Expanded speaker roster announced for premier Midwest defense summit features Vivek Ramaswamy, Technology Entrepreneur Raj Shah, and Senator Jim Banks

The Midwest Defense Innovation Summit (MDIS) returns October 15 - 16, 2025, at the Grand Hall Ballroom, Crowne Plaza Union Station in downtown Indianapolis, bringing together leaders from Washington, Silicon Valley, and the Midwest for two days focused on harnessing the region’s strengths to accelerate AI-driven defense innovation and procurement.

Powered by the Applied Research Institute (ARI), the 2025 summit zeroes in on AI and Innovation for National Security. Leaders from government, industry, and academia will tackle urgent questions: How can artificial intelligence move rapidly from lab to battlefield? What role will Midwest testing ranges, research labs, and advanced manufacturers play in America’s defense supply chain? And how can agile acquisition and startup partnerships outpace global competitors in the AI age?

Industry voices will share how new acquisition models are unlocking billions in federal contracts, while forward-looking sessions will examine the coming era of artificial general intelligence and its potential to transform operations, prototyping, and the defense supply chain.

The Applied Research Institute today announced an expanded roster of featured speakers, including:

• Senator Jim Banks — U.S. Senate (R-IN)
• Vivek Ramaswamy — Biotech Entrepreneur, Author, Former Presidential Candidate
• Raj Shah — Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Shield Capital, Author of Unit X: How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley Are Transforming the Future of War
• John-Clark Levin — Kurzweil Technologies
• Jennifer Thabet — Program Director, Small Business Programs Office, DARPA
• Jeffrey Zaleski — DARPA Program Manager, Biological Technologies Office
• Dr. Kyle Werner — Deputy Technical Director, NSWC Crane

“AI is rewriting the playbook for national defense, and the Midwest plays a pivotal role,” said David Roberts, CEO of the Applied Research Institute. “With its manufacturing strength, research universities, central logistics networks, and skilled workforce, the Midwest is a strategic engine for defense innovation. MDIS 2025 is where defense priorities meet these regional strengths, turning vision into field-ready capabilities and ensuring America’s technological edge in the AI age.”

• When: October 15–16, 2025
• Where: Grand Hall Ballroom, Crowne Plaza Union Station, 123 W. Louisiana St., Indianapolis, IN 46225
• Registration: Advance registration required; no onsite registration available.

For the latest agenda and for sponsor opportunities visit: www.midwestdefenseinnovationsummit.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250827048593/en/

"With its manufacturing strength, research universities, central logistics networks, and skilled workforce, the Midwest is a strategic engine for defense innovation." - David Roberts, CEO Applied Research Institute