William Roper Jr

The Honorable Dr. Will Roper is the founder and CEO of Istari Digital, where he's building new infrastructure for AI-native engineering—digitally creating everything from medicines to certified space technology. Backed by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Istari is designing the world's first digitally-certified aircraft for the U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® —set to fly this year. 

Previously, Dr. Roper served as the Senior Acquisition Executive of the U.S. Air Force and Space Force—managing $60 billion annually across 5,300 aircraft and satellites. His tenure unlocked billions for startups and new technologies while accelerating how the military builds and buys. During COVID, he led the U.S. Defense Production Act response, scaling medical supplies globally. He also overturned 50-year-old pilot body standards, expanding flight opportunities for women.

Prior to the Air Force, Dr. Roper served as the founding Director of the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO), where he led the Pentagon’s pivot from counterterrorism to great-power competition. During his six years, SCO created and transitioned more than 50 advanced prototypes—including the Pentagon’s first AI program—restoring the U.S. military’s element of surprise and shaping the future of warfare.

A Distinguished Professor at Georgia Tech's Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, Dr. Roper focuses on technology's intersection with national security. He holds the honorary rank of Group Captain in the Royal Air Force and serves as board member/ advisor to Hermeus, Ursa Major, Red Six, Insight Partners, JF Lehman Private Equity, and the Georgia Tech Research Institute.

His Matrix-inspired writings, including "There Is No Spoon," have become foundational for digital transformation in aerospace. His ideas routinely appear in Wired, Time, The Wall Street Journal, and Popular Mechanics.

A former research scientist at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory, Dr. Roper holds degrees in physics from Georgia Tech and doctorate in mathematics from Oxford University, where he studied string theory as a Rhodes Scholar. He has received the Pentagon's and Air Force's highest civilian service awards.