Shows
Crossing the ValleyEp. 83 - NominalHow Nominal Turned the Pentagon’s Slowest Gate Into a Growth EngineFeaturing Cameron McCord, CEO and co-founder of NominalAbout CameronCameron McCord has seen the defense ecosystem from more seats than most. He started his career as a young submarine officer, operating, in his words, with “the best of 1980s technology” and learning what it feels like to be beholden to antiquated tech when the mission is on the line. He carried that frustration into operating roles at Anduril and Saildrone, where he watched fast-growing hardware companies scale and saw the same t...
2026-06-0347 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 82 - Machina LabsHow Machina Labs Compressed 4-Year Lead Times Into 1 WeekAbout Ed MehrEd Mehr is the CEO and co-founder of Machina Labs. A builder since childhood (he attended a school that emphasized welding, carpentry, and craft) Ed started his career in software before crossing over into hardware as an early engineer at SpaceX in the early 2010s. The cultural shock of moving from “ship a prototype in days” software to “wait months for a single iteration” hardware became the founding wound that drove him toward agile manufacturing. After SpaceX, he joined Relativity Space to work on 3D-pr...
2026-05-2747 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 81 - Revolutionizing Thermal Imaging with Obsidian SensorsRebuilding America’s Thermal Imaging Supply ChainAbout John Hong and Tallis ChangJohn Hong is CEO and Tallis Chang is COO of Obsidian Sensors. The two have worked together for over 40 years, with backgrounds in aerospace before joining Qualcomm. At Qualcomm, they were part of the team that spent nearly a decade developing low-power displays using MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) built on glass substrates. When Qualcomm decided the program no longer fit its core business, John and Tallis were given the runway to find a new application for the manufacturing know-how they had bu...
2026-05-1325 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 80 - Persistent Systems (very first podcast!)About Brian SpurlockBrian Spurlock is VP of Growth and Strategy at Persistent Systems, and a self-described “boomerang” employee, meaning he’s had two separate tenures at the company. He came up as a Special Operations acquisitions officer at Fort Bragg, which means he’s seen the Persistent Systems story from both sides: as the government buyer evaluating the technology and as the company executive selling it. He left for a stint at AWS, returned, and is now the one figuring out how to bring tactical mesh networking from Special Operations into Army divisions. He is based in the F...
2026-05-0643 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 79 - Inside GrayMatter RoboticsBuilding the Physical AI Platform for the Industrial BaseABOUT ARIYAN KABIRAriyan Kabir is the co-founder and CEO of GrayMatter Robotics. He started the company in early 2020 alongside two co-founders, building on PhD research conducted at USC’s Center for Advanced Manufacturing, where he and one co-founder studied the intersection of robotics and AI. The third co-founder, chief scientist Satyandra K. Gupta, has spent more than 35 years working at the intersection of AI, robotics, and manufacturing and sits on multiple national boards.Ariyan’s framing of the problem is shaped by a real...
2026-04-2938 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 78 - How HavocAI is solving a $2.3B problemAbout BenBen Cipperley spent 26 years in the Navy. The first 18 he served as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal office, with three tours across the Indo-Pacific, three years between Iraq and Afghanistan, and command in Guam. Which is to say, he has more experience than most.What makes his background unusual isn’t the operational experience; plenty of veterans make the transition. It’s the Pentagon chapter that came after. A fellowship at the Stimson Center led to a resource sponsor role writing the Navy’s budget, which led to being pulled onto the team drafting the 20...
2026-04-0848 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 77 - Tasking a Satellite in SecondsAbout Luke FischerLuke Fischer is the CEO and co-founder of SkyFi. He is a former U.S. Army helicopter pilot and Special Operations veteran who transitioned through DIU (Defense Innovation Unit), Uber Elevate (as Head of Flight Operations), and Joby Aviation (leading government operations) before founding SkyFi in late 2021. He also spent time as an Entrepreneur in Residence in VC, which gave him direct exposure to what gets funded — and what doesn’t. That multi-domain journey across military, Big Tech, and venture is core to how he built SkyFi.About SkyFiSkyFi is a...
2026-03-2543 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 76 - WHOOP: Wearables at WarAbout Todd StieflerTodd Stiefler is VP of Enterprise at WHOOP, overseeing the company’s B2B and B2G business lines. He brings an unusually cross-functional background to the role: a decade as a Senate defense staffer focused on missile defense and strategic nuclear deterrent, followed by product and commercial leadership roles at GE’s industrial IoT division, LMI, and Palantir. A self-described “tech nerd” and ultra-marathoner who finished the Leadville 100 in 27 hours, Todd found WHOOP the way most people find things that change their lives — by accident, scrolling LinkedIn late one night. He’s been building the...
2026-03-1845 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 75: The Field is the Lab for Overland AIAbout Byron BootsByron Boots is the co-founder and CEO of Overland AI. Prior to starting the company, he was an associate professor in computer science at the University of Washington, where his research focused on machine learning and robot autonomy. Byron served as principal investigator on DARPA’s Racer program, one of the most ambitious off-road ground autonomy challenges the agency has run since its landmark Grand Challenge series in 2004–2005. It was in that role — out in the field, iterating under adversarial test conditions — that the insight and technology behind Overland AI took shape.About Ov...
2026-03-1116 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 74 - How Forterra Acquired goTenna in 72 HoursWhat happens when a Friday morning coffee turns into a term sheet by Sunday night?In this episode, Forterra CEO Josh Araujo is joined by Ari Schuler, a returning CTV guest, to take us inside Forterra’s acquisition of goTenna. Company OverviewAbout Forterra: Ground autonomy company enabling war fighters to shoot, move, and communicate more effectively. Technical stack includes autonomous driving systems, mission payload integration, and now mesh communications through the goTenna acquisition. Working with military customers across operational theaters. Founded 20+ years ago (as Robotic Research), recently closed Series C while simultaneously ac...
2026-03-0449 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 73: SARONIC - "If We Can't Build a Thousand Boats, I Don't Care About the Design"About Dino MavrookasDino Mavrookas is the CEO and co-founder of Saronic. He served 11 years in the U.S. Navy SEALs (2004–2015), with his final five years on SEAL Team Six. After leaving the military, he transitioned to private equity at Vista Equity Partners, where he spent roughly five years before the pull of mission-driven work drew him back to defense. Dino describes his transition as a gradual realization, like being a “frog in boiling water,” that he wanted to dedicate his career to building solutions that protect the country. He founded Saronic in September 2022 with backing from 8VC and...
2026-02-2547 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 72: WIRESCREEN - From Pulitzer to Intelligence PlatformHow Wirescreen is Turning Investigative Journalism Into a National Security Intelligence ToolAbout our GuestsDavid Barboza is the CEO and Co-Founder of Wirescreen. Before founding the company, David spent over two decades as a journalist at The New York Times, where he served as Shanghai bureau chief for 12 years and won a Pulitzer Prize for his investigative reporting on the hidden wealth of Chinese political elites. A history major by training, David’s career was defined by painstaking, multi-year investigations that required connecting vast networks of corporate records, government documents, and financial data across bo...
2026-02-1847 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 71: Why America Lost the Hypersonics Race (And How to Win It Back)About Our GuestsAJ Piplica is the CEO and co-founder of Hermeus, a defense technology company developing hypersonic aircraft powered by air-breathing engines. His technical background centers on aerodynamics and hypersonics, with early career work on rocket engines and re-entry systems. Unlike many defense tech founders who come from software or commercial tech, AJ’s obsession with speed and aviation started in childhood and led him down the space track in college before gravitating toward the aviation side of hypersonics. He chose this path specifically because he wanted to push boundaries rather than spend a career optimizing in...
2026-02-1118 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 70: Checking in on Apex SpaceAbout Ian Ian Cinnamon is the co-founder and CEO of Apex Space, which he launched to solve a fundamental bottleneck in the space industry: the lack of available, high-quality satellite platforms. Prior to Apex, Ian worked in aerospace engineering and identified the satellite bus as a critical constraint for the growing commercial and defense space ecosystem. About Apex SpaceApex Space is a merchant supplier of satellite platforms (buses), building standardized, high-volume spacecraft that customers can purchase off-the-shelf and customize for their missions. The company has raised over $400M across its Series C...
2026-02-0414 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 69: Legion Intelligence is building the AI plumbing for defenseABOUT BENBen Van Roo is the CEO and Founder of Legion Intelligence. He comes from a military family (his brother is currently on active duty), giving him both personal connection to and deep understanding of the defense community’s needs. His career encompasses a combination of academic rigor and operational execution.ABOUT LEGION INTELLIGENCELegion Intelligence is an applied AI company that connects AI capabilities to the actual workflows, processes, and legacy applications used across the Department of Defense.The Core Problem: AI models have gotten remarkably good, but they re...
2026-01-2846 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 68: Solving America's Propulsion CrisisAbout Ben NicholsonBen is the Chief Business Officer at Ursa Major, bringing over 22 years of government service to the defense tech startup. His career includes 10 years in the Coast Guard, legislative experience as a congressional staffer on appropriations, and corporate leadership at defense giants L3 and Honeywell.At age 50, Nicholson made an unexpected leap from the established defense industrial base to a venture-backed startup, driven by a desire to give back and the realization that his experience and perspective could help bridge the gap between young engineering talent and the realities of defense procurement.
2026-01-2139 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 67 Solving Robotic Unemployment - Gecko RoboticsGecko Robotics — From College Project to Critical InfrastructureABOUT TROY DEMMERTroy is the co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Gecko Robotics. He started the company 12+ years ago as a college senior project at Grove City College in Western Pennsylvania, alongside co-founder Jake Loosararian. Troy came from a medical background and saw an opportunity to bring diagnostic thinking to industrial infrastructure. He personally led Gecko’s expansion into defense starting four years ago, and the company now manufactures robots in Pittsburgh while deploying them across power plants, refineries, naval vessels, and nuclear facilities.ABOU...
2026-01-1431 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 66 - Winning the Space WarABOUT DAN SMOOTDan Smoot is the CEO of Vantor, formerly Maxar Intelligence. He comes from a background in high-tech companies and has led major business transformations before. Since taking the helm, Dan has overseen the company’s transition from a publicly traded satellite imaging business to a private, solutions-focused company. He led the controversial decision to retire the Maxar brand — one of the most recognized names in commercial space — in favor of the new Vantor identity. Under his leadership, the company has launched six satellites, dramatically increase recurring revenue, and is expanding aggressively into international markets.A...
2026-01-0726 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 65: Pryzm's Quest to Help DOW Pass an AuditAbout Nick LaRovereNick is the CEO and Co-founder of Pryzm. As a software engineer at Palantir Technologies, Nick worked on both Gotham and Foundry platforms, gaining firsthand exposure to building federal contracting systems and understanding the critical intersection of technology and national security missions.A graduate of Colby College, Nick’s experience selling Palantir’s solutions to DOD and three-letter agencies provided him with intimate knowledge of the procurement pain points that would eventually inspire Pryzm’s founding mission.Nick is part of a core founding team of four Colby College grads, each o...
2025-12-1739 min
Crossing the ValleyGuest Episode: Rebuilding the Fleet x HIIFriends,This week, we are spotlighting a new podcast in the defense community, Rebuilding the Fleet.This new pod covers all things Maritime Autonomy and shipbuilding, featuring repeat guest Austin Gray.This episode is a discussion between Austin and HII’s Executive Vice President Eric Chewning, a former investment banker, management consultant at McKinsey, and senior advisor to the Secretary of Defense.All part of our efforts to promote solid content from the next generation of defense disruptors. Have a listen and if you enjoy, we encourage you to follow along an...
2025-11-2647 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 64: Nathan Diller, DivergentCase Study: Crossing the Valley of Death in Digital ManufacturingAbout Nathan DillerNathan Diller brings a rare combination of operational military experience, government innovation leadership, and private sector execution to the defense technology ecosystem. After 22 years of Air Force service as a test pilot, he transitioned to become Director of AFWERX, where he managed and expanded the SBIR budget, helping hundreds of startups navigate government contracting. His subsequent role on the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee staff gave him legislative perspective on defense budgeting and acquisition. Now, as Head of Aerospace & Defense at Divergent, he’s...
2025-10-2237 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 62: Eric Hanft, Ditto Public SectorAbout EricEric didn’t start as an entrepreneur. After serving 12 years as an infantry officer in the US Army, including deployments during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, he attended Stanford GSB while still on active duty. Exposure to business school thinking, combined with his frontline understanding of technology pain points, set him on an unexpected path. In 2017, he co-founded Key Square Labs with two technical experts, bringing a military veteran’s perspective to solving a critical but unsexy infrastructure problem.About Key Square LabsKey Square Labs addressed a scaling challenge that few...
2025-10-1548 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 62: Rune Technologies CEO David TuttleAbout Dave TuttleDave Tuttle’s career reads like preparation for exactly one mission: building defense logistics software that actually works at the tactical edge. After commissioning as an Army officer and deploying to Afghanistan, he transitioned to aerospace and defense investment banking on Wall Street, where he learned to decode J-books and understand the intricacies of defense budgeting and color of money. A second stint on active duty at Fort Bragg leading software teams within the JSOC enterprise showed him the power of great engineering paired with operational problems. This led him to Anduril, where he sp...
2025-10-0847 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 61: Hidden Level CEO Jeff ColeAbout Jeff ColeJeff Cole is the CEO and co-founder of Hidden Level, bringing 20 years of experience developing radar and sensing technology for defense, intelligence, and commercial customers. Before founding Hidden Level, Jeff worked at Saab and SRC (a not-for-profit defense company), where he developed cutting-edge systems for customers including the Army, FAA, and NASA. He also collaborated with commercial giants like Google, Apple, Disney, and Amazon on early drone delivery initiatives, working directly with Astro Teller and Sergei Brin on what would become Wing.Born and raised in Syracuse, New York—an epicenter for ra...
2025-10-0140 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 60: The $150M Bet on American Magnet IndependenceFrom University Lab to Critical Defense SupplierAbout Jonathan RowntreeJonathan Rowntree brings three decades of materials commercialization experience to his role as CEO of Niron Magnetics. His background spans scaling technologies across consumer electronics, industrial applications, automotive, and defense sectors. Before joining Niron in 2022, Rowntree led global businesses and specialized in taking new material technologies from development to market-scale production. His experience includes both successful ventures and instructive failures in solar thermal materials and heat transfer applications. Rowntree describes his 30-year career as an "apprenticeship" that prepared him to tackle the unique challenges of...
2025-09-1039 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 59: Building Infrastructure for 70% of the Untouched WorldAbout Dan WrightDan combines deep operational experience with strategic thinking about technological competition. Starting his career as a lawyer at Goodwin Proctor, Wright made the transition to technology by joining AppDynamics as one of the early employees, eventually becoming COO. He then served as CEO of DataRobot before co-founding Armada in 2022.Dan combines three critical elements that prepared him for building Armada: legal expertise that taught him to understand complex regulatory environments, operational experience scaling enterprise software companies, and a data-centric worldview developed across three technology companies focused on extracting value from information.
2025-09-0349 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 58: Blue Water Raises $50M to Deliver Maritime Autonomy to the NavyCase Study: Blue Water Autonomy's Lightning-Fast Series AAbout the GuestsRylan Hamilton is Co-founder and CEO of Blue Water Autonomy, bringing a unique combination of naval service and commercial robotics expertise. After his Navy career, Hamilton spent years in the commercial robotics space focusing on warehouse and logistics automation, giving him deep understanding of both military requirements and commercial-scale robotics deployment.Austin Gray is Co-founder of Blue Water Autonomy and a prominent voice in the maritime autonomy and defense technology movement. Gray combines operational understanding of defense acquisition challenges with strategic thinking...
2025-08-2721 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 57: A Navy SEAL Reveals What Ukraine Taught Us About Drone WarfareFortem Technologies - From Radar Innovation to Counter-UAS LeaderAbout Jon GruenJon brings a unique combination of operational experience and defense industry knowledge to his role as CEO of Fortem Technologies. After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, he served 10 years on active duty as a Navy SEAL, including multiple deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.His transition to the private sector began in 2007 when he joined the Navy Reserve while simultaneously building his commercial career. He spent 11 years at Lockheed Martin learning acquisition processes...
2025-08-2038 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 56: "The Adversary Doesn't Give a S*** About Your Compliance State"How Palantir, SpaceX & Anduril Veterans Are Redefining Cybersecurity for the Defense Industrial BaseAbout the GuestsNik Seetharaman and Grace Clemente represent perhaps the most elite defense tech pedigree possible. Between them, they've touched the holy trinity of modern defense juggernauts: Palantir, SpaceX, and Anduril.Nik's journey began in special operations before transitioning to the private sector. At Palantir, he learned the art of aggressive execution and brutal feedback loops that forge high-performing teams. His stint at SpaceX reinforced the culture of rapid iteration and learning from failure. But it was at Anduril...
2025-08-131h 15
Crossing the ValleyEp. 55: Equipping the Military for Human-Centric WarfareAbout James BoydJames Boyd is the archetype of a mission-driven founder. Born in California but raised in the UK, his trajectory changed completely on September 11, 2001, when he was a Stanford computer science student. Instead of following his peers into consulting or investment banking, Boyd made the contrarian decision to enlist in Army Special Forces—a choice that would define his entire career.Boyd was in the First Special Forces Group for about three years. It was during these deployments that he experienced firsthand the friction between cutting-edge intelligence systems and the analog processes that do...
2025-08-0649 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 54: Tracking Stuff in SpaceLeoLabs is Building the "Living Map" of Space ActivityAbout Tony FrazierTony Frazier joined LeoLabs as CEO after a distinguished career scaling technology companies in complex government markets. At Maxar Technologies, he served as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Earth Intelligence, overseeing partnerships with over 60 allies worldwide and supporting critical missions from humanitarian assistance to the Ukraine conflict. His earlier experience includes leadership roles at Cisco Systems and Infor, plus startup experience during the late 90s internet boom. Tony's unique combination of product expertise, P&L management, and deep government market knowledge...
2025-07-3046 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 53: The Startup GeneralAbout Lieutenant General (ret) Ross CoffmanRoss Coffman represents a rare breed in defense innovation - a senior military leader who transitioned directly from the Pentagon to startup leadership. During his final seven years in the Army, Lt Gen Coffman was deep in technology, serving as director of the next generation combat vehicle cross-functional team before becoming deputy commanding general for combat development at Army Futures Command from 2022 to 2024.His portfolio at Army Futures Command spanned satellite payloads to vaccines for monkeypox - giving him a unique perspective on how the military evaluates and adopts...
2025-07-2323 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 52: Rebuilding America's Defense Industrial BaseCase Study: Bridging the Strategy-Industrial Reality GapAbout the ExpertsBecca Wasser and Phil Sheers from the Center for New American Security (CNAS) authored "From Production Lines to Front Lines: Revitalizing the U.S. Defense Industrial Base for Future Great Power Conflict." Wasser specializes in defense strategy and great power competition, while Sheers focuses on defense budgets and acquisition policy. Their research combines strategic analysis with practical policy recommendations.About CNASThe Center for New American Security is a leading defense policy think tank that bridges the gap between government and...
2025-07-1647 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 51: From Silicon Valley to Lieutenant Colonel: The Detachment 201 StoryAbout Dr. Alex MillerDr. Alex Miller serves as the Chief Technology Officer of the United States Army, a position that oversees technology modernization across one of the world's largest and most complex organizations. An intelligence professional by trade, Miller was elevated to this strategic role to drive the Army Transformation Initiative—the most significant military modernization effort in decades. Working directly with Army Chief of Staff General Randy George and Secretary Dan Driscoll, he manages everything from organic industrial base operations (e.g., production of ammunition for the Joint Force) to next-generation command and control systems....
2025-07-0934 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 50: Scaling a Dual-Use AI CompanyChecking in on Accrete: Building a Dual-Use AI Company That ScalesAbout Brian Drake & Bill WallBrian Drake serves as Federal Chief Technology Officer at Accrete AI, bringing deep government intelligence experience from his time at Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). Bill Wall leads federal operations, managing the complex dance between classified and unclassified work across government contracts. Together, they've built a successful dual-use AI company that serves both commercial and government markets effectively.About Accrete AIAccrete AI develops decision analytics platforms that process massive information flows to identify patterns and...
2025-07-0231 min
CEOs You Should Know: Washington DCBill Cobb, CEO of FrontdoorBill Cobb is an accomplished leader with expertise in consumer-focused, technology and online-focused businesses. He became chief executive officer of Frontdoor in June 2022 in addition to his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors and is passionate about accelerating the company’s digital transformation, advancing the customer experience, and strengthening core business processes. He was initially appointed to the Frontdoor board of directors in October 2018. Cobb served on the board of directors of Frontdoor’s former parent company, ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc., from April 2018 until Frontdoor separated from ServiceMaster in October 2018. Previously Cobb served as president...
2025-07-0120 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 49: From Blockbusters to BattlefieldsAbout Brian StreemBrian Streem is the founder and CEO of Vermeer, a company building vision-based navigation systems for GPS-denied environments. His unconventional path began at NYU film school, where a screenwriting teacher taught him that good stories are "both unpredictable and inevitable" – a principle that would define his entrepreneurial journey. Streem became one of the first legal drone cinematographers in America, working on Fast & Furious movies and Steven Spielberg films before pivoting to defense tech.About VermeerVermeer develops hardware-software systems that enable drones to navigate without GPS by using computer vision an...
2025-06-2544 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 48: What the Army Learned from Arcane ThunderBuilding Multi-Domain Capabilities Through Iterative ExperimentationAbout our GuestsRepeat guests from Episode 43, Lt Colonel Tommy Burns and Lt Colonel Aaron Ritzema are completing their tours with the 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force in Germany, where they've spearheaded some of the Army's most innovative experimentation efforts. Both officers bring operational experience to the challenge of transitioning emerging technologies from concept to battlefield capability.As they prepare to transition to new roles, they re-joined Crossing the Valley to share their experience leading the Arcane Thunder exercise, and to give a candid look into what worked...
2025-06-1845 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 47: The Rebirth of the United Launch AllianceCase Study: How ULA CEO Tory Bruno Stewarded a Legacy Giant Through Existential ThreatsAbout Tory BrunoTory joined United Launch Alliance as CEO in August 2014, bringing four decades of aerospace experience and a track record of over 400 rocket launches. Previously at Lockheed Martin, he led programs in hypersonics, directed energy, and missile defense while running one of the company's largest and most profitable business units. Bruno initially resisted the ULA opportunity, preferring to work on critical national security technologies, until his wife (also a rocket scientist) convinced him that taking on the ULA mission...
2025-06-1152 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 46: Meet the Tech Heretic Foiling China's Attempts to Take Over the GridAbout JoshJoshua Steinman brings a unique combination of operational military experience, senior policy leadership, and entrepreneurial drive to the challenge of securing America's industrial infrastructure. A retired naval officer, Josh was one of the original "10 heretics" tasked by the Chief of Naval Operations to find asymmetric opportunities for the Navy - an effort that helped catalyze today's defense tech ecosystem.During the first Trump administration, Steinman served as Senior Director for Cybersecurity on the National Security Council staff, where he was responsible for all cyber, telecom, crypto, and supply chain policy. This role gave...
2025-06-0436 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 45: What I Learned at SOF Week (Pt 2)SOF Week Part II: How Early Stage Companies’ Strategies Played OutLast week, we connected with the founders of EdgeRunner AI, Aurum Systems, and Distributed Spectrum before they made their way to Tampa for SOF Week.In this follow-up episode, we hear how they performed.Edgerunner AI: From Education to ValidationOriginal Objective: Meet "shot callers" (decision-makers at multiple levels) and educate the market about edge AI capabilities that operate without internet connectivity.Results Achieved:* Secured high-level meetings with SOCOM J3* Generated immediate follow-up meetings sc...
2025-05-2835 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 44: SPECIAL EDITION - A Peek into SOF Week (Pt. 1)SOF Week Pt. 1: A Tale of Three Defense Tech StartupsIn this special edition of Crossing the Valley, we sit down with three promising defense technology companies ahead of their trip to SOF Week—one of the defense industry's premier events. Each company represents a different stage in the journey across the "valley of death" from concept to production, providing valuable insights for founders navigating the defense ecosystem.About Edgerunner AICompany Overview: Edgerunner AI is building domain-specific AI agents for warfighters that can operate without internet connectivity. Their technology enables military personnel to...
2025-05-2151 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 43: The New Cavalry is ComingThe Army's Multi-Domain Task Force: Soldier-Driven Innovation in ActionAbout our GuestsLieutenant Colonel Thomas Burns serves as the Deputy Commander of the 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF), headquartered in Germany in support of US Army Europe and Africa. With a background in traditional Army operations, Burns brings a task force-level perspective on how new capabilities need to integrate into joint warfighting concepts.Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Ritzema commands the 2nd Multi-Domain Effects Battalion (MDEB), which serves as the primary sensing and non-kinetic effects arm of the task force. His battalion comprises specialized companies...
2025-05-1433 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 42: The Navy's Acquisition OverhaulIs the Department of the Navy Taking the Lead in Defense Acquisition?About Justin and ArtemJustin Fanelli serves as the Navy Chief Technology Officer and has earned a reputation for dismantling bureaucratic barriers that traditionally slow defense innovation. Coming from a technical background, Fanelli has developed new mental models for technology adoption within the Department of the Navy, including a structured approach to piloting, evaluation, and scaling of emerging technologies. His work focuses on creating transparent, outcomes-driven processes that empower change agents across the department.Artem Sherbinin serves as the CTO for...
2025-05-0738 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 41: Onebrief is Reimagining Military PlanningAbout GrantGrant DeMaree founded Onebrief after serving on joint task forces in Liberia during the Ebola crisis and later in Iraq. As a second lieutenant in Liberia, Grant witnessed how the military's decision-making processes were lagging three months behind the movement of the Ebola virus, resulting in treatment units being built in locations where they were no longer needed. This experience led him to sketch his first solution concept on a napkin, driven by the realization that "these are human lives being lost because of decision speed."Grant took the unconventional path of founding...
2025-04-3042 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 40: A Software-Defined Approach to AutonomyAbout Jason BrownAfter serving 26 years in the Air Force, where he commanded the 480th Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing, Jason became deeply involved in defense innovation initiatives. He founded the Air Force AI Accelerator at MIT and helped stand up the Joint AI Center before transitioning to the private sector.Prior to joining Applied Intuition as General Manager of their defense business, Jason led Google's professional services business for defense—a notable position given Google's complicated history with defense technology following the Project Maven controversy. Throughout his career, Jason has consistently focused on bringing so...
2025-04-1655 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 39: LAUNCH DAY - Introducing Blue Water AutonomyToday, we announce Blue Water Autonomy is coming out of stealth, on Crossing the Valley Presents: Launch Day!About Blue Water AutonomyFounded in spring 2024 and based in Boston, Blue Water Autonomy is designing and building autonomous ships with a "defense first, dual-use" approach. Their first customer is the U.S. Navy.What distinguishes BWA from other players in the space is their focus on developing autonomous vessels that can operate without chase boats or constant human maintenance—something the founders identify as a critical gap in current capabilities. Rather than building small $100,000 un...
2025-04-0938 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 38: Has the Air Force Built its Last Manned Airplane?About Merlin LabsFounded to develop autonomous flight technology for existing aircraft, Merlin Labs is taking a fundamentally different approach to the challenge than many competitors. While most autonomous systems try to augment human pilots, creating a potentially dangerous shared control situation, Merlin's system operates as the primary pilot with human supervision. The "Merlin Pilot" is responsible for flying the aircraft, communicating with air traffic control, and making operational decisions, with a human supervisor available to take control if necessary..Merlin's strategy involves dual certification paths, working with both military and civilian regulators to certify...
2025-03-2636 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 37: Searching for Meaning: How Danti Makes Sense of the World's DataAbout JesseJesse Kallman is the founder and CEO of Danti, bringing deep industry experience from his extensive career in the defense and space sectors. With a strong background in unmanned systems and Earth observation, Jesse has worked at major defense primes including Booz Allen Hamilton, Northrop Grumman, and Airbus, giving him a comprehensive understanding of both the technical and operational aspects of intelligence analysisAbout DantiFounded just over two years ago, Danti is building a "search engine for Earth observation data." The company's core technology is an AI-powered knowledge engine that...
2025-03-1940 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 36: Contested Logistics: Repairing America's Blind SpotAbout PhillipPhillip Buckendorf is the co-founder and CEO of Air Space Intelligence, bringing a unique perspective shaped by his education in political science and international relations in Germany. Frustrated by what he describes as Europe’s "degrowth mindset,” Phillip moved to the United States in his early 20s, seeking out the hotbed of innovation and technological progress.About Air Space IntelligenceFounded after extensive research into air operations centers across commercial airlines, government agencies, and maritime organizations, ASI develops predictive software that transforms how logistics planning occurs in both commercial and defense cont...
2025-03-1228 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 35: Sending LOTS of Satellites to Space, FastAs Apex Space commemorates one year on orbit for its Aries satellite, CEO and co-founder Ian Cinnamon joins us to talk about all things space.A serial entrepreneur, Ian's journey began right after college when he worked as a technology advisor to Mark Pincus at Zynga, later starting a gaming company that was acquired by Zynga. He went on to found Synapse Technology (acquired by Palantir), invest at Village Global, and then co-found Apex Space with Max Benassi, a veteran of SpaceX who had worked on both the Falcon 9 and Starlink programs.Founded in 2022, Apex...
2025-03-0543 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 34: Reinventing Maxar: From Earth Observation to Decision IntelligenceAbout PeterPeter is the Chief Product Officer of Maxar Intelligence, bringing his passion for maps and 12 years at Palantir Technologies to this renaissance story. At Palantir, Peter developed the famed “ontology” and mapping technologies, helping transition the company's defense business from intelligence operations to real-time operational support. His background in theoretical chemistry gives him a distinctive lens through which he approaches the relationship between models and reality—a tension at the heart of both cartography and defense technology.About Maxar IntelligenceMaxar Intelligence began as DigitalGlobe, a pioneering Earth observation company. In 2017, Digita...
2025-02-2645 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 33: Why the F-22 Is Vulnerable...and what this founder is doing to fix itAbout JoshJosh Lospinoso isn’t your average hacker. Most hackers aren’t Rhodes Scholars. As a kid growing up in New Jersey during 9/11, Josh was drawn to service - but he had no idea he’d soon be hacking military weapon systems. As an Army Cyber Officer, he discovered critical vulnerabilities in mission essential platforms that revealed a sobering reality: these sophisticated weapons systems (flying computers!) were dangerously vulnerable to cyber threats. So after spending years building cyber tools at the National Security Agency, he founded (and exited) his first startup, a cybersecurity outfit called Red Owl An...
2025-02-1938 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 32: How Domino Data Lab Used ML to Find Mines for the NavyAbout Our GuestsWhen Thomas "T-Rob" Robinson joined Domino Data Lab eight and a half years ago, the company was focused on helping pharmaceutical companies and financial institutions build better AI models. With a background in math, computer science, and enterprise finance technology, he understood that the hardest problems in AI weren't about algorithms - they were about enabling domain experts to build trustworthy systems at scale. Meanwhile, Joel Meyer was at the Department of Homeland Security, leading their first AI task force and grappling with fundamental questions about how government could effectively adopt AI technology. Joel...
2025-02-1237 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 31: How Palantir Builds New ProductsToday’s guest is Shannon Clark, a long-tenured early team member of Palantir, the world’s most valuable defense company, and last year’s best performing stock in the S&P 500 (up 340%!).Often discussed but rarely understood, Palantir has emerged as a defining company in defense technology. With just 4,000 employees, they've built a business that surpasses traditional defense primes in market value. Their secret? A ruthless focus on hiring exceptional people, maintaining a flat organization, and putting engineers directly in the field with users. The company's forward-deployed engineer model has become the gold standard for defense tech startu...
2025-02-0543 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 30: Hypersonic Test Beds and In-Space ManufacturingAbout VardaFounded in November 2020, Varda Space is revolutionizing manufacturing by taking it off-planet. Their thesis is remarkably straightforward: microgravity enables the creation of materials impossible to make on Earth, and pharmaceuticals—the most expensive chemicals per kilogram—are the perfect starting point. In less than three years, they've designed, built, and landed the world's first commercial space factory. They're one of only three companies globally with commercial reentry vehicles, alongside SpaceX and Boeing. The difference? Varda's capsule, unburdened by human rating requirements, can do it cheaper and more frequently than anyone else. This is a...
2025-01-2933 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 29: Finding a Needle in the HaystackAbout Overwatch ImagingFounded in Hood River, Oregon, Overwatch Imaging is changing how the industry processes aerial sensor data through automation. Rather than building another drone company, they're creating technology that makes every aerial platform smarter. Their automated sensor operator software tackles a critical challenge: helping small teams process massive amounts of aerial data efficiently. The company, now 30 people strong, has evolved from supporting emergency response to providing crucial capabilities across defense and commercial applications. They're proving that you don't need to be in a traditional tech hub to build world-changing technology.For more about...
2025-01-1546 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 28: Doing Customer Discovery in DefenseAbout ForterraFormerly known as RRAI, Forterra is revolutionizing ground autonomy for both defense and commercial applications. Their mission is simple but ambitious: get humans out of harm's way. While many startups chase flashy features, Forterra focuses on building autonomous systems that work "nearly every time" in the most demanding environments. Their approach is working: they've secured major programs like Rogue Fires with Oshkosh, where they're helping the Marine Corps project force with minimal human footprint. With 265 employees and growing, they're proving that deep tech startups can successfully navigate the complex journey from R&D to production-scale...
2025-01-0839 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 27: Building (Many) Defense StartupsKyle Olson's path to defense tech started in a firefight. As a Marine Raider Team Commander in Iraq in 2020, he found himself coordinating airstrikes with a broken military radio. The solution? A forbidden Iraqi cell phone and Signal messaging app. That moment crystallized something he'd long suspected: commercial technology had outpaced military equipment in many areas. Instead of heading to business school as planned, Kyle joined Fairwater Labs, where he's now COO, helping build the next generation of defense tech companies.Spun out of a major Bay Area VC firm, Fairwater Labs is productizing the defense innovation...
2024-12-1135 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 26: Using Hardware to Sell SoftwareAbout Datashapes AIFounded with technology developed at Stanford, Datashapes brings a unique approach to electronic warfare and signals intelligence. Their platform processes spectrum data at the tactical edge, enabling operators to make real-time decisions. With 21 patents and deployments spanning special operations to commercial venues, they're proving that signal processing innovation can serve both battlefield and civilian use cases. Rather than organizing by service branch, they've taken a unique domain-first approach that's enabling adoption across space, maritime, and land domains simultaneously.For more on Data Shapes: datashapesai.com This is a public...
2024-12-0444 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 25: Bootstrapping the ThunderdomeAbout Strike SolutionsFounded two years ago in Nevada, Strike Solutions is seeking to make sense of the IoT data explosion. Their flagship product, Thunderdome, is a multi-modular sensor fusion platform that processes spectrum data at the tactical edge. By correlating signals with video feeds for facial and license plate recognition, Thunderdome provides crucial situational awareness for operators.Strike also recently launched Prism, a packet capture solution that helps customers identify compromises in their tech stacks. Both products demonstrate Strike's ability to rapidly develop and deploy capabilities that solve immediate operational needs.For...
2024-11-2747 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 24: Laying the Foundation for Defense DisruptionAbout the Garrett and DaveIn 2019, Marine reconnaissance veteran Garrett Smith looked at tactical operators' challenges and saw something most others missed. While the industry chased large, networked systems, Smith recognized a fundamental gap: warfighters at the tactical edge lacked the software tools to make sense of their growing data streams. As a former Reconnaissance, Intelligence, and Infantry Officer, a graduate of Stanford University's Ford Dorsey Program in International Policy Studies, and a former head of business development at Kespry, Garrett had the perspective, network, and know-how to do something about it.He’s joined on...
2024-11-2159 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 23: Supplying Commercial Data for Defense MissionsAbout BazzeFounded in 2019, Bazze is an intelligence platform designed to transform how the defense and intelligence community accesses and utilizes commercial data. The company's platform enables users to know everything about a person, place, or thing using exclusively commercial data sources. Users of Bazze technology can quickly identify potential security risks and gather comprehensive intelligence using publicly available information.For more on Bazze, or if you’re interested in checking out their products, head over to bazze.ioFor more on Sammy, you can follow him on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.co...
2024-11-1332 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 22: How Project Maven Delivered AI to the ArmyThis summer, Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) at Georgetown published the paper Building the Tech Coalition: How Project Maven and the U.S. 18th Airborne Corps Operationalized Software and Artificial Intelligence for the Department of Defense (check it out here).Today’s episode dives deep into the case, highlighting a crucial illustration of successful defense innovation. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.valleycrossers.com
2024-10-0239 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 21: Building a DoD StartupAbout ChrisChristopher Kirchhoff has been a key figure in many major developments in defense and national security over the past decade. He served as Obama's director for strategic planning at the National Security Council, was a senior civilian aide to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and authored influential reports on America's war in Iraq, the space shuttle Columbia disaster, and the Ebola response. Crucially, along with Raj Shah, Kirchhoff helped establish the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx), which has become a vital piece in bringing modern technology into the mission of national defense.
2024-09-1837 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 20: Integration as a SuperpowerDarkhive, founded in the fall of 2021, aims to address the critical gap in the defense community by building affordable, high-performance tactical drones that are designed with the end-user in mind. The company places a strong emphasis on open, discoverable systems that can be easily integrated with existing infrastructure, ensuring that their products remain useful and adaptable over time. Darkhive has secured multiple government contracts, including a Phase III award from Autonomy Prime, and has received widespread support from various branches of the military, including the Air Force, Space Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy. This is...
2024-09-1140 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 19: How to Build Software for WarfightersIn this episode of "Crossing the Valley," we are joined by Ian Kalin, CEO and founder of Turbine One, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in bringing innovative technology to the defense sector.Key topics covered:- Ian's diverse background from Navy counterterrorism officer to tech entrepreneur- The mission of Turbine One and its focus on edge AI for warfighter safety- Navigating the complex landscape of defense contracting and acquisitions- The importance of exercises and field testing in product development- Overcoming obstacles in...
2024-09-0442 min
Crossing the ValleySeason 2 Ep 9: CounterCraft is Making Deception Easy (and that's a good thing)David Brown, CEO of CounterCraft, joins Noah to discuss the company's journey in the digital security industry. David covers the company's foray into the American market, its partnership strategies, and plans for future growth. Timestamps:00:00-00:45: The Evolution of Deception in Warfare and IT 03:04-03:26: Spanish Cybersecurity Startup's Unique Approach 04:37-06:10: Countercraft's Deception Platform 09:16-12:43: Early Days: From Commercial to Government 13:39-16:52: Scaling through Partnerships 29:06-31:38: Democratizing Deception Technology 35:33-36:12: What's Next for Counter Craft 36:31-37:43: Advice for Startup Founders
2024-08-2138 min
Campaign ChemistryFrontdoor SVP and chief revenue officer Kathy CollinsNot everyone might find the home warranty space exciting, but Kathy Collins does.The SVP and chief revenue officer of Frontdoor is responsible for overseeing marketing, sales and product for the home warranty brand as well as the Frontdoor app, which connects homeowners with qualified professionals to help with repairs. After shepherding the launch of the Frontdoor app in April 2023, Collins set her sights on revitalizing the 53-year-old American Home Shield brand with a new campaign fronted by Saturday Night Live star Rachel Dratch. In this episode, she dives into her role as ch...
2024-08-2127 min
Crossing the ValleySeason 2 Ep 8: Dan Magy and Ben Kohlmann on Navigating the Defense EcosystemAbout Our Guests:Ben Kohlmann is a retired F-18 pilot, former consultant, founder, and current investor at Cubit Capital. Ben has touched it all, and has a well-rounded, thoughtful, and purpose-driven perspective on defense investing.Dan Magy is a repeat defense founder and the co-founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs. Dan's experience includes starting a counter-UAS company and working closely with special operations forces, giving him deep insight into the defense innovation landscape. He’s also prolific on LinkedIn, where his near-daily drone videos are wildly popular with the defense community and beyond.Ti...
2024-08-1446 min
Crossing the ValleySeason 2 Ep 7: Rebuilding the Industrial BaseIn this week’s Crossing the Valley, Noah sits down with Hank Holland, CEO of Amaero International, a modern manufacturing company that’s increasingly involved in modernizing America’s industrial base. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.valleycrossers.com
2024-07-2445 min
Crossing the ValleySeason 2 Episode 6: From Commercial Radar to Counter-Drone LeaderIn this episode of Crossing the Valley Noah sits down with Greer Carper, the Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategy at Fortem Technologies. Timestamps: 00:00-03:59: A Journey through Defense Technology Development 03:59-07:04: Moving from Investing to Operating in a Growing Company 07:55-08:47: Navigating Strategy Roles in Startups 10:00-12:38: From Commercial Markets to the Defense Space 18:45-22:02: Leveraging RDTE Funding 22:50-24:23: Navigating the Trade-offs in Counter-UAS Systems 26:10-27:00: International Expansion 27:30-28:45: Next Steps in Defense Contracts and Counter-UAS Innovations
2024-07-1031 min
Crossing the ValleySeason 2 Ep 5: Revitalizing American Manufacturing with MacroFabIn this episode of Crossing the Valley, I had the pleasure of speaking with Misha Govshteyn, the CEO of Macrofab, a Texas-based cloud manufacturing company that is working to revitalize American manufacturing. With a network of over 100 factories across the United States and Mexico, Macrofab supplies defense contractors and helps them produce goods quickly, cost-effectively, and at a higher quality, all while keeping production closer to home. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.valleycrossers.com
2024-07-0347 min
Crossing the ValleySeason 2 Ep 4: Vannevar Labs is Changing the Defense Tech ParadigmAbout Vannevar LabsVannevar Labs is building the next-generation “non-kinetic defense prime.”Today, they're mentioned in the same breath as defense behemoths like Anduril and Palantir. Since founding the company in their Stanford dorm room in 2019, CEO Brett Granberg and President Nini Hamrick have grown the company dramatically. From $3.5 million in annual contract value in 2021, they did $25 million in 2022, before growing to $49 million last year.What's even more crazy is, unlike most of their peers, they're already profitable. Brett and Nini know that defense modernization is not a fight that's going to be won...
2024-06-2647 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 12: Jade Baranski and Mobilize are Opening a new door to Defense InnovationIn this episode of Crossing the Valley, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jade Baranski, the founder and CEO of Mobilize. Mobilize is a company that connects end users within the federal government to the companies that provide the capabilities they need.Jade shares the story of how VISION came to be, starting with their participation in an Air Force pitch competition, with twists turns and pivots along the way. The end result is Vision, a data platform, has changed the way data is used in the defense “innovation” and acquisition communities to match buyers and sell...
2024-06-1944 min
Crossing the ValleyEp 11: Inside AeroVironment's big Replicator WinCTV Subscribers,I’m excited to bring you this timely episode of "Crossing the Valley." I had the opportunity to sit down with Kara Kramer, the Director of Business Development at AeroVironment, and winner of the first Replicator award!In this episode, Kara spills the beans on AeroVironment's recent win, and goes in depth on the Switchblade loitering munition. We dive into the details of the program, the future of autonomy in the defense industry, and AeroVironment itself.Kara shares valuable insights on the importance of focusing on customer requirements, the benefits of wo...
2024-06-1235 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 10: How goTenna went from commercial company to 350 government customersGoTenna is a great example of a company that built legit tech, found its niche in the federal market, and fought to survive long enough to generate the kind of traction that will allow it to be a smash hit. CEO Ari Schuler joined us to share his candid takes on the company, the journey, and the market. The company supports over 350 agencies in mission-critical operations around the world today. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.valleycrossers...
2024-06-0545 min
TechstinationVideo chat service for home repairs and mainetnance- FrontdoorTechstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. More tech help in fixing what needs fixing around the house. Online videos can sometimes be a big help in tackling tasks you may not be familiar with….but Frontdoor takes it a step further by connecting consumers through live chats with experts…like plumbers or electricians. On-Demand Services Director Sarah Riley…
“We’ve got appliance, plumbing, HVAC, handymen. All experts, on call just waiting to help you walk through that experience live. It’s free to download. It’s free to become a member. That first video chat...
2024-05-2901 min
TechstinationTelemedicine for home maintenance & repairs? Frontdoor's Sarah Riley.Expert video chat on demand for home maintenance and repairs? Frontdoor is offering unlimited help for 25 dollars a year. How does it work? On-Demand Services Director Sarah Riley chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.
2024-05-1607 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 09: How IronEagleX Reverse Engineered a Rapidly-Growing Defense Tech StartupMichael Grochol is a fascinating example of when a Silicon Valley-raised problem solver-come-national security expert. His approach to starting a company was long, methodical, and principled. And it led him to the helm of one of the nation’s fastest growing defense services companies.Unlike many founders, Michael actually turned down the first opportunity he had to start a company.Why?He felt he wasn’t prepared.So he focused on acquiring the skills and experiences he knew he would need, to be able to succeed when he finally stepped into the...
2024-04-0343 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 08 - From Scaleup to Startup: Marc Frankel is Solving Software Supply Chain Vulnerabilities with Lessons from Palantir and ExpanseOverviewMarc Frankel is one of the few people on earth to have worked at not one but TWO successful defense tech companies: Palantir, and Expanse. Now he's taking on the problem of software supply chain vulnerabilities with his new venture, Manifest Cyber. In this conversation we dive into what he's applying from past experience, what he's learning fresh for the first time, and what the future holds.For more on Manifest:Website: Manifestcyber.comBOM Working Group Slack: info@manifestcyber.comYouTube: @manifest-cyber This is a...
2024-03-2746 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 07: How Firehawk Aerospace Won Congressional Appropriations to Fuel their LiftoffWill Edwards, CEO and Co-founder of Firehawk Aerospace joins us to talk 3D printed rocket propellant, Congressional appropriations, and how the team is revolutionizing the propulsion market. For more on Firehawk Aerospace, check out: https://firehawkaerospace.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.valleycrossers.com
2024-03-2041 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 06: Building the National Security OS with Second Front SystemsIn this conversation with Second Front Systems CEO Tyler Sweatt, we dive into Tyler's own transition from military to startups, what the Defense Department and startups miss about each other, and what the future holds for defense tech. Timestamps: 2:22 - Tyler's background and the journey to the C-suite 6:30 - The Second Front team and Kessel Run origin story 9:00 - Tyler reacts to the Defense Ventures Fellowship news 12:20 - What Second Front is doing and why 16:45 - How Second Front went to market initially 20:54 - You...
2024-03-1346 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 05: Growing CFD Research from the Garage to a $75M BusinessOverviewCFD Research is a small business founded in 1987 in the Singhal family garage in Huntsville, Alabama. Today it is a $75M business that has received more than $100M in SBIR funding, with one of the highest commercialization rates in the business.We spoke with CEO and President Sameer Singhal about the company's business model, and how they go about delivering for the mission of national defense.For more:* On CFD Research: www.cfd-reserach.com* On Sameer Singhal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sameer-singhal-304b6018/* Crossing the...
2024-03-0651 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 04: Growing ID.me to a $150M ARR UnicornCase Study: From Zero to A Billion - the Making of an Identity Verification UnicornI met Blake Hall in 2020, during COVID, as my nonprofit organization was looking to help surge healthcare professionals into the fight against the pandemic. One of the key challenges was identifying and verifying user credentials. Enter ID.me; Blake and team offered to do it for the healthcare facilities who were vetting our volunteers - and incredibly, to do it for free. His heart for service runs deep. I’m excited to share his story - the ID.me story - with yo...
2024-02-281h 04
Crossing the ValleyEp. 03: How ZeroEyes Went Straight to Production with DoD“Skipping the Valley” - the ZeroEyes StoryZeroEyes was founded in 2018 by a team of Navy SEALs and technologists: Mike Lahiff, Sam Alaimo, Tim Sulzer, Rob Huberty and Dustin Brooks. The company launched following the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas elementary school to prevent future school shootings.In this episode, we speak with James “JT” Wilkins, a Marine who served fifteen years until he was medically retired. As he prepared to retire, JT had a management consulting offer in hand, and was preparing to move into the analytical lifestyle when COVID hit. What seemed like a d...
2024-02-2149 min
Crossing the ValleyEp. 2: Apogee Research is Changing the System from WithinApogee Research is a small engineering firm that developed one the Defense Department’s latest solution to the age-old challenge of interoperability. Over seven years, Apogee not only engineered a technical solution, but helped build a constituency for the tool chain inside the ecosystem, and equipped warfighters with the know-how to use it.In this episode I spoke with David Gerson, the firm’s Vice President, about how they engineered from transition, how building for defense is different, and what the future may hold. Check it out and let me know what you think! And if you like...
2024-02-141h 07
Crossing the ValleyEp. 1: Bootstrapping from Prototype to Production, with Accrete AIWelcome to the first episode of Crossing the Valley!I’m excited to bring you Accrete AI’s story of tech transition. It’s a story about a commercial-first bootstrapped company finding its way in the defense market. The interview was super interesting, as our two guests have such different backgrounds: Prashant was a financial trader, while Brian had a 20+ year career inside the government. But they play off each other incredibly well, and have some absolute truth bombs for our listeners. This case study includes key takeaways, timestamps, company contracts (thanks to our friends at Procure FYI...
2024-02-0753 min
Crossing the ValleyComing Soon: Crossing the ValleyEach year, thousands of companies show up to sell their products and services to the Department of Defense.But so few make it across the “Valley of Death” from pilot to production.The ones who do?Their stories are rarely told.Until now.In this show, we go deep into the stories of the companies that have blazed a path in the federal market, to understand the tools, tips, and playbooks to getting to scale inside the Department of Defense.Each episode will be accompanied by an in-d...
2024-02-0400 min
Marketing VanguardTaking Creative Risks with Kathy Collins Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer at FrontdoorOn this week’s episode of Marketing Vanguard, we hear from Kathy Collins, senior vice president & chief revenue officer, at Frontdoor, Collins is an accomplished leader with a proven track record for driving growth, innovation, and operational excellence. She has broad experience across all facets of strategy and marketing. During the conversation, Collins shares Frontdoor's mission and the unique aspects of its services, such as connecting homeowners with experts through a video chat app for quick solutions to home-related issues. She also discusses her transition to the chief revenue officer role and the sign...
2024-01-1130 min
Tech It OutCongrats to the ‘Tech It Out’ laptop winner! Tune in to find out who won. Also: the Frontdoor app for homeowners, Äike e-scooters.Were you the lucky winner of the ASUS Zenbook OLED laptop? We celebrated the 300th episode of Tech It Out, and so I’ll announce the listener who entered and wonWe kick off the show with tech expert Amber Mac, who shares some gadget ideas for the summerDownload the Frontdoor app to get help around the home, whether it’s via video chats or in personElectric scooters are super hot, and so we learn what makes Äike e-scooters unique – including a subscription model with Tempo to affordably ride one of theseA huge thank you to ASUS, my title sponsor on Tech It...
2023-06-2339 min
Inside The TradesEp. 15: How Technology Is Changing The Playing Field In The Trades With Tony BacosThe skills gap alarm has been sounding in the trades industry for some time now, causing companies to rethink how they structure their future business plans, and inspire people to consider a career in trades at a young age. The fact is, 3 million jobs will be vacant in 2028, which will arrive in a blink of an eye, so solutions are the main concern for many trades companies. The good thing is, the trades industry is going through its own evolution while the workforce transitions as well. There is a larger focus on advanced technology with the digital age in...
2022-07-2723 minInside The TradesEp. 15: How Technology Is Changing The Playing Field In The Trades With Tony BacosThe skills gap alarm has been sounding in the trades industry for some time now, causing companies to rethink how they structure their future business plans, and inspire people to consider a career in trades at a young age. The fact is, 3 million jobs will be vacant in 2028, which will arrive in a blink of an eye, so solutions are the main concern for many trades companies. The good thing is, the trades industry is going through its own evolution while the workforce transitions as well. There is a larger focus on advanced technology with the digital age in...
2022-07-2723 min