Charles Bokath, President and CTO of Blind Tiger Communications, was selected as an individual subject matter expert from a competitive applicant pool of more than 700 candidates to participate in USSOCOM’s Innovation Foundry 17 (IF17) at SOFIC, contributing technical and operational expertise to collaborative problem-solving focused on future SOF and Intelligence Community operations in data-dense environments.
Innovation Foundry 17 (IF17) was hosted by SOFWERX and ICWERX in coordination with USSOCOM’s Directorate of Science and Technology and Intelligence Community partners. The event focused on “Field-Forward Operations – Future Challenges for SOF and the IC in Data-Dense Environments,” convening a deliberately small cohort of operators, analysts, researchers, and industry experts selected through a competitive review process.
As a selected expert, Mr. Bokath participated in facilitated ideation sessions examining emerging operational challenges associated with contested connectivity, autonomous systems, distributed sensors, and increasingly saturated information environments. Sessions emphasized identifying capability gaps and novel approaches rather than proposing specific products or near-term solutions.
Mr. Bokath’s selection was based on extensive experience in cellular systems, base and installation security, and counter-UAS operations across defense, corrections, and national security environments. His background includes the design and fielding of standards-compliant cellular security platforms and participation in multiple government evaluations and exercises, as outlined in his biography on the Blind Tiger Communications website.
The Innovation Foundry represents the first phase of USSOCOM’s innovation pipeline. Concepts generated during IF17 inform subsequent Rapid Capability Assessments and Integrated Technology Sprints, where ideas are further evaluated for operational relevance and technical feasibility.
Participation at SOFIC17 reinforced Blind Tiger’s role—through individual expert contribution—in shaping early-stage thinking around future operational challenges, well before formal requirements or acquisition pathways are defined.