We didn’t host Offset ’25 to talk about what’s broken. We brought the ecosystem together to spotlight momentum and chart the path forward.

On May 15, the Mellon Auditorium in D.C. turned into a launchpad for operational technology, candid conversation, and new ways of doing business in national security to power software for the free world. Leaders from government, tech, venture, and defense gathered for one reason: the mission can’t wait.

Moving at the pace of the mission

From the opening keynote to conversations around acquisition, one thing was clear: the status quo isn’t good enough. Senator Markwayne Mullin set the tone early with a directive to the ecosystem: 

“Get in your lane. Drive. Don’t worry about ruffling feathers. You’re in an administration that’s all about ruffling feathers now. Go over, go through, go around whoever’s blocking you. They want change.”

Markwayne Mullin

Senator, Oklahoma

That tone carried across the day: it’s not about waiting for change, it’s about leading it. Across panels, leaders emphasized the need for flexible budgets, faster timelines, and empowered decision-making to keep pace with tech and threats. We’re not in a cycle of incremental improvement—we’re in a moment that demands bold, decisive moves.

Builders, backers, and buyers: no one wins alone

War Bonds 2.0 focused on building a coalition—aligning capital, capability, and commitment to move faster, emphasizing the defense industry’s readiness. Jamie McGurk captured it clearly:

“There’s never been more pressure on the U.S. to advance technologically… and that pressure is coming directly from China, and we’re in a race.. and we’re finally seeing defense welcome in technology and change.”

Jamie McGurk

General Partner, BAM Elevate

Rather than siloing success into separate streams—capital, capability, contracting—the conversation focused on syncing them. Panelists pointed to the importance of dual-use software, co-development with end users, and the shared responsibility to support pathways from concept to deployment. The message? This is an ecosystem effort, and we only win if we work together.

Build what works, not what’s familiar

Trust came up again and again—not as a security requirement, but as something earned through shared outcomes, consistent delivery, and open lines of communication.

Panelists reinforced that secure, compliant, and scalable software must be developed together, not traded off. The message was clear: to field what works, the ecosystem needs partners willing to work together, the right teams in the room, and a focus on the outcome, not just the requirements.

Rob Nolen, Chief Technologist, DoD at AWS summed it up well:

“It’s a joint understanding from the very beginning of what we want to accomplish… Be less prescriptive about how, just give me the what and the why and when you need it. And let’s partner on that up front… Make sure that it’s a joint win when we deliver a capability for a customer.”

Rob Nolen

Chief Technologist, AWS

Justin Fanelli, CTO of the Navy, echoed that shift in mindset:

“We have a lot to kind of unpack and in some cases unlearn. There have been a lot of folks—not everyone—but a lot of folks who have been playing not to lose, and that’s a bad strategy for winning… We see this as a very aligned reset. If you’d like to play to win, this is your heyday. This is your renaissance if you want to deliver much, much more.”

Justin Fanelli

CTO, US Navy

This isn’t business as usual. It’s a reset—one that rewards teams willing to challenge assumptions, unlearn legacy thinking, and build for outcomes that matter.

Mission obsessed: from demos to deployment

From main stage demos to the 30+ technologies showcased in the Customer Gallery, the message was clear: this community is building real, relevant solutions for national security.

Of course we need more tech, but we also need faster pathways to fielding it. The day made a case for broadening the aperture on what mission-ready software looks like and finding new ways to accelerate its integration. The ecosystem needs more builders, more demand signals, and more creative friction between problem-owners and solution-makers.

The demos proved that mission-ready tech is here and it’s working. The challenge now is scaling what works and empowering more companies to cross the threshold from promising to deployed.

What’s next?

Offset ’25 was where mission met momentum. From accelerating acquisition to integrating capital to removing cultural blockers, the mission is calling for aligned action. Now? We build, we invest, we work together, and we adapt to protect our freedoms.

We’ll be back in 2026. And if you’re building, funding, or deploying the next generation of national security tech, Offset is where you need to be. Subscribe to the Cadre Report and be the first to know when Offset ’26 registration opens.