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 on vtools here: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/539469

When:
Thursday, February 26, 2026
5:00pm - 7:30pm
Where:
Downtown Works - Coworking Office Space Mission Valley
3517 Camino del Rio S, Suite 215
San Diego, CA 92108,
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
COST:
Free
PARKING
Free Onsite Parking

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The event will feature:
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.
https://mtvlb.com/

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).
https://www.dronekyll.com/

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IEEE Consultants Network of San Diego

IEEE Consultants’ Network of San Diego (IEEE/CNSD) is an invaluable resource for consulting information and a premier source of technical talent . You will meet experienced practitioners as well as others new to consulting. Speakers discuss broad range of topics, such as taxes, marketing, finances, fee setting, software and liability insurance. The network is also a source of potential clients.

Our members are comprised of independent technology consultants who are specialists in all forms of electronics, communications, chip design, computer software, defense technology, electro-mechanical hardware, power systems, new product development, quality assurance, reliability, technology management, business development, and intellectual property law.

Membership in the IEEE Consultants’ Network of San Diego (IEEE/CNSD) is open to both members and non-members of the IEEE. No membership application is necessary to join, just come to our monthly meetings. Because networking is an important part of membership, we strongly encourage you to attend the monthly meetings.

Questions:
IEEE/CNSD Chair: Enrique Monteagudo, enriquem03@yahoo.com
IEEE/CNSD Vice-Chair: Mike Bryant, m.w.bryant@ieee.org

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More Info:
IEEE/CNSD Webpage https://ieeeconsultants.org/

IEEE/CNSD LinkedIn group https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2112928

IEEE San Diego Section https://sdieee.org/sdieee/

IEEE San Diego Section Meetup Group https://www.meetup.com/San-Diego-IEEE-Meetup/

IEEE-USA Consultants Committee https://ieeeusa.org/careers/consultants/