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ONR’s I2D, TECHx Events Connect Industry Innovators with Naval S&T Priorities

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Dr. Thomas Fu addresses attendees during ONR’s Innovation Industry Days (I2D) event.
Dr. Thomas Fu — Office of Naval Research (ONR) Executive Director performing the duties of Chief of Naval Research — addresses attendees during ONR’s Innovation Industry Days (I2D) event. I2D, in conjunction with ONR’s Focus Area Technical Exchanges (ONR TECHx), brought together participants from the defense, commercial and emerging technology sectors to accelerate warfighter capabilities for the Navy and Marine Corps. (U.S. Navy photo by Michael Walls)

For Immediate Release: Sep 30, 2026
By Cherish T. Gilmore, Office of Naval Research

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Office of Naval Research (ONR) concluded a week of direct engagement with industry on Sept. 24. It hosted Innovation Industry Days (I2D) Sept. 21-22, followed by Focus Area Technical Exchanges, known as ONR TECHx, Sept. 23-24, all held at George Mason University’s Mason Square in Ballston.

The back-to-back events brought together approximately 300 participants from the defense, commercial and emerging technology sectors to accelerate warfighter capabilities for the Navy and Marine Corps.

"What we saw this week was industry showing up ready to solve real problems, not hypothetical ones,” said Dr. Thomas Fu, ONR Executive Director performing the duties of Chief of Naval Research. “The direct dialogue between our program officers and our partners is exactly how we close technology gaps faster and get capability into the hands of Sailors and Marines sooner."

During I2D, ONR leaders and technical experts shared 15-year science and technology roadmaps spanning 11 Focus Areas, highlighting the research opportunities, challenges and technology needs facing the Fleet and Force.

Focus Areas included Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy; Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) and Naval Space; Directed Energy and Kinetic Systems; Materials and Electronics; Human and Biological Systems; Manufacturing; Naval Engineering; Naval Aerospace; Ocean Atmosphere and Space; Power and Energy; and Undersea Systems.

The event’s structure — combining large-group portfolio briefings with smaller, focused office hours — was designed to move beyond one-way information sharing and toward substantive, two-way technical exchange.

ONR TECHx built on those broader briefings with focused exchanges and one-on-one discussions between industry partners and ONR program officers and technical leads.

More than 200 of the companies present were new performers for ONR.

Event organizers noted the smaller-group format gave attendees the chance to dive deeper into specific research priorities, share relevant capabilities and explore potential pathways for collaboration.

I2D and ONR TECHx offer more frequent opportunities for technological exchange with the Navy and Marine Corps’ focus areas.

About the Office of Naval Research

This year, the Department of the Navy’s Office of Naval Research (ONR) marks its 80th anniversary. For 80 years, ONR — including headquarters, ONR Global and the Naval Research Laboratory — has been a leader in advancing American naval warfighter readiness and dominance through innovations in science and technology for the Navy and Marine Corps. Today, ONR’s continued dedication to providing the Fleet and Force with the technological edge is catalyzing the advancement and delivery of combat systems, sensors, weapons, materials, robotic and autonomous systems and numerous other state-of-the-art, naval platforms and capabilities.