Who is presenting the event?

It is hosted by STATION DC and presented by Air, formerly known as Govini.

Do I need approval to attend?

The STATION DC Members and Government ticket types require approval. A Non-Members ticket is also offered.

Yes. A happy hour for networking runs from 5:05 PM to 7:00 PM after the program.

Fed Supernova DC – StartDMV Events

Name: Fed Supernova DC
Start: 2026-11-05T13:00
End: 2026-11-05T19:00
Location: STATION DC, 1323 4th St NE Ste 200, Washington, DC 20002

A day-long program at STATION DC that brings government and private sector leaders together to discuss faster fielding of new capabilities. Keynotes and fireside chats cover contracting, appropriations and acquisition reform. Working sessions for founders, investors, operators and policymakers lead into company pitches and networking. Members attend free with approval and non-members pay $159.

What to expect

Fed Supernova DC is an afternoon program at STATION DC, presented by Air (formerly Govini), that puts technology companies and Washington decision makers in the same room. This edition focuses on the gap between approving a new capability and actually fielding it quickly, with administration officials and the leaders who field capabilities sharing the stage.

Agenda and speakers

1:00 PM: Doors, registration and light lunch
1:30 PM: Welcome
1:40 PM: Keynote, "The Readiness Gap," with Tara Murphy Dougherty, CEO of Air
2:10 PM: Fireside, "De-Risking Adoption," with Dougherty and additional speakers
3:15 PM: Panel, "A New Paradigm for Industry Access to Classified Information," covering classified infrastructure, cyber authorization timelines and test and evaluation access
4:20 PM: Fireside, "Judged by Delivery, Not Paperwork," with Grant Verstandig, Founder and CEO of Red Cell Partners
5:05 PM: Happy hour and networking until 7:00 PM

Other listed speakers include Sarah Pearson of the Defense Innovation Unit, John Hennessy, Procurement Executive at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and moderator Colleen Laughlin, former Executive Director of the Defense Innovation Board. Some fireside speakers are still to be announced.

Who should attend

Defense tech, dual-use and govtech founders, investors and operators who sell or plan to sell to the federal government, plus acquisition officials. If you are new to the DMV and want to understand how capabilities get adopted and fielded, this is a dense afternoon of that conversation.

Venue and access

STATION DC, 1323 4th St NE, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20002.

How to register

Register on the Luma event page. Ticket types include STATION DC Members and Government, both of which require approval, and a Non-Members ticket. Questions and sponsorship inquiries go to fedsupernovadc@stationdc.org.

Fed Supernova DC