
#DEFENSETECHJAM
GAME DEVS + RAPID PROTOTYPING
MOBILIZING IN SEATTLE SEPTEMBER 18th 2026
1 Weekend of Challenges - Infinite Possibilities
Want to support the Jam? Not sure if its for you?
Game Devs, Defense Subject Matter Experts, Active or Retired Military,
Web & Tech Devs, Mentors & Volunteers.

SO WHAT’S A DEFENSE TECH JAM ?
It is the collaborative innovation event that works closely with the Defense Industry
Defense·Tech·Jam
noun
1. an event in which individuals come together in a physical environment and attempt to rapidly prototype a game (video or otherwise) focused on some element of the challenges faced by the various branches of the military in a limited amount of time;
A "defense" hackathon: She was on the team that made that awesome game that solved key challenges at the Defense Tech Jam!
2026 Challenges
BELOW ARE CHALLENGES TEAMS ARE ENCOURAGED TO FORM SOLUTIONS ON.
Let's have a conversation
AI Familiarization Through Interactive Assistants
Soldiers are gaining access to increasingly capable AI assistants that can make intelligence, training materials, publications, and technical manuals easier to explore. The challenge is helping users build the confidence and practical skills to engage these tools effectively—especially when information is complex, unfamiliar, or time-sensitive.
Create game-based experiences that let participants interact with different types of conversational AI assistants, test effective prompting and information-retrieval strategies, and become more comfortable integrating AI into real-world mission workflows.

Team AI:
Trust your Synthetic Teammates
Calibrating Trust with AI Teammates
Effective human-autonomy teaming requires more than simply trusting an AI system. Operators must recognize when to rely on an autonomous teammate, when to question its recommendation, and when human judgment must take the lead.
Develop game play that rewards well-calibrated trust while exposing the risks of misuse, complacency, disuse, mistrust, and overreliance. Players should practice building strategies that help human and synthetic teammates perform effectively together in dynamic decision environments.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions All Around!
Command & Decision under information overload
Modern decision-makers must interpret growing volumes of information whose relevance, accuracy, and urgency may be uncertain. In high-risk environments, teams need disciplined ways to exchange information, reduce noise, delegate tasks, and act on the most consequential insights before time runs out.
Create an engaging single- or multiplayer strategy game that places participants inside an information-saturated scenario. The experience should reinforce effective data exchange, prioritization, task coordination, and timely decision-making while accounting for the added speed and complexity introduced by automation and AI.

Living Terrain: 3D Change Detection
Rapid Mapping for
Wildfire, Training, and Mission Planning
Land cover and vegetation can change faster than conventional maps can be updated. Outdated information limits wildfire modeling, obscures conditions at the urban interface, and reduces the accuracy of environmental, remote-sensing, and training-impact assessments.
Build a game that that fuses space-, airborne-, and ground-based observations into frequently updated, high-resolution 3D vegetation and land-cover data. Solutions may create new voxelized inputs by connecting sources such as GEDI and airborne laser scanning, or build applications using FastFuels, with AI-driven imputation filling critical information gaps.

Code the Abyss: Fast Data Challenge
Turn Undersea Mission Data into Actionable Insight
Undersea platforms, unmanned systems, sensors, and test ranges generate large volumes of mission data. When processing and analysis take too long, engineers and operators lose valuable time identifying performance issues, understanding outcomes, and improving the next mission.
Create a simple working prototype that shortens the path from raw data to meaningful insight. Through automated processing, visualization, or analysis, the solution should help users detect patterns sooner, investigate issues faster, and convert complex undersea mission data into decisions that strengthen operational effectiveness.
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General Categories of Interest
SOLVING DEFENSE PROBLEMS, ALSO HELPS SOLVE WORLD PROBLEMS. THINK DUAL USE SOLUTIONS.

Training & Human Performance
Immersive Simulation | Skill Retention | Cognitive Load | Team Readiness | Physical Readiness

Helping
our Defenders
Mental Health | Sleep & Recovery | Injury Prevention | PTSD & Depression
Veteran & Community
Support
Deployment Challenges | Family, Spouse & Child Support | Workforce Transition | Healthcare Access
Core Ecosystem Benefits
These are the fundamental goals we ask of ourselves and our partners
within all of our actions and activities, as we tackle hard problems and seek their solutions.

Relationship
Building
We create spaces where developers, industry leaders, students and experts connect in meaningful ways. These relationships often evolve into lasting friendships, partnerships, mentorships, and collaborations.

Innovation
meets Mission
Our jams must act as rapid prototyping labs where teams explore new and experimental frontier tech and test bold ideas. This low-risk environment sparks innovation and insights that partners can take back into their organizations.
We must create a safe and fun place to fail or succeed.

Regional
Spotlight
Our events must highlight the strengths that define a region—By showcasing local talent and organizations we elevate our cities, counties and communities in a positive and unique ways onto a national and global stage.

Recruitment, Retention & Refinement
Our jams give developers a chance to sharpen their skills in a fast, creative environment while companies can provide stimulating experiences that help retain their talent. At the same time, sponsors and mentors can spot emerging talent in action, creating natural pathways for recruitment and team growth.
Is this jam for me?
How can I get Involved?
Defense Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
You know the lay of the land, of the industry, or the hard aspects of conflict, war and maintaining peace. Have you been in the field as active military or supported our guardians, warfighters, and defenders? The devs don't know what you know. We need you to guide our teams as they rapidly prototype solutions.
Tech & Game Dev Mentors
Building things the smart way is already hard, with limited time is even harder. If you are an expert in the tools, devices, software, platforms and methods that can make solutions happen we need you to help guide the devs building under pressure.
Sponsors / R&D Partners
You make innovation happen. You will be in front of highly skilled, trained talent, have your brand on full display and fully integrated into the weekend. Have a technology you want some R&D experimented on? Have a challenge you want others to take a stab at? Want to highlight your brand or tech? We need you!
Game & Tech
Developers
You turn ideas into reality. Whether you build immersive games, develop cutting-edge software, or craft innovative tech solutions, your skills bring visions to life. Over an intense weekend, you’ll join forces with experts, mentors, and innovators to tackle challenges, prototype rapidly, and create something amazing from the ground up.
First
Timers
New to game jams, hackathons, or tech events? This is your chance to dive in, learn, and create alongside experienced developers, mentors, and industry pros. No matter your skill level, you’ll gain hands-on experience, build your portfolio, this is a safe place to fail or success and discover just how much you can accomplish in one weekend.
SO HOW DOES THE EVENT WORK?
THROUGH THE CHAOS OF RAPID INNOVATION EMERGES MISSION FOCUS
PRIZES AND AWARDS
OUR AMAZING VENUE
HELPFUL SKILLS
F E A T U R E S
Check out Previous Projects
Learn about EMERGING & GAMING TECH
USED WITHIN THE MILITARY SIMULATION INDUSTRY
CAPT. DAN COVELLI -
ARMED FORCES JAM INTERVIEW
TYSON GRIFFIN - DESCRIBES THE VALUE OF GAME JAMS EFFECT ON IMPROVING DEFENSE WITH TALENT & CREATIVITY
SUPPORT US
Are you an organization within the Defense Industry?
Be a part of this event. With your help we can discover innovative and sometimes unconventional concepts
that can help our Defense Industry and this event is the place to do it!
We’d also love for you to participate in our Innovation & Diversifier Challenges: You provide us a set of goals or initiatives
and watch as some of our development teams take them on, building games incorporating the elements in which you are interested.
Want exposure and make an impact? Click Here to become a Sponsor
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