National security meets next-gen tech at Disrupt 2025 AI Defense panel | TechCrunch

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 is where breakthrough ideas meet the real-world challenges that define the future — and with over 10,000 startup and VC leaders converging, there’s no better place to have the hard conversations. One of the most urgent? How artificial intelligence is reshaping national defense, security, and critical infrastructure in real time.

Enter AI Defense, a can’t-miss panel discussion taking place on one of the two AI Stages, where leaders from government, venture, and the armed services will explore the high-stakes collision of innovation and national security.

Why this conversation matters now

With AI evolving at a blistering pace, the stakes for defense innovation have never been higher. From autonomous systems and decision intelligence to cybersecurity and battlefield readiness, the U.S. defense and intelligence communities are racing to build smarter, more adaptive technologies — without compromising ethics, oversight, or safety.

This panel explores the delicate balance between intelligence and control, the role of startups in defense innovation, and the multibillion-dollar opportunities emerging at the intersection of national security and AI.

If your startup touches defense, government, cybersecurity, or AI infrastructure, this is a conversation you can’t afford to miss.

Where defense, intelligence, and innovation converge

Onstage, you’ll hear from Dr. Kathleen Fisher, director of the Information Innovation Office at DARPA, who is leading the charge on tech that gives the U.S. and its allies an edge in the information wars of the 21st century. With a career that spans AT&T Labs and academia at Tufts University, Fisher blends research credibility with strategic vision, and she’s shaping the next generation of defense-grade AI.

Joining the panel is Sri Chandrasekar, managing partner at Point72 Ventures, and formerly a leader at In-Q-Tel, the CIA’s strategic investment arm. Chandrasekar knows how to spot frontier tech that moves the needle, and he’s built investment frameworks to support some of the intelligence community’s toughest missions.

Rounding out the panel is Justin Fanelli, chief technology officer for the Department of the Navy. Fanelli lives at the intersection of cybersecurity, innovation, and adoption, driving digital transformation across one of the most complex organizations in government. From his DARPA Service Chiefs Fellowship to his nationally recognized work in defense health and command systems, Fanelli brings the boots-on-the-ground perspective to how defense is done in the age of AI.

Catch it live at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

This AI Defense panel takes place on the AI Stage. Exact session time coming soon — but don’t wait to claim your pass.

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 runs October 27-29 at Moscone West in San Francisco. Join 10,000+ startup and VC leaders for three days of conversations and connections that define what’s next. Grab your pass now before prices increase after July.