Two days of operational discussions, collaboration, matchmaking, technology demonstrations, and deployment-focused engagement.
Event Highlights
Signature Workshop Series: Operational Collaboration & Matchmaking
Curated Participation
Technology Demonstrations
Pilot & Testing Opportunities
Regional Ecosystem Access
90-Day Post-Event Execution Pipeline
What You Will Leave With
Curated Partner Introductions
Identified Pilot & Testing Opportunities
Defined Deployment Pathways
Collaboration Opportunity Brief-Out
90-Day Execution Roadmap
Ongoing Matchmaking & Partnership Support
Day 1: Strategic Context, Operational Challenges & Ecosystem Building
08:15 – 08:45
Registration & Coffee Networking
Coffee, pastries, fruit, informal networking
08:45 – 09:10
Welcome Remarks & Event Orientation
Mr. Jean-Marc Sheitoyan, President, S4B Defense Corp. | Program Director, Counter-UAS & AI Deployment Accelerator
Dr. Alexandre Joyce, Master of Ceremonies
09:10 – 09:40
Senior Military Keynote
The Evolving UAS & Counter-UAS Threat Environment
Colonel Scott Humr, Ph.D., Division Chief, Science & Technology, Joint Interagency Task Force 401
09:40 – 10:20
Operator Perspectives Panel
Military, government, and critical infrastructure stakeholders on capability gaps and operational challenges.
Moderated by Mr. Jim Falasco, Director of Strategic Business, AeroGear Telemetry
10:20 – 11:20
Signature Workshop #1 – Strategic Networking Sprint (Form)
Facilitated introductions connecting operators, tech providers, integrators, academia, government, and investors around operational challenges
(This includes the break)
11:20 – 12:00
Technology & Innovation Spotlights #1
Selected companies present technologies and capabilities
12:00 – 13:00
Networking Lunch
Curated seating and strategic introductions
Signature Workshop Series: Operational Collaboration & Matchmaking
The defining feature of the Accelerator. A recurring series of facilitated, hands-on working sessions spanning both days that combine operational challenge identification, structured networking, capability mapping, matchmaking, testing design, and deployment planning to accelerate pilots, partnerships, and capability transition, following the proven team development model: Form → Norm → Storm → Perform.
Hosted by Dr. Alexandre Joyce, Lead Workshop Facilitator
13:00 – 14:30
Signature Workshop #2 – Problem Framing (Norm)
Identify the most significant barriers preventing faster Counter-UAS adoption, testing, and deployment. Participants define operational needs and capability gaps, then map those needs against technology capabilities, testing resources, funding opportunities, and deployment enablers across the ecosystem.
14:30 – 15:00
Networking Break
15:00 – 16:30
Signature Workshop #3 — Creative Prototyping (Part 1) (Storm)
Cross-functional teams begin rapid, creative prototyping of Counter-UAS and UAS concepts, drawing on the day's operational and capability insights, and form collaborative groups around pilot, testing, experimentation, and deployment initiatives.
16:30 – 17:00
Collaboration Opportunity Brief-Outs & Day 1 Wrap-Up
Teams present challenges, solution pathways, stakeholder requirements, pilot opportunities, and next steps.
Evening Networking Reception
Hosted Introductions
Facilitated introductions based on Matchmaking outcomes
Cocktail Reception
Food stations, refreshments, and informal networking
Sponsor Recognition
Recognition of organizations supporting the Deployment Accelerator
Special Performance
Live acoustic entertainment
Day 2: Technology, Partnerships & Deployment Acceleration
08:15 – 08:45
Coffee Networking
Coffee, pastries, fruit, informal networking
08:45 – 09:00
Day 2 Kickoff
Dr. Alexandre Joyce, Master of Ceremonies
Review of Day 1 observations, collaboration opportunities, and Day 2 objectives
09:00 – 09:15
Featured Innovation Speaker
Dr. Alain L. Bujold, PhD, DBA, Founder & CEO, Bujold Innovation LABS19 LLC
Nature-Inspired Innovation for Future Counter-UAS and UAS Systems
09:15 – 10:15
Technology & Innovation Spotlights #2
Counter-UAS, Artificial Intelligence, Autonomy, Sensors, Electronic Warfare, Directed Energy, and UAS Integration
10:15 – 10:30
Networking Break
10:30 – 12:00
Signature Workshop #4 — Creative Prototyping (Part 2) (Storm)
Teams continue creative prototyping of Counter-UAS and UAS concepts, informed by the Grand Forks ecosystem and Industry Demonstrations & Capability Showcases, refining concepts toward testable solutions.
12:00 – 13:00
Networking Lunch
Curated seating and strategic introductions
13:00 – 15:00
Signature Workshop #5 — Creative Prototyping (Part 3) (Storm)
Teams present their prototype concepts and receive structured feedback from peers, then military, government, industry, and investment stakeholders assess pilot, testing, and deployment opportunities.
15:00 – 15:30
Networking Break
15:30 – 16:15
Signature Workshop #6 — Collaboration & Deployment Planning (Perform)
Establish 30-, 60-, and 90-day action plans, including stakeholder engagement, pilots, testing opportunities, partnership development, funding pathways, and deployment milestones.
16:15 – 16:30
Commitments & Next Steps
Formal capture of commitments, key observations, and follow-on actions.
Mr. Jean-Marc Sheitoyan, President, S4B Defense Corp. | Program Director, Counter-UAS & AI Deployment Accelerator
Featured Speakers
Hear from distinguished military and innovation leaders sharing operational insights, emerging challenges, and real-world perspectives on accelerating defense capability deployment.
Col Scott Humr, Ph.D.
Senior Military Keynote Speaker
Division Chief, Science & Technology
Joint Interagency Task Force 401
The Evolving UAS & Counter-UAS Threat Environment
To defeat the rapidly evolving drone threat, we must overhaul how we acquire and deploy defensive capabilities. As the mission expands beyond the Department of War to secure our homeland and critical infrastructure, industry must abandon closed, proprietary silos. The problem demands open-architecture systems, layered defenses, and software-defined interoperability. JIATF 401’s operational priorities, drives rigorous real-world testing through our test standards, and challenges partners to aggressively forge an adaptable defense ecosystem.
Dr. Alain L. Bujold, PhD, DBA
Featured Innovation Speaker
Founder & CEO, Bujold Innovation LABS19 LLC
Nature-Inspired Innovation for Future Counter-UAS and UAS Systems
Featured Leadership
The Accelerator is led by experienced defense, operational, and technology professionals with direct experience in Counter-UAS operations, capability development, and deployment.
Mr. Jean-Marc Sheitoyan
Program Director, Counter-UAS & AI Deployment Accelerator
President, S4B Defense Corp.
Mr. Jim Falasco
Strategic Collaborator & Panel Moderator
Director of Strategic Business, AeroGear Telemetry
Dr. Alexandre Joyce
Master of Ceremonies & Lead Workshop Facilitator
Strategy & Innovation Advisor, innovation.expert
The Event Is the Starting Point, Not the Finish Line
Participants receive curated introductions, matchmaking support, and structured follow-on engagement designed to accelerate pilots, partnerships, testing opportunities, and deployment.
October 8–9
The Accelerator
Collaboration brief-outs, matchmaking, deployment opportunity reviews, and 90-day execution planning completed on-site.
Week 1
Match Reports & Introductions
Curated match reports delivered and formal introductions initiated between identified partners and stakeholders.
Month 1
Pilot & Partnership Discussions
Facilitated pilot discussions, partnership development, and opportunity scoping.
Month 3
Deployment Pathway Follow-Up
Progress reviews, opportunity tracking, and deployment pathway follow-up to advance commitments toward execution.
Agenda