Northern Michigan Defense Conference - Mar 5-6

February 15, 2026

March 5-6, Traverse City, MI

Advancing Innovation, Manufacturing & Collaboration in the Defense Industry
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
The Northern Michigan Defense Conference brings together manufacturers, innovators, government partners, and defense leaders for two days of insight, connection, and opportunity within the defense and federal contracting space.
This conference is designed to help businesses, especially those in manufacturing, advanced technology, and innovation, better understand how to engage, grow, and compete in the evolving defense ecosystem.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Manufacturing & Advanced Technology Companies ✔ Defense & Aerospace Suppliers ✔ Small Businesses & Entrepreneurs ✔ Engineering, Innovation & R&D Leaders ✔ Organizations interested in federal contracting & defense opportunities
WHAT TO EXPECT
Expert-led discussions on defense and federal procurement

Insights into innovation and emerging defense technologies

Engagement with government, primes, and industry partners

Networking with manufacturers and defense-focused organizations


Full agenda, speaker lineup, tickets, and sponsorship opportunities are available on the event website.
REGISTER & LEARN MORE
View the agenda, purchase tickets, and explore sponsorship opportunities: https://business.traverseconnect.com/events (Search: Northern Michigan Defense Conference 2026)

2026 Inaugural Young Professionals Event - March 27

February 3, 2026
Join Us at Velocity Center March 27th

Army T2COM Outreach in Detroit- March 4, 2026

January 8, 2026
Dear Arsenal of Democracy Chapter Industry Partners, We are excited to announce a new, critical opportunity to gain first-hand insights into the Army's evolving approach to delivering capabilities for America's Soldiers and to understand changes in the way the Army plans to work with industry. You are invited to a free, in-person industry presentation on "T2COM - A New Front Door to the Army" here in the Arsenal of Democracy on March 4, 2026 from 0900-1100. The session will be held at the Velocity Center, 6633 18 Mile Road, Sterling Heights, MI. We are inviting industry leaders to participate in a briefing co-hosted by the U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command (T2COM) and the Association of the United States Army (AUSA). Hear directly from LTG David J. Francis, a senior leader from T2COM headquarters, as he explains how industry can engage the Army through this new command, unifying the former U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command and U.S. Army Futures Command. This session will provide: An overview of T2COM’s mission, structure, and points of contact Insight into the new way to do business with the Army A live Q&A with Army and T2COM leadership T2COM Key Points: A New Front Door to the Army: Learn how T2COM provides a unified, end-to-end structure, creating a single point of entry for industry and streamlining the entire acquisition lifecycle from concept to capability. Designed for Speed and Collaboration: Discover how T2COM is purpose-built to reduce bureaucracy and foster a "team of teams" culture, enabling closer, more transparent partnerships to get the best technology into the hands of our Soldiers faster. Your Partner in Delivering Overmatch: T2COM is committed to early and continuous collaboration with industry; understand our capability requirements and learn how you can partner with us to solve the Army's toughest challenges and ensure our Soldiers have the decisive edge to win our Nation's wars. Following the briefing, speakers will remain available to continue conversations with industry attendees. Agenda: 0900-1000: Briefing from LTG Francis 1000-1030: Question and answer period 1030-UTC: Networking opportunity NOTE: T2COM's target audience for this session is industry partners. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TODAY