The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is the world’s largest and most influential technology trade event, convened annually in Las Vegas and produced by the Consumer Technology Association. For Army FUZE, CES is a deliberate engagement environment that supports early identification of commercial demand signals and private-sector momentum relevant to Army modernization priorities and the Army’s Pathway for Innovation and Technology. Rather than serving as a showcase, CES enables FUZE to assess which technologies are gaining traction, demonstrating scalability, and warrant structured follow-on engagement within the Army’s innovation ecosystem.
During CES, Army FUZE engaged with more than 600 stakeholders across startups, small businesses, venture-backed firms, manufacturers, and commercial innovators. Engagements included curated meetings and technical discussions focused on assessing maturity, scalability, and relevance to Army needs. Conversations centered on technologies across artificial intelligence, autonomy, sensing, advanced manufacturing, and energy systems, all of which align closely with the Army’s modernization and operational priorities.
CES engagement also built on prior momentum across the FUZE portfolio. Last year, Army xTech, now fully aligned under Army FUZE, hosted a live technology competition at CES, providing companies with direct exposure to Army stakeholders and real-time feedback on operational relevance. That model of visible, high-impact engagement is planned to continue next year, reinforcing CES as a venue for both discovery and structured interaction. This year’s engagements also included companies that have previously participated in FUZE programs, reinforcing sustained relationships and enabling assessment of how technologies have matured over time.
Across discussions, FUZE prioritized technologies aligned with Army modernization priorities such as enhanced situational awareness, faster and more informed decision-making, resilient sustainment, scalable manufacturing capacity, and improved human–machine teaming. Engagements emphasized real-world deployment, performance at scale, and the ability to transition beyond demonstration. These insights are already shaping a steady pipeline of technologies positioned for deeper engagement through FUZE programs, including prize competitions, applied research, prototype acceleration, and manufacturing scale-up activities.
As Dr. Matt Willis, Director of Army FUZE noted, “our engagement at CES is about building sustained relationships with innovators and deliberately aligning the most promising capabilities with Army priorities so we can move faster from innovation to impact.”
As the Army continues to modernize in an increasingly complex and contested environment, engagement with the commercial innovation base remains essential. CES provides a snapshot of where technology is headed. Army FUZE ensures those insights are translated into action, accelerating the delivery of relevant, fieldable capability to the force.
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