The North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) and The Protocase Companies will co-present the inaugural Velocity Summit on November 17, 2026, in Wilmington, NC. The event will bring together leaders from industry, the military, government, policy, research, workforce development, and media to address a critical national security challenge: the speed at which the United States can turn military requirements into manufactured capability.
America's defense manufacturing challenge is fundamentally one of speed. Despite exceptional engineering talent, technology, capital, and advanced manufacturing expertise, it can take years to translate military requirements into fielded systems. Production delays, supply chain constraints, and limited surge capacity increasingly put national security at risk. The Velocity Summit will center on a practical question: how can the United States accelerate the conversion of military requirements into manufacturing capability at scale? Discussions will focus on reducing barriers across the defense industrial base, strengthening supply chains, and expanding capacity to build and sustain ships, aircraft, munitions, and other critical systems.
North Carolina is uniquely positioned to lead this effort. The Department of Defense has an estimated $79.7 billion annual economic impact in the state, where the military is the second-largest economic sector. North Carolina also boasts the Southeast's largest manufacturing workforce—approximately 459,000 jobs—more than 400 aerospace manufacturers, over 100,000 aerospace, aviation, and engineering professionals, six major military installations, two deep-water ports, leading research universities, and a statewide community college system. "We have an extraordinary collection of assets in this state," said Dr. Doug Milburn, co-founder of Protocase. "The opportunity is to connect those strengths around a common mission. That is what Velocity is intended to begin."
"It is the speed at which we can bring those strengths together to meet urgent national security needs," said Jimmy Hendrix, Director for Regional Programs at the North Carolina Military Business Center. "Velocity Summit is about creating the connections and alignment needed to help transform those strengths into faster, more responsive defense manufacturing capacity for the nation." The summit is designed to advance practical solutions and durable partnerships, unlike a traditional conference. NCMBC and The Protocase Companies envision the inaugural event as the beginning of a broader effort to strengthen defense manufacturing and raise the visibility of North Carolina's industrial capabilities.
For those interested in learning more, a new episode of ProtoPod features Dr. Doug Milburn and Jimmy Hendrix discussing the Velocity Summit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIQd1dHTixo. Additional information and registration details are available at https://www.ncmbc.us/event/velocity-summit/.
The implications of this announcement extend beyond a single event. As global threats evolve and supply chains remain fragile, the ability to rapidly produce and sustain defense systems is paramount. By convening key stakeholders, the Velocity Summit seeks to catalyze a systemic shift toward speed and agility in defense manufacturing. North Carolina's robust industrial and military ecosystem offers a fertile ground for piloting new approaches that could serve as a model for the nation. The summit's outcomes could influence policy, investment, and collaboration strategies, ultimately enhancing the United States' capacity to deter and respond to emerging challenges. With its focus on actionable connections and scalable solutions, the Velocity Summit represents a critical step toward ensuring that American defense manufacturing can keep pace with the demands of modern warfare.
