Goat Rodeo #36 ft. Garrett Asta - IPO Rumors, Big Raises, and Anduril’s Tough Week

This Episode:The Goat Rodeo crew is joined by Garrett Asta from Houlihan Lokey. The guys break down Steve Witkoff’s Ukraine peace plan, why Simon still sees no path to near-term peace, and a surprising cultural moment involving Limp Bizkit and Estonia. Then it’s onto the big stuff: major venture raises, billion-dollar outfits gearing up for IPOs, and what an incoming M&A wave could mean for valuations across the sector.And yes, they get into Anduril’s rough week, the limits of “fail forward,” and why unfinished prototypes can become real risks for warfighters.Chapters:00:00–03:00 Chit chat and light banter03:00–06:00 Introducing guest Garrett Asta06:00–10:00 Ukraine “peace plan” reactions10:00–13:00 Limp Bizkit cancelled in Estonia13:00–17:00 Why Simon sees no peace coming soon17:00–22:00 Big venture deals and billion-dollar raises22:00–27:00 Defense market trends and M&A wave expectations27:00–31:00 IPO prep and valuation concerns31:00–35:00 Programs of record vs capabilities of record35:00–38:00 Breaking news about two National Guardsmen38:00–43:00 Selling prototypes, IRAD spending, DoD barriers43:00–47:00 TRL, IRL, MRL and investor misconceptions47:00–51:00 The risks of scaling defense manufacturing51:00–55:00 Anduril hype cycles and product failure discussion55:00–58:00 CCA, Fury test failure, and DoD risk tolerance58:00–1:00:44 Thanksgiving food talk and closing thoughtsOur Podcast: National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare. Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.Listen on other platforms:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2mTJ1oJEgB3rCbQouCL7XD?si=9b2647b843144469Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/goat-rodeo/id1801310605 YouTube: youtube.com/@GoatRodeoPodcast