Great things can happen when government and industry come together to innovate. Breakthrough innovations have the power to shape the future, disrupt industries, and improve the lives of individuals and societies. They drive progress, challenge the status quo, and unlock new possibilities, ultimately breaking through for mission advantage. As I reflect on last week's Cisco Live activities, I am feeling energized and incredibly optimistic about the future. During the event, I spent time with our customers and together we learned of the upcoming cutting-edge technologies and advancements in networking, cyber security, collaboration, and the Internet of Things (IoT) from our top engineering talent.

Unlocking innovation starts here

At Cisco our mission is simple - unlock innovation to solve some of our country's most challenging problem sets to propel us all forward. This exchange of insights and ideas between top government innovators and industry professionals can foster a deeper understanding of societal needs, technological trends, and mission demands.

Together, we believe joint innovation holds great promise and when well executed helps us surpass previous limitations to strengthen our national defense, enhance citizen experience, advance healthcare, and create a more inclusive future for all. This is how we pave a powerful pathway toward transformation. The type of transformation that will help us overcome traditional boundaries and unleash limitless possibilities.

Part of our relentless pursuit of innovation is being able to put ideas into practice. One great example of what's possible when government and industry come together is the Cisco Federal Challenge Idea Book (download now) that culminated at GSA's Workplace Innovation Lab in Washington, DC on May 24. The gathering was an opportunity to learn, challenge conventional wisdom, and give our Cisco partners and customers the opportunity to showcase their approach to innovation - focusing on automation to help accelerate modernization across the Federal Government.

Cisco Innovation Challenge winners announced

I also want to recognize the winners of the Cisco Innovation Challenge held during the event; 1st place -Network to Code, 2nd Place -Colossal, and 3rd Place -BlueAlly. Congratulations to you all.

Next up on the Breaking Through for Mission Advantage journey

Chuck Robbins, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cisco, will be joining me and senior IT leaders across the US Federal Government June 13th to discuss the future of innovation, how to accelerate technological advancements, and tackling mission challenges.

Until then, I invite you to explore Cisco solutions for the US Federal Government.