Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation hosts Annual USNA Entrepreneurs Summit
The USNA Entrepreneur Summit, held 17-18 June at the Fluegel Alumni Center (FAC), brought together U.S. Naval Academy alumni and industry leaders for a two-day event focused on connection and the growing interest in entrepreneurship across the Naval Academy community.
Naval Academy graduate Matt Willmann ‘10 founded USNA Entrepreneurs, a 501(c) nonprofit dedicated to connecting alumni who are building, investing in, and supporting ventures that create meaningful impact.
The mission of USNA Entrepreneurs is captured in its creed: “Invest. Ignite. Impact.” Members are encouraged to invest in the ideas and aspirations of fellow Naval Academy graduates, ignite their growth through the strength of the alumni network, and learn from those who are building ventures and creating meaningful impact across industries and communities.
“I started searching for some sort of group that connected entrepreneurial alumni, investors, and business leaders,” said Willmann. “As I searched, I couldn’t find what I was looking for, so I made the decision to build it. I knew of several alumni making an impact in the private sector, and I felt that if I created a platform for that community to thrive, we could harness more entrepreneurial horsepower within our alumni base,” Willmann said.
More than 200 USNA alumni registered for the sold-out event, which was another opportunity for the Alumni Association & Foundation to showcase the FAC as a hub for alumni events, particularly large conferences that target and benefit USNA alumni.
The summit began with an interactive workshop featuring Cameron McCord, founder and CEO of Nominal, a hardware testing and engineering software company valued at over $1B+, and Harvard Business School professor Jim Matheson ’87. The session went through McCord’s experience building Nominal, and the decisions that shape high-performing companies and teams. A large portion of the panel was an open discussion allowing attendees to engage directly on topics such as selecting the right co-founder, and how to shape company direction.
“I certainly underappreciated how much being in the military can prepare you for leadership,” said McCord, who served in the Navy as a submarine officer for six years before transitioning to civilian life. “Individuals aren’t well-rounded, teams are,” said McCord.
Later that evening, the summit featured a fireside chat with founder of Rocket Lawyer, Charley Moore ’89 and president of Buzz Franchise Brands, Brian Garrison ’90. Their conversation was not only inspirational, but highly personal and relatable – a consistent theme that resonated throughought the event.
“Being around other Naval Academy alumni in a setting like this is so invaluable,” said Charlotte Asdal ’17, who founded the Asdal Advisory Group with her sister, Kirsten ’13, after they completed their service obligation as surface warfare oweafficers. “You always know what you’re going to get with USNA alumni, and you know everyone is here genuinely interested in helping you.”
The summit also explored the future of warfighting, featuring Vice Adm. John Mustin ’90, president of Saildrone, and Ben Cipperley ’99, chief strategy officer of HavocAI. The discussion focused on the emerging technologies and the growing roles of innovation in modern conflicts.
Other discussions included a panel on cybersecurity resilience featuring Former Deputy Director of the CIA and Partner at Lavrock Ventures, Juliane Gallina ’92, Founder & Managing Partner of Rsquared VC, Jeff Eggers ’93, and Board Member of Accenture Federal, and Operating Partner, Tiffanny Gates ’95. The panelists shared the advancements in resilient investing and the importance of strong leadership in addressing threats.
“Encourage the patriots not to fret… in the hands of the right people our nation can do really great things,” Gallina said.
The summit concluded with a discussion between Wes Lyons ’07, general partner at Eagle Venture Fund and Jim Delaney ’90, co-founder and CEO of TractionAi. They highlighted both the scale and the urgency of human trafficking, as well as Eagle Venture Fund’s investment strategy to be a part of the solution.
“It is a really large problem – there are about 50 million people in modern slavery today, and more than a million of them are within our own borders. Most people don’t understand the scale or proximity of this issue,” Lyons said.
In addition to panels and networking, the summit also featured an entrepreneurs pavilion, where several USNA alumni- led companies exhibited their businesses and solutions. This exhibition provided attendees the opportunity to engage directly with USNA founders.
From building companies to addressing global challenges, the Entrepreneur Summit underscored a powerful idea: the lessons learned at the Naval Academy continue to shape leaders long after the uniform comes off and in many cases, their impact only grows from there.
USNA Entrepreneurs hosts both quarterly events and this annual summit as part of a constant conversation of engagement to foster a thriving entrepreneurial community. Learn more about the organization and join the group at https://www.usnaentrepreneurs.com.
The 2026 Entreprenuer Summit demonstrates the opportunity to host events at the Fluegel Alumni Ceneter (FAC) and bring the Naval Academy community together in impactful way. Learn more about hosting events at the FAC here in Annapolis at https://fluegelalumnicenter.com.