Chainbridge Solutions today announced that Founder and CEO Aarti Smith will join a panel of small business CEOs at Small Business Summit 2026 on September 16 at George Mason University’s Mason Square in Arlington, Virginia. The event is co-hosted by the Greg & Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting at George Mason University’s Costello College of Business and SECAF.
Aarti will participate in “Mission First: Earning Trust, Winning Customers, and Growing in the Federal Market,” alongside Olivia Trivisani Bowker, Founder and CEO of Amivero, and Brian Gay, Co-Founder and Managing Director of NR Labs. Moderated by Jon Williams, Partner at PilieroMazza PLLC, the discussion will draw on the CEOs’ experiences earning customer trust and expanding into new agencies as the federal acquisition environment changes.
“Growth in the federal contracting market starts with focus and a deep understanding of the mission,” Smith said. “Trust follows when you solve the right problems and deliver on what you promise. At Chainbridge, that approach has kept us grounded in the missions we support as the company has grown.”
Since its founding in 2010, Chainbridge has grown into a federal software company supporting defense and civilian government missions under Smith’s leadership. That experience gives her a direct perspective on how sustained delivery builds customer trust and creates opportunities for growth.
Smith has also been recognized for her work across the industry – being named SECAF 2026 Executive of the Year Finalist. In 2025, Chainbridge also received SECAF’s Government Project of the Year award for its modernization and support of the Air Force Justice Information System.
Small Business Summit 2026 runs from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on September 16. Learn more and register through SECAF.