Emil Michael, the Department of War’s chief technology officer and under secretary for research and engineering, has received his first Wash100 Award, earning recognition for his efforts to accelerate the delivery of emerging technologies to U.S. warfighters.
The Wash100 Award was presented to Michael by Jim Garrettson, Executive Mosaic CEO and founder of the Wash100 Award, on stage during the Potomac Officers Club’s Defense R&D Summit on Jan. 29, highlighting the significance of Michael’s growing influence across the defense innovation ecosystem.
Executive Mosaic selected Michael as a first-time Wash100 honoree for his reform-driven leadership style and commitment to helping the Pentagon move faster, operate more efficiently and better partner with nontraditional technology companies.
Why Did Emil Michael Win the 2026 Wash100 Award?
Michael was chosen as a 2026 Wash100 Award winner for advancing critical defense technologies while driving reforms to shorten the time it takes for innovative capabilities to reach the battlefield.
Since being sworn in as under secretary for research and engineering on May 20, 2025, Michael has emphasized speed, streamlined decision-making and a stronger embrace of commercial innovators—an approach aligned with Wash100 values centered on leadership impact and innovation.
In his position as acting director of the Defense Innovation Unit, Michael has also played a key role in strengthening the Department of War’s efforts to maintain technological superiority amid growing global competition.
Garrettson praised Michael’s influence on defense modernization, citing his ability to drive measurable progress in 2025—particularly through the rollout of six critical technology areas aimed at accelerating the delivery of warfighter capability.
“Under Secretary Michael’s selection as a 2026 Wash100 Award winner is a well-deserved recognition of the energy, vision and real-world impact he brings to defense innovation,” the Executive Mosaic CEO said.
Those six priority technology areas are:
- Applied artificial intelligence
- Biomanufacturing
- Contested logistics technologies
- Quantum and battlefield information dominance
- Scaled hypersonics
- Scaled directed energy
Michael has also taken action to support small businesses and emerging defense innovators. In June, he increased funding under the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies program, awarding up to $42 million to five firms—marking the largest APFIT award since the program launched in 2022.
Who Is Emil Michael?
Emil Michael returned to government service after a long private sector career in Silicon Valley and finance. His background includes leadership roles at companies such as Uber, where he served as chief business officer, as well as work experience at Goldman Sachs.
Michael also previously served in the Department of War as a White House fellow and special assistant to the secretary of war from 2009 to 2011, during which he supported major national security efforts and contributed to reforms aimed at reducing bureaucracy and overhead. His public service earned him the Secretary of Defense Award for Outstanding Public Service.
During his keynote remarks at the Defense R&D Summit, Michael reinforced his mission-focused approach to modernization.
“If our warfighters wield the bleeding edge of technology, they will achieve…deterrence,” he said. “The only metric that matters ultimately is what reaches a warfighter.”
He also delivered a direct message to innovators and entrepreneurs, emphasizing that the Department of War is focused on reducing barriers and expanding partnerships with industry.
What Is the Wash100 Award?
The Wash100 Award is Executive Mosaic’s annual recognition of the 100 most influential and impactful leaders across the government contracting sector.
Wash100 honorees are selected for their leadership, innovation, vision and ability to shape the direction of the federal marketplace through major achievements in government, military and the GovCon industry.
Now in its 2026 class, the Wash100 Award has become one of the most prestigious recognitions in the GovCon community, spotlighting executives and officials who are making lasting contributions to national security and government modernization.
Michael’s first Wash100 win signals Executive Mosaic’s recognition of his growing role as a major driver of defense innovation and acquisition acceleration. With a career blending private sector leadership and Pentagon experience, Michael has emerged as a central figure in the Department of War’s push to deliver next-generation technology to the front lines more quickly.
Congratulations to Emil Michael on his well-earned 2026 Wash100 Award.
