaCon event series.
Amr Awadallah: With over 25 years of experience in scalable systems, big data, and AI, Amr is passionate about changing our collective future for the better one startup at a time. As the founder and CEO of Vectara, the trusted GenAI Platform, he leads a team of talented AI engineers who are building a trusted GenAI platform for business data with the benefits of mitigating hallucinations, bias, copyright infringement and data privacy. His expertise in these fields positions him as a key figure in the ongoing AI revolution.
Molly Just Behr: Technology and defense-focused executive with 15 years of experience supporting technology investment and mergers and acquisition across the national security innovation base. Currently, leading the CHIPS Coordination Cell (C3) at the Department of Defense.
Katrina McFarland: A former senior executive at the DoD and commissioner of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, Katrina brings a wealth of knowledge on global and national security issues. Her unique perspective, informed by both historical and technological contexts, makes her a thought leader in the field.
Andrew Cote: An engineering physicist, tech scout, and entrepreneur, Andrew founded San Francisco’s Deep Tech Week, an event that draws investors and innovators in sectors like Energy, Biotech, Robotics, Neurotech, Computing, Manufacturing, Aerospace, and Defense. His work fosters significant advancements in these cutting-edge fields.
Dara Ladjevardian: Pioneer in the use of AI to create digital clones to enable enhanced human productivity. CEO of Delphi, a company providing digital clones that scale time, help monetize knowledge and interact with audiences at scale.
Simone Syed: VC and investor. Co-founder of Velorum Capital. Early crypto investor. Member of the Board of Directors, R-Street.
Johnny Sawyer is founder of The Sawyer Group, a consulting firm focused on partnering with organizations to deliver tailor-made practical defense, intelligence and strategic management solutions. Following a distinguished 22-year military career as a U.S. Army officer, he joined the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2001 and served in multiple positions of increased responsibility during his 20-year tenure there including principal deputy director for analysis; first director, Middle East/Africa Regional Center; chief, Middle East North Africa Office; chief, Defense Resources and Infrastructure Office; and senior expert for enterprise management. Mr. Sawyer’s last assignment at DIA was chief of staff. As the third ranking officer at DIA, he was the Agency’s chief operating officer—overseeing a sixteen thousand officers and a multi-billion-dollar budget and exercising broad responsibilities to ensure continued excellence while simultaneously developing plans, process improvements and strategies to prepare the Agency for future success.
You can also dive into some of the results of OODAcon 2023 by downloading our event summary: “Imperatives for Action“.