ACG in Austin on Wed. 3/6/19: Zach Walker, Defense Innovation Unit

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Event Details

When:

March 6, 2019 11:30 AM - 1 PM CST

Where:
Location Name
Fleming’s Steakhouse in downtown Austin
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Overview

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Zach Walker, Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)

"Accelerating Commercial Innovation for National Security"  

In today’s business environment, where technological innovations are moving faster than ever and national security threats are growing right along with them, who better to hear from than the guy who’s helped deploy over 250 million to solve national security challenges in some of our biggest technological arenas? 

Zach Walker is the Texas Lead for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), a Department of Defense (DoD) organization that protects and prepares the military from emerging threats by ensuring access to the most advanced commercial technologies in the world. Working with companies backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund, Sequoia Capital, Social Capital, Spark Capital, and more, Walker and his team are supporting the development of defense solutions in the realms of artificial intelligence, autonomy, human systems, information technology, and space. 
In short, Walker’s role is to accelerate commercial innovation to improve national security. How? Join us to find out how Walker and his team are encouraging collaboration between the DoD and the commercial technology sector to grease the wheels of security-focused innovation. 
 
Online registration is closed and this event is sold out. Walk-Ins will not be accommodated unless there are no-shows.
 

*NOTE: This event will be held at Fleming’s Steakhouse in downtown Austin (320 E 2nd St.  Austin, TX 78704).
Parking: We recommend the Convention Center garage at 201 E 2nd St. (entrances on Brazos & San Jacinto).


Your registration for this event acts as an audio/video release and includes your permission for ACG Central Texas to use your image and comments captured on audio, video or photographic formats while attending the event for marketing and promotional purposes. For further information please contact: Sara Singer - ACG Central Texas Chapter Executive @ acgcentraltexas@acg.org or 512-970-0417.

Cancellation Policy – Cancellations received in writing to acgcentraltexas@acg.org by 5PM, March 5th will receive a full refund. There are no refunds for cancellations received after 5PM on March 5th. If you are an ACG Member unable to attend, you can transfer your registration to another person for this same event. If the person attending in your place is not an ACG Member, they will need to pay an additional fee to bring them up to the non-member rate to attend.

Speakers

Zach Walker

Zach Walker

Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)
Texas Lead

Zach Walker is the Texas Lead for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), a Department of Defense (DoD) organization that protects and prepares the military from emerging threats by ensuring access to the most advanced commercial technologies in the world. He fosters greater collaboration between the DoD and the commercial technology sector to field better, faster, more cost-effective solutions while providing an important revenue source to emerging technology companies. He has helped deploy over $250 million of non-dilutive capital to solve national security challenges across five focus areas: Artificial Intelligence, Autonomy, Human Systems, Information Technology, and Space.

A native of Paris, Texas, Zach enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard after the 9/11 attacks and commissioned through Army ROTC in 2006. He served in a variety of enlisted and officer roles in the Army National Guard before transferring to the Air Force Reserve in 2012. He has over 15 years of intelligence, cybersecurity, and cyberwarfare experience as a military reservist, Federal civilian, and government contractor. He has served in the National Security Agency (NSA), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Air Force, and Army, where he earned a Bronze Star for wartime service. 

Zach is currently an MBA candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received his bachelor's degree from The University of Texas at Arlington and has a Master of Public Affairs degree from The University of Texas at Austin.

Hosted by: ACG
Chapter
Austin/San Antonio
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