AIAA CTO Summit

The 2026 AIAA CTO Summit is an exclusive, invitation-only, 1.5-day gathering of Chief Technology Officers, Chief Scientists, and senior technology and business leaders from across the aerospace enterprise. The Summit brings together technology executives, customers, investors, and innovators to address a defining question for the aerospace industry:

How do we both achieve technology superiority and scale production faster?

The 2025 CTO Summit themes of AI, Autonomy, and Digital Thread have continued to advance at a remarkable pace. Yet over the last year, the challenge facing aerospace CTOs has accelerated dramatically and become more complex. Technological superiority alone is no longer enough. Across national security, space, and civil aviation, the pressure to scale production, compress timelines from concept to fielding, and build more resilient supply chains has intensified. Venture capital, private equity, and broader capital inflows are reshaping where innovation originates, how quickly it advances, and how rapidly it transitions to mission impact. Lessons from adjacent sectors, including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing, have become increasingly relevant to aerospace leaders.

At the Summit, participants will exchange hard-earned lessons, engage directly with key stakeholders, and help prioritize approaches to adopt and actions that will be taken to support the ecosystem in a candid, non-attributable environment designed for open discussion and collaboration.

Hear directly from leaders shaping and delivering the future of technology, scaling, policy, and investment, examples include:

The Hon. Joseph Jewell, Ph.D., Assistant Secretary of War for Science and Technology, on the dual challenge of maintaining technological superiority while accelerating production and fielding timelines.
Leadership from the Senate Committee on Appropriations, providing insight into the funding priorities and policy environment that will shape aerospace and defense innovation in the years ahead.
Aalok Mehta, Ph.D., Director, Wadhwani AI Center, CSIS, on how rapidly evolving AI capabilities are reshaping national security, economic competitiveness, and global strategic dynamics.
Carissa Christensen, CEO, BryceTech, on the breakthrough technologies driving the next era of aerospace innovation, from AI-enabled design to autonomous flight and reusable space systems.
CTOs and other senior business leaders from leading aerospace and defense organizations, high-growth technology companies, private equity and venture capital firms, and major customers, offering perspectives from across the innovation ecosystem.

Attire: Business casual.

Hotel: Archer Hotel Tysons Corner, the closest hotel to the venue. Please book your accommodation directly via the hotel's website. Join us for a reception, dinner, and networking event on 9 September at the Archer Hotel Tysons Corner.

Travel and Parking: Complimentary parking is available at MITRE Building 4 from 7 a.m.–6 p.m. Driving directions and Metro information are available here. The Archer Hotel Tysons Corner offers valet parking for $16 per vehicle for event attendees.