Hardware vs. Software and Building Complete Systems | In The Arena

In this episode of In the Arena, Vannevar CEO Brett Granberg breaks down the shift from building software-only tools to integrated hardware-software systems. He shares why defense startups need to deliver complete systems (as opposed to just components), how hardware forces a different pace of iteration, and why real-world deployments – failures and all – are the only way to validate products.We cover lessons from Vannevar’s RF sensing venture, the structural challenges of defense acquisition, and what it really takes to move fast in hardware while staying mission-first.CHAPTERS00:00 Intro00:19 Do defense companies need to build both hardware and software?01:56 Deciding to build hardware as a software-first company03:45 Building exquisite systems vs. smaller, attritable nodes05:38 Differences between hardware and software builders07:15 How to learn how to build hardware09:27 How does the government customer shape how you build hardware products?13:08 How to build an integrated system14:26 Scaling software vs. hardware companies16:16 Aligning incentives when team cadences are different18:01 Building hardware as a remote-first company19:28 Lessons defense primes could learn22:12 The unexpected24:04 Build vs. buy considerationsWatch a video of this episode