Forge Summit 2026—Linking the Industrial Heartland to the Irregular Front—National Experts in AI, Cyber, and Irregular Warfare to Convene in North Little Rock on October 13-14

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Foreign adversaries are increasingly using irregular warfare to bypass traditional military defenses and directly attack the American economy. By targeting the power grids, water systems, and local businesses communities rely on daily, these hidden attacks threaten our fundamental way of life. Because no organization can fight a foreign nation-state alone, this year’s Forge Summit unites corporate executives, utility operators, and policymakers to share actionable threat intelligence and secure new defense technologies, building a unified defense network across the public and private sectors.

Taking place October 13-14 in North Little Rock, Arkansas, the 2026 Forge Summit is a critical gathering of the nation’s top business innovators and national security experts. The event directly addresses the urgent need for actionable strategies, connecting the Heartland business community with the people, solutions, and technologies necessary to protect their operations, data, and bottom line. Sharing intelligence in a trusted environment is essential to stopping hidden attacks before they disrupt the daily services citizens depend on.

This year’s agenda is purpose-built to foster the growth of America's researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, defense manufacturers, and information security specialists. It empowers professionals to rapidly adopt emerging technologies that benefit national security missions and enhance our economic security. The Forge Summit features keynote speakers, diverse panel discussions, hands-on workshops, and unique breakout sessions designed for deeper engagement, networking, and relationship building.

Each year, the Forge Summit draws hundreds of corporate and critical infrastructure executives, academic researchers, defense and intelligence leaders, and national security professionals across several states. Past speakers have included senior leaders from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, capitol hill, federal laboratories, Tyson, Q2, HBS, Fortinet, and Horizon3. Engaging with this community provides attendees with a vital "sensor" for emerging threats and an opportunity to tap into the creative problem-solving and industrial capacity of the American Heartland.

The Forge Summit is not a conference where you sit and listen to theories—it is an active proving ground. Attendees can collaborate directly with military leaders, utility operators, and tech innovators to map out shared defense challenges and learn exactly what risks threaten daily operations. Participants will learn how to safely deploy emerging technologies, like artificial intelligence, to address these vulnerabilities. The outcome is a clear, tactical roadmap to upgrade physical and digital defenses, ensuring daily operations outpace attacks and never fail.

Invited and Featured Speakers Include:

  • Congressman Rick Crawford, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

  • Jonathan Askins, Strategic Advisor, CoreView

  • Harry Wingo, Sr. VP Strategic Initiatives, Circadence & Fmr. Deputy National Cyber Director

  • Bill Carter, Public Sector Cybersecurity Strategist, Fortinet

  • H. Beth Anne Bygum, Chief Information Security Officer, Q2

  • Carlos-Raul Sanchez, Sr. Director, Operation Technology Solutions Engineer, Fortinet

  • Senator Tom Cotton, Chairman, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (invited)

  • Admiral Richard Correll, Commander, STRATCOM (invited)

  • General Gregory Guillot, Commander, NORTHCOM (invited)

  • Senator John Boozman, Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (invited)

  • Russell Miller, Director, Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (invited)

  • Jonas Anderson, Millennial Mayor, CTO & Mayor of Cave City, Arkansas

  • John Hollenberger, Lead Consultant, FortiGuard Proactive Services, Fortinet

  • Senior Leaders from the Air Force Research Lab (invited)

Other keynotes, panels, workshops, and fireside chats will be announced soon.

Highlighting Our Leading Sponsors:

The 2026 Forge Summit is proudly supported by our premier sponsors, Fortinet, Q2 and APEX (an AFRL PIA), who are leading the charge in developing robust cybersecurity solutions and defending the Heartland's infrastructure. Happy Hour is sponsored by HBS | Cisco. 

Registration and Information:

Registration for the 2026 Forge Summit is now open. Due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, attendance is strictly restricted to U.S. Citizens, and Chatham House Rules apply. Registration closes September 30th.

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Key Facts:

  • Access to Strategic Leaders: Network directly with corporate C-suite executives, utility operators, and senior officials from the military and Intelligence Community  and top AI and Cyber tech firms.

  • Actionable AI Defense, Not Theory: Walk away with next steps to safely deploy emerging tech and protect critical infrastructure and business operations against nation-state threats.

  • Exclusive, High-Trust Environment: Restricted to U.S. citizens under Chatham House Rules enabling candid, threat sharing.

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