IEEE/CN - February 2026 Meeting (Away) "SD Hardware Meetup: Hardware for Defense"
Thursday, February 26, 2026
5:00pm – 7:30 pm
SD IEEE Consultants' Network: February 2026 Meeting ("Away Game")
SD Hardware Meetup: Hardware for Defense
This month we will join the SD Hardware Meetup at Downtown Works Mission Valley.
SD Hardware Meetup is part of a national organization bringing together a community of people building physical products and hardware, from designers, founders, engineers, investors, and more, everyone is welcome. In addition to networking, there will be two speakers discussing their respective technologies in defense tech and dual use.
Please sign up here: https://eventship.com/event/8th-sd-hardware-meetup-downtown-works-mission-valley-hardware-for-defense
Optionally, but please also sign up below
And Meetup here: https://www.meetup.com/san-diego-ieee-meetup/events/313177847
When:
Thursday, February 26, 2026
5:00pm - 7:30pm
COST:
Free
PARKING:
Free Onsite Parking
Are you on our Linked-in group?
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2112928
Join the IEEE/CN of San Diego newsletter mailing list:
http://www.ieeeconsultants.org/joinus
Date and Time
Location
Hosts
Registration
-
Add Event to Calendar
- 3517 Camino del Rio S Suite 215
- San Diego, California
- United States 92108
- Building: Downtown Works - Coworking Office Space Mission Valley
- Starts 15 February 2026 08:00 AM UTC
- Ends 26 February 2026 06:00 PM UTC
- No Admission Charge
Speakers
Tom Cotton of Motive Labs
Biography:
Tom Cotton is leading a small product team at Motive Labs (start-up of <10) translating biomechanics research into passive exoskeleton footwear for defense and medical applications, with plans to break into consumer athletics. He coordinates design, prototyping, and manufacturing between in-house teams and international partners to deliver grant-funded innovations. His approach centers on building products collaboratively with end-users, using participant interviews and field research to balance biomechanical performance with real-world manufacturability. When not building shoes or boots, Tom enjoys running, hiking, and golfing around San Diego.
Clayton Karmel of Dronekyll
Biography:
Clayton Karmel, founder of Dronekyll, launched the company about a year ago after researching how to give soldiers an effective defense against small drones, then assembled the team to bring the solution to life. A veteran electronics entrepreneur and product builder, he previously ran a successful consulting firm for 26 years delivering everything from bicycle lights and irrigation/moisture controls to heart and muscle monitors, wireless routers, and other commercial devices, and earlier led RF and defense programs at Watkins-Johnson and helped build National Semiconductor’s wireless business line, developing high-performance PLL chips up to 2GHz that achieved major market share across GSM and CDMA. Karmel holds ~27 U.S. patents (with three additional Dronekyll applications in process) and earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from Santa Clara University; outside of work he wing-foils, races ILCA/Laser dinghies in Mission Bay, and backcountry skis the Eastern Sierra, and he has lived in California since 1979 (San Diego since 1996).
Agenda
San Diego IEEE Consultants' Network Meeting:
AGENDA:
5:00-5:30 - Arrival, mingle, grab refreshments
5:30-6:30 - Welcome, Introductions, Speakers
6:30-7:30 - Mix, mingle, and close out the night
We welcome newcomers and old faces we haven’t seen in a while.