E58 – Dcode the Pentagon Buying Machine

What does it actually take to get new technology into thehands of warfighters—and why is it still so hard? In this episode, Mike sits down with the co-founders ofDcode, Meagan Metzger and Meg Vorland, to unpack the reality behind defense innovation, acquisition reform, and the flow of capital into the sector. Dcode operates at a unique intersection—working withstartups, investors, and the Pentagon—giving them a rare, inside-out view of how the system really works. We break down why most acquisition reform efforts fallshort, whether recent policy changes are hitting the right targets, and what conventional wisdom in defense innovation is simply wrong. If you’re trying to understand how defense actually getsbuilt, funded, and fielded—this is the inside baseball. Links • Sign up for the newsletter⁠! • Support us on ⁠Patreon⁠! • Dcode website • Dcode Capital portfolio • Dcode LinkedIn • Meagan Metzger LinkedIn • Meg Vorland LinkedIn • CTRL + ALT + DEFENSE podcast ---- Follow us on... • LinkedIn • Instagram⁠ • ⁠X⁠ • ⁠Facebook⁠ • ⁠Website⁠ ---- 00:00 00:44 intro 01:19 Dcode origin story 04:55 founders, funders, and fighters 09:27 acquisition reform 12:32 risk vs the no-monster 15:58 buying speed vs rigor 16:44 contracting officer shortage 17:55 bigger worse contracts 21:04 defense catalyst 21:57 leadership and training 23:05 the bigger picture 25:33 budget line-item consolidation 28:16 pass a budget 30:41 investing in companies 36:05 misconceptions 38:28 colors and fallout 39:33 conflicts of interest 41:03 RAIC 41:30 300 42:12 pilot programs 46:42 fielding 47:29 magic wand 48:49 crystal ball 50:19 outro