Australia’s defence‑tech moment is no longer just about national security. The Government’s soon-to-be-released 2026 defence strategy updates signal a decisive shift, aligning strategy, industry and capital to build sovereign capability in the technologies reshaping modern conflict and commerce.

As geopolitics intensify and technologies converge, Australia faces a critical set of choices: what must be built and controlled onshore, where global and allied integration delivers greater scale and speed, and how businesses can move from research excellence to revenue and procurement reality. AUKUS Pillar II opens new opportunities across AI, autonomy, quantum, cyber, electronic warfare and undersea systems, but raises hard questions about access, IP, talent, security and who ultimately captures value.

This conversation brings together Federal and State Government, industry, investors and the community to examine how Defence can be a smarter customer, how SMEs can cross the commercial “valley of death” from R&D to revenue, and how South Australia can position itself as a globally competitive defence‑tech hub in the decade ahead.

THEMES / DISCUSSION POINTS

1.The 2026 Defence Strategy Updates:
 - The National Defence Strategy
 - Defence Industry Development Strategy
 - Integrated Investment Program

2. Sovereign defence capability vs global integration: clarity for SMEs and start-ups
 

​3. The commercial funding gap between R&D and revenue in defence-tech
 

4.The future of AUKUS as a business opportunity
 

5.Defence as a customer: procurement, pace and risk​
 

6.Talent, Skills and Capital: How Defence can compete with global tech firms for the same AI, cyber and systems talent