Odyssey Systems and the landscape’s shifts in speed, decision authorities

If 2025 and 2026 have told us anything, it is that the government no longer sees the decades-long status quo of acquisition as acceptable anymore because the world is too different now. Matt Kasberg, chief executive of Company No. 73 on our 2026 Top 100, joins for this episode to explain how Odyssey Systems works with the defense acquisition community and provides an industry point-of-view on all the changes to that function of government. In Kasberg’s words, “acquisition is a warfighting function” and that requires a keen understanding of demand signals from operators. The Pentagon’s emphasis on speed and a different setup of decision authorities are part of the equation too, as Kasberg explains to our Ross Wilkers. How did Odyssey expand from 300 to 1,500 employees over a decade? Kasberg tells the growth story as one that required a mix of moves he calls “Stress and Stretch” and “New Horizons.” WT 360: Defense One's Lauren Williams on the new world order of acquisition Unveiling acquisition overhaul, Hegseth tells industry to get with the program DOD’s move to ‘wartime footing’ demands new contracting models The military's acquisition reform push means 85% ready is good enough to start DOD seeks industry feedback on acquisition reform push