
Gregory Crabb, former CISO of USPS & Beth-Anne Bygum, CISO of Q2, one of America’s leading FinTechs, to discuss Cyber Survivability
Summit to convene local and national stakeholders in Little Rock, Arkansas, September 17-19th for national event. Forge Institute today announced the initial speaker and sponsor lineup for the 7th Annual Forge Summit. Taking place September 17-19 in Little Rock, the summit will convene top experts from the front lines of corporate and national security to provide actionable strategies for defending America's critical industries and opportunities to securely leverage emergent technologies to advance critical technology capabilities for national security.

Forge Institute Spotlights Arkansas's Future Aerospace & Defense Leaders at Phoenix Xcelerator Demo Day on May 29
Forge Institute invites the community to experience the next wave of aerospace and defense innovation at the highly anticipated Phoenix Xcelerator Demo Day. This premier event, taking place on Thursday, May 29, 2025, from 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM at the Clinton Presidential Center, marks the culmination of an intensive 12-week accelerator program featuring a cohort of promising startups from Arkansas and across the country, poised to impact national security and boost Arkansas’s economy.

Phoenix Xcelerator Announces 2025 Cohort, Innovative Defense Solutions
The Forge Institute is proud to announce the startups selected for the highly competitive Phoenix Xcelerator program. After an extensive review of applicants from across the nation, these early-stage innovators have been chosen for their cutting-edge solutions and potential to disrupt their categories.
The Phoenix Xcelerator is a no-cost, no-equity accelerator designed to fast-track promising startups tackling aerospace and defense challenges.

Forge Institute and Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) to collaborate on the advancement of analytic methods for publicly available information to support operations in the Information Environment
Forge Institute, recognized for pioneering private-public partnerships in the national defense arena, is proud to announce a multi-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Information Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

Forge Institute & Arkansas Aerospace and Defense Alliance Partner to Boost Veteran Talent and Cybersecurity for Arkansas’ Defense Industry
Today, the Forge Institute announced a strategic partnership with the Arkansas Aerospace & Defense Alliance (AADA). This partnership will boost access to veteran talent, enhance the cybersecurity capabilities of the aerospace & defense industry in Arkansas, and drive innovation collaborations to support national defense.

Lee Watson Leads Mid-American Aerospace & Defense Summit Discussion on Cyber & Counterintelligence
“The increase in use of technology and the growing sophistication of data-based adversaries are contributing to the growing threat to our aerospace and defense industries,” explained Watson, who appeared via special invitation from Chad Causey, Executive Director of the Arkansas Aerospace & Defense Alliance.