2026 National Cyber Innovation Forum Convenes Top Leaders for Event at the U.S. Capitol This May

ARLINGTON, Va., April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Cyber Innovation Forum (NCIF), a premier convening of cybersecurity and national security leaders, will host its fourth annual gathering and its first year as a project of GMU Scalia Law School's National Security Institute & the NSI Cyber & Tech Center in Washington, D.C. on May 21, 2026. The Forum brings together senior leaders from industry and government to advance digital hegemony and strengthen the United States' cybersecurity posture in an era of intensifying geopolitical competition.

The Forum brings together senior leaders from industry and government to advance digital hegemony and strengthen the United States' cybersecurity posture in an era of intensifying geopolitical competition.

Now in its fourth year, the Forum convenes a trusted community of cyber and national security leaders from across the public and private sectors for high-impact dialogue to advance our national defense, industry preparedness, cyber strategy, policy readiness, and technology innovation and adoption.

Founded by industry leaders, this one-day gathering offers unique perspectives on emerging technology, capital formation, policy efforts to accelerate the innovation ecosystem, and public-private collaboration to accelerate cyber innovation and defend the digital world.

"The cyber landscape is evolving at a pace that demands new levels of collaboration between government, innovators, and investors," said Andrew McClure, Founder of the National Cyber Innovation Forum, Managing Director at Forgepoint Capital & Senior Fellow at the NSI Cyber & Tech Center. "NCIF is designed to bring together the leaders shaping this future who are building emerging technologies, crafting policy, and defending our nation's critical infrastructure to ensure the United States remains secure and preserves our tech dominance."

As noted above, the Forum brings together senior leaders from across government, industry, venture capital, and technology to confront the most urgent cyber and national security threats facing the United States. From state-backed intrusions targeting critical infrastructure to emerging AI-enabled risks, the NCIF examines how America can defend its technological primacy while fostering innovation, resilience, and security.

Through high-level strategic dialogue, the Forum provides a platform for actionable solutions to defend the nation, deepen collaboration between Silicon Valley and Washington DC, accelerate adoption of cutting-edge cyber capabilities, secure critical infrastructure, promote partnerships that enhance mission needs, and build durable cyber resilience for the future.

"Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical issue – it is a core pillar of national security and economic strength," said Jamil Jaffer, Founder and Executive Director of the National Security Institute. "The National Cyber Innovation Forum plays a critical role in bringing together the policymakers, operators, and innovators needed to meet this moment with urgency and clarity. NSI and the NSI Cyber & Tech Center are proud to host the NCIF this year as a project of NSI CTC."

This year's Forum will feature an exceptional lineup of speakers from across industry and government, including:

• White House National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross
  
  
• CIA Deputy Director Michael Ellis
  
  
• Acting CISA Director Nick Andersen
  
  
• White House Senior Director for Cybersecurity Alexei Bulazel
  
  
• Department of War General Counsel Earl Matthews
  
  
• Assistant Secretary of War for Cyber Policy Katie Sutton
  
  
• CMS Deputy Administrator Stephanie Carlton
  
  
• Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA)
  
  
• New York State Director of Security and Intelligence Colin Ahern
  
  
• Schellman President Doug Barbin
  
  
• Forescout Chief Technology Officer Justin Foster
  
  
• Anduril Chief Information Security Officer Joe McCaffrey
  
  
• IonQ Chief Information Officer Katie Arrington
  
  
• Anthropic Head of Cyber and National Security Policy Rob Bair; and
  
  
• OpenAI Head of Government Joe Larson, among others

Please stay tuned as we announce more speakers.

"Public-private partnership has always been at the heart of American innovation," said Craig Abod, President of Carahsoft. "The National Cyber Innovation Forum exemplifies how industry and government can come together to drive meaningful progress. Carahsoft is glad to support this program once again to accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies and strengthen our shared mission."

"We are all experiencing AI and quantum breakthroughs and changes are outpacing the traditional cycles of dialogue." said Matthew Rose, Head of Corporate and Government Affairs at Snowflake. "This Cyber Innovation Forum on Capitol Hill is a timely imperative to ensure policy evolves at the speed of innovation."

This year's agenda at the National Cyber Innovation Forum will focus on key themes shaping the future of cybersecurity and national defense, including:

1. AI and Cybersecurity: Managing risks and unlocking opportunities for autonomous cyber operations to enhance mission and defend networks.
   
   
2. Public-Private Collaboration: Building durable partnerships between government, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders.
   
   
3. Defending Critical Infrastructure: Addressing persistent and emerging threats from nation-state adversaries targeting vital systems.
   
   
4. Enhancing Trust by Eliminating Fraud: Countering fraud in healthcare, financial services and government services is key to buttressing support and adoption for digital innovation.
   
   
5. Strategic Leadership in an Era of Persistent Cyber Competition: Shared priorities for U.S. cyber and national defense strategies to align policy, operations, and innovation to address long-term strategic competition.

The Forum will convene a curated, invite-only audience of senior leaders for on-the-record discussions, reinforcing its role as a trusted venue for advancing national cyber priorities.

Interested participants can apply to register here.

The National Cyber Innovation Forum is project of the National Security Institute and made possible through the support of our program sponsors, including Akin Group, Ark Strategy, Booz Allen Hamilton, Carahsoft, CoreStack, DataTribe, ForeScout, Forgepoint Capital, Gula Tech Adventures, In-Q-Tel, Knox Systems, Okta, Open Policy, Paladin Capital Group, SailPoint, Schellman, Snowflake, Surefire Cyber, and World Wide Technology (WWT).

More on the National Cyber Innovation Forum can be found at: https://www.nationalcyberinnovationforum.com/.

About the National Cyber Innovation Forum

The National Cyber Innovation Forum is an annual convening of cybersecurity leaders from across industry and government dedicated to advancing collective defense and strengthening the nation's cybersecurity posture. Founded by industry leaders, NCIF brings together a trusted community to drive meaningful dialogue and actionable solutions at the intersection of cyber policy, innovation, and national security.

About the National Security Institute

The National Security Institute & the NSI Cyber & Tech Center at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School serves as a platform for research, teaching, scholarship, and policy development. NSI incorporates a realistic assessment of the threats facing the United States and its allies, as well as an appreciation of the legal and practical challenges facing our intelligence, law enforcement, national security, technology, innovation, and cybersecurity communities.

Media Contact:
Hannah Hanes
[email protected]

SOURCE National Security Institute