Inside the Dome

This is the only dedicated regional defence conference in Australia that places prime contractors and SMEs in the same room for structured, direct engagement — making it a critical pipeline event for Hunter-region and NSW suppliers seeking to enter or grow within ADF programs. Senior leaders from all three services and Joint Capabilities attend, providing rare first-hand insight into current capability priorities and procurement pathways. For SMEs and startups, the small-group discussion format offers direct access to decision-makers that larger trade shows rarely replicate.

SubSTEC is Australia's only dedicated submarine science and engineering conference, making it the primary access point for suppliers seeking to engage the RAN submarine enterprise, Defence SA, and AUKUS programme decision-makers in a single venue. For SMEs and startups, the SME Spotlight sessions and tiered sponsorship tiers (Bronze upward) offer direct visibility to the naval and government officials who shape sovereign capability investment. With Australia committing to a multi-decade, multi-billion-dollar nuclear submarine transition, SubSTEC8 is the earliest opportunity to position technology and services ahead of major procurement cycles.

Podkarpackie is one of Central Europe's most established aerospace manufacturing bases, and this summit is the region's strategic move to pivot from aviation to drone/dual-use technology — directly relevant to defence suppliers and SMEs seeking to enter or expand in the UAS and dual-use market. The co-located Dual Use Challenge pitch finals offer startups direct access to VC funds, investors, and industrial primes on a single day. For defence-adjacent firms, the live airfield showcase at Stalowa Wola–Turbia — including counter-drone systems — provides rare hands-on demonstration access in a NATO-ally operational context.