DIB Innovators

Matt McElvogue, VP of Design at Teague, doesn't talk about design as a polish layer. He talks about it as a mission-critical failure point. His clearest example: a $5,000 tactical device used by JTAC operators for calling in 9-line bombing runs, where zeroizing the device was buried so deep in the menu that soldiers in the field resorted to shooting it or blowing it up. That failure isn't a UX anecdote; it's the operational cost of ignoring the experience layer. Matt lays out how AI and autonomous systems are now forcing a fundamental rethink of that layer, specifically the shift from in-the-loop to on-the-loop decision-making, and the three trust requirements every autonomous system interface must satisfy: legibility, predictability, and recoverability. He also describes a coming design challenge that has no precedent, which is building interface components for AI systems that will dynamically assemble the UX themselves, in real time, based on individual context. Topics discussed:How AI and autonomy are shifting military operators from in-the-loop to on-the-loop as threat volumes scale The three trust requirements for autonomous system UI design: legibility, predictability, and recoverabilityWorking with early-stage defense companies before contracts arrive and how early design involvement shapes technical requirements AI systems that dynamically assemble their own UX, requiring designers to build components for experiences they can’t fully predictHow procurement decision-makers who grew up with iPhones are raising the bar for defense technology usabilityWhy trust erosion from poor interface design is effectively irreversible so the military ends up with expensive equipment operators work around 

David Dickey, CEO, Founder, & Executive Search Consultant of Patriot Group, has seen it happen: an executive placed into a PE-backed defense company and a year later, the firm was contracting operations and pushing to sell. It wasn’t because of the market, but because the hire who looked great on paper couldn't actually lead. David has founded and exited aerospace and defense companies before starting Patriot Group, and watched that pattern repeat enough times that he built his entire process around preventing it. He walks through the Patriot Method, which focuses on the “p” being for “planning.” He also reflects on how most job descriptions are laundry lists that have to be torn apart before a search can even begin, how a scorecard keeps hiring teams from getting charmed by a good talker, and why running the same questions through the candidate, the brief, and the reference check is the only way to build real signal on something as hard to fake as leadership under pressure. Topics discussed:Using scorecards and structured job description reviews to eliminate "laundry list" hiring and focus searches on actual requirementsNavigating the talent gap facing defense tech startups competing for the same senior candidates from high-logo companiesScreening executive candidates for AI fluency through scenario questions, written questionnaires, and reference checksIdentifying what separates high-impact defense executives from candidates who perform well in interviews but fail in the seatWhy senior military operators face a harder transition into defense tech executive roles than technical veteransHow the Patriot Method (planning, scorecards, submission packages, and communication) reduces offer-stage surprises and failed placementsHow competitive comp, defined growth path, and a differentiated story drives top defense tech talent to leave established companiesWhy founders cannot delegate accountability for culture to a head of people and what happens to companies that do

Coastal launch infrastructure is a strategic chokepoint that is one EW disruption off the Cape grounds US space ops, and bespoke responsive launch systems top out at a magazine depth of three. Jonathan Slavik, Co-Founder & CEO of Sagittarius Logistics, is building the orbital launch company incumbents structurally cannot become: designed from day one for payload handoffs measured in hours, non-destructive abort capability that unlocks inland and distributed launch, and an airline-model operations stack that gives the DOD unlimited reconstitution depth by stepping directly into a commercial flow already running at daily cadence. Jonathan walks through the technical architecture and the FAA regulatory roadmap for over-land launch. Topics discussed:Why commercially-driven space companies require market-responsive launch timelines that existing providers structurally cannot offerHow non-destructive abort capability eliminates months-long payload acceptance testing and enables FAA approval for inland over-land launch routesThe airline model for launch operations: swapping vehicles without delaying payloads and scheduling days or weeks out instead of yearsWhy incumbent launch providers are locked out of this market by prior design decisions and an incompatible business modelNational security case for distributed inland launch: eliminating coastal single points of failure and replacing bespoke warehouse-stored rockets Revenue-first company building strategy: subscale hovering rocket vehicles generating early revenueHuman-on-the-loop ML architecture: 30-40 simultaneous sensor data streams used to detect anomalies before they require vehicle recoveryHow a commercial procurement mindset benefits DOD by matching real mission requirements to available commercial capabilities

Jackson Moses, Founder and Managing Partner at Silent Ventures, spent a decade building companies before he started backing them. He founded Silent Ventures to invest exclusively at the pre-seed and seed stage in aerospace, defense, and national security, specifically because he believed most early-stage investors didn't understand what it actually took to survive inside the defense contracting system.Jackson makes the case that most defense tech companies fail on go to market, not technology, and that a program of record is the only outcome that turns a defense tech startup into a real business. He also gives a direct take on why dual use is a hedge word, why SBIR dollars prolong the valley of death instead of crossing it, and why diversification is the wrong thesis for anyone investing seriously in this space.Topics discussed:Why SBIRs prolong the valley of death instead of solving itDual use as a hedge word, not a strategyProgram of record as the only real success metric for defense techWhat Silent Ventures looks for in a founding team at pre-seedGo-to-market as the primary failure point in defense techWhy diversification kills alpha in defense tech investingBiggest funding gaps: electronic warfare and affordable drone massThe case against building a defense tech company around non-dilutive funding 

There are roughly 438 companies building propulsion systems for space right now. Nobody knows which ones actually perform. Philip Hover Smoot, CEO of Atlas Cup, is building a model to fix that, one that creates a capital pathway outside traditional defense funding, a proving ground for real on-orbit performance, and a non-government revenue stream for companies that need to survive long enough to win.Atlas Cup's model doesn't ask anyone to build new hardware. It draws ruleset boundaries around satellites already in orbit at the end of their primary mission. These assets have propulsion still in the tank, licensing already paid, operators already covering TTNC and orbital maintenance. Those assets become a performance stage instead of a sunk cost. The data generated maps directly to what Space Systems Command is looking for, and for DIB contractors who need a credible commerciality plan, it may be one of the only honest answers available. Topics discussed:Turning end-of-mission satellite assets into a competitive racing ecosystemWhy over 400 propulsion companies exist but no one knows who's actually bestThe dual-use case for Atlas Cup within DOD acquisition and commerciality requirementsDesigning a league structure that externalizes every regulatory and licensing burdenBuilding toward a 2028 Grand Prix with chemical propulsion and university class divisionsHow racing data, like maneuverability, pointing, and tracking maps directly to Space Force requirementsWhy SBIR-dependent space companies need non-government revenue to surviveThe fan experience challenge: visualizations, immersive venues, and short-format content distributionWhat professional racing did for automotive and why space needs the same forcing functionSpace domain awareness classification and why open competitive data changes the equation  

Brook Leonard, CEO of Rogue Space Systems, spent 31 years in the Air Force, including as Chief of Staff of US Space Command. Today he is building the modular infrastructure layer that makes space operations faster, cheaper, and sustainable beyond a single mission. Brook breaks down why the current model (bespoke, fully integrated satellites that become debris) can't keep pace with the speed of modern competition, and how Rogue's approach of separating the satellite chassis from the payload changes what's possible on orbit.Rogue's pitch to commercial customers: five times faster, five times cheaper to space. They also get into edge AI and why ground-based processing isn't an option when communication is delayed and reaction windows are seconds, the national security implications of contested space and where the US is falling behind. Topics discussed:Why the current model of bespoke, fully integrated satellites that die as debris is unsustainable for both commercial and military spaceHow modular architecture separates the satellite chassis from the payload, like a truck is separate from the container it haulsWhat "space shipping containers" actually are and how they enable on-orbit payload swaps without relaunchingWhy edge compute and AI autonomy are non-negotiable in space: communication delay, incomplete tracking, and reaction timeHow persistent unmanned platform works as an on-orbit depot: hosting payloads, supplying power and compute, enabling refueling and mission changesWhy the biggest growth opportunity in defense right now is infrastructure, not payloadsWhat China is doing right that we aren't: getting technology into operational units fast and iterating off exercisesWhy human colonies in space are overhyped, and how autonomous systems will do the work instead 

Jeff Crusey, General Partner at IceNine, has watched the same failure mode repeat across energy, defense, and deep tech: investors who don't understand the technology gain large ownership stakes and take companies off the rails. That pattern is what pushed him to launch IceNine, an early-stage venture firm built around first-principle technical depth and embedded government networks rather than a SaaS growth playbook. Jeff breaks down what he actually underwrites before a product exists, why he tells every founder to start lobbying and appropriations on day one,and why compliance isn't an end-stage checkbox but the wall that stops great technology cold. He also makes the case that orbital defense is the most dangerous and underfunded gap in national security right now, and that the reason it stays that way is simple: the investors who could fix it don't understand it well enough to write the check. Topics discussed:Why venture capital firms applying SaaS investment playbooks to hard tech consistently destroy value and derail defense companiesEvaluating pre-product defense startups using technology thesis development, unit economics scrutiny, and team unfair advantageThe day-one lobbying and appropriations pattern that separates defense companies hitting early revenue targets from those that stallWhy compliance, not technology, failures are the most common wall that stops defense startups from scaling with government customersThe case for orbital defense as the most underfunded gap in national security and why most investors aren't equipped to close itWhy defense founders should treat speed of execution as more important than optimizing for investor value-add when raising capital

Removing the pilot from an exquisite manned airframe doesn't make it expendable; it actually makes it more expensive to lose. James Gherdovich, Chief Strategy Officer at Grid Aero, argues that strapping a high-end autonomy suite onto a platform already limited by constrained supply chains only increases economic risk to the force in a kinetic environment. Grid Aero's answer is a 40x40-foot autonomous cargo aircraft built from scratch: thousands of pounds for thousands of miles, GPS- and comms-denied capability, with two separate in-house AI stacks, all designed to be mass-produced and replaced in the field. James also lays out why logistics isn't just a support function in the next fight, it's the prerequisite: until beans and bullets reach distributed forces at the edge, ISR, EW, and CASEVAC don't get prioritized. And what a self-healing global logistics layer looks like not as a vision, but as a design principle baked into how Grid Aero builds. Topics discussed:Building autonomous cargo aircraft from scratch using COTS components to achieve mass-producibility and replaceability at scaleDesigning GPS- and comms-denied operation as a foundational premise rather than an added feature for contested environmentsSeparating flight execution AI from mission parameter AI into two distinct in-house software stacks for operational flexibilityHow unmanning exquisite manned platforms compounds economic risk to the force given constrained rare earth and parts supply chainsEstablishing assured logistics as the prerequisite warfighting function before ISR, EW, and CASEVAC can be prioritized at the edgeReducing cognitive and physical load on exhausted edge warfighters through simplified ground interfaces requiring no specialized trainingTransitioning from military logistics command to defense startup and the mindset shift required to operate without institutional process structuresFraming self-healing global logistics as a design principle for autonomous resupply systems operating under degraded conditions 

Australia and Anduril each put $50 million into Ghost Shark. That 50/50 split eliminated the customer-contractor power imbalance and got the vehicle in the water in 12 months, whereas the US Navy's ORCA program took nearly a decade to reach the same milestone. When Anduril couldn't solve biofouling on control surfaces, they walked into a design review and said it. The Australian government's science organization brought research from facilities across the Asia-Pacific to fix it. No grading. No theater. Shared risk created actual partnership.Shane Arnott, SVP of Programs & Engineering, details how the $100 million development program transitioned to a $1.7 billion program of record in under three years, making the Royal Australian Navy the world's largest subsea robot operator. Pick technologies that scale to automotive production volumes, design for "evergreening" with 12-18 month hardware refresh cycles, and structure partnerships where both sides have enough skin in the game to solve problems together instead of pointing fingers. Topics discussed:Structuring 50/50 cost-sharing partnerships that eliminate customer-contractor power dynamicsCompressing Ghost Shark timeline from decade-long ORCA equivalent to 12 months in water through equal financial risk allocationApplying automotive production methodologies to achieve orders of magnitude scale increases beyond aerospace normsImplementing "evergreening" programs that refresh submarine hardware every 12-18 months instead of decade-long cycles Navigating subsea autonomy requirements where communications denial and positioning uncertainty force true autonomous operation Rejecting innovation theater driven by venture capital video culture in favor of replicable manufacturing processes for field deployment 

Adam Warmoth, Founder & CEO of Chariot Defense, fielded with the 101st Airborne at GRTC six months after first check by pulling silicon carbide power electronics and high-voltage lithium directly from Tesla and eVTOL supply chains. Their M424 hybridizes tactical vehicles and generators to deliver 4-5x higher charge rates than trucks alone, resulting in 3-5x drone sortie rates while almost eliminating generator signature during critical windows. Adam breaks down why the operational shift from 12-hour patrols to 96-hour missions made 2590 batteries obsolete for drones, EW, and edge compute. He also explains his counterintuitive supply chain play: pay premium prices to US and allied automotive suppliers now to serve as early demand signal for companies reshoring critical minerals and battery production, helping them scale down cost curves while securing provenance requirements. Topics discussed:Building hybrid power systems using silicon carbide power electronics and high-voltage lithium from Tesla and eVTOL commercial supply chainsSolving the 96-hour mission power constraint where platoons can only carry enough 2590 batteries for 12-hour patrol operationsAchieving 3-5x drone sortie rates by delivering 4-5x higher charge rates than tactical vehicles alone through hybridization architectureEliminating generator thermal and acoustic signatures during critical windows to prevent infrared detection and targetingFielding from first check to 101st Airborne GRTC deployment in 6 months using Anduril-informed go-to-market and capture strategiesLeveraging automotive supply chains at premium prices to serve as demand signal for reshoring critical minerals and battery productionProviding uninterrupted four nines and five nines uptime for C2 and edge compute requiring data center power with no gridDesigning for power density and burst capability rather than energy storage to enable passive sensing with active engagement surgeNavigating Navy certification bottlenecks for high-voltage systems while maintaining commercial technology adoption speed   

Galvion built a warfighter lab in Portsmouth, NH: a configurable shoot house with high-speed cameras, VR, 3D sound, and a double-PhD cognitive scientist on staff. Elite special operators ran the course with night vision and called their gear perfect, but the data showed they were slower, their muscles tighter, and compensating the entire time without knowing it. That gap between what a trained operator feels and what the science measures is where Galvion makes its design decisions.Todd Stirtzinger also breaks down why open architecture is the reason they win programs, not just a feature. With over 2 million head systems installed across Europe and new US programs now in hand, Todd makes the case that information and decisiveness are becoming as critical as protection on the modern battlefield, and that NATO forces are already moving faster in that direction than North America. Topics discussed:Building head systems as integrated platforms combining ballistic protection, wearable power delivery, and open architecture compute for dismounted warfightersReplacing operator self-reporting through a warfighter lab using high-speed cameras, VR, and cognitive science measurementWinning U.S. Marine Corps and FBI/DEA programs through user intimacy, iterative trials, and showing customers a clear upgrade pathAvoiding vendor lock by building on open system architecture that integrates into existing ecosystems without ownership dependenciesManaging intelligent power scavenging and prioritized recharging for digitally connected soldiers carrying increasingly power-hungry equipmentPositioning Galvion's value at the decide-and-act layer of the OODA loop where battlefield data must become fast, actionable decisionsShifting warfighter doctrine from maximum ballistic protection toward information superiority, decisiveness, and keeping out of harm's wayAccelerating human-machine teaming and robot-soldier integration as the defining capability gap on the future battlefield  

Will Edwards, CEO & Co-founder of Firehawk walked around defense conferences with what was essentially Lego plastic demonstrating it could become rocket fuel. Everyone laughed until Firehawk proved thermoplastic works as a binder for 3D-printable solid propellant, cutting production from 60 days to 6 hours. The breakthrough came from a failed pivot: they tried selling hybrid rocket engines to disrupt the supply chain, but learned the military won't swap proven systems for new architectures. Success required replicating solid motors exactly, just manufactured differently. Will also explains why missile startups without propellant production will fail and why comparing defense manufacturing to SpaceX misses the point: primes already produce thousands of complex systems annually, they're just constrained by cast-and-cure physics, not capability. Topics discussed:Using thermoplastic binders to 3D print solid rocket propellant, cutting production time from 60 days to 6 hoursWhy hybrid rocket engine disruption failed and success required replicating solid motors with different manufacturing physics insteadHow traditional cast-and-cure propellant production constrains scale through 5,000-pound batches requiring hundreds of molds before curingWhy missile startups without propellant production capacity will fail competing against Northrop and L3Harris manufacturing queuesDebunking SpaceX comparisons in defense: primes already produce thousands of systems annually, constrained by physics not capabilityScaling from thermoplastic fuel experiments to 200,000 base bleeds annually and 10,000 rockets monthly by 2028Designing only for systems requiring 300,000+ units annually to ensure meaningful defense production impact at scaleBuilding distributed propellant manufacturing in Europe and Indo-Pacific regions to match Ukraine artillery consumption rates 

Zach Shore, President of Hermeus, and his team have demonstrated a turbine-based combined cycle engine in a wind tunnel for roughly $20 million. NASA and DARPA spent nine figures on the same architecture. The system uses proprietary modifications to an F100-229 to hit Mach 3, then routes airflow around the cocooned turbine directly into a ramjet to reach Mach 5. Reverse the process to decelerate. The result is reusable air-breathing flight from zero to Mach 5. No rockets required for acceleration or terminal glide on descent. They proved the complete architecture with a GE J85 engine. Now they're scaling to the F100-229 with the ramjet integration coming next.Quarterhorse, their 30,000-pound Mach 2+ aircraft powered by the F100-229, flies from White Sands this year. It's not a test article; it's the first platform with actual utility. Think unmanned F-16 capability stack: electronic warfare, rails for weapons, red air, high-speed target. Darkhorse will hit low Mach 5 before decade's end. Zach walks through why they're building metal airframes with removable panels and modular inlets rather than exotic composites, how they're using proven components like the F-16 landing gear and MiG fuselage design to avoid reinventing solved problems, and why demonstrating incremental capability beats PowerPoint pitches when you're trying to crack into integrated heavy systems programs. Topics discussed:Demonstrating turbine-based combined cycle engine architecture in wind tunnel for $20M versus NASA/DARPA's nine-figure development Routing airflow around cocooned F100-229 turbine into ramjet at Mach 3 to achieve reusable Mach 5 flight capabilityBuilding 10,000-pound unmanned aircraft from design to flight in 15 months to validate high-speed outer mold lineDeploying Quarterhorse 30,000-pound Mach 2+ platform with F-16 capability stack including electronic warfare and weapons railsDesigning metal airframes with removable panels and modular inlets rather than exotic composites for production scalabilityUsing proven components like F-16 landing gear and MiG fuselage design to avoid reinventing solved engineering problemsNavigating defense R&D contracting where labs compete with private innovators and prime contractors receive cost-plus incentivesBuilding hardware-rich iterative development approach with smaller engines before scaling to full F100-229 and ramjet integration  

Doodle Labs engineered multi-band radios that frequency-hop in milliseconds, outpacing jamming attacks that make satellite control impossible for real-time drone operations. When conflict in Ukraine started, the engineering team repurposed this architecture for anti-jamming by hopping between bands faster than adversaries could track and jam. Ashish Parikh, Co-CEO, details their monthly software release cadence driven by field engineers embedded with Ukrainian operators, where mission requirements emerged directly from combat: silent-mode mesh networking for operators who become targets the moment they emit RF, listen-only modes for monitoring video feeds without signature exposure, and coordinating multiple drones plus ground users while one expeditionary asset pushes 100+ kilometers into heavily jammed territory. Their modular architecture layers like Lego blocks that combine for complex mission profiles. Topics discussed:Repurposing multi-band capability from Army requirements into millisecond frequency-hopping anti-jamming during Ukraine conflictMonthly software releases driven by field engineers embedded with Ukrainian operators testing under active electronic warfareBuilding modular architecture layering sense anti-jamming algorithms, mesh optimization, and silent modes for coordination at 100km+ rangeDesigning point-to-point mesh networks for 20-100km missions requiring sub-100ms latency where satellite infrastructure adds prohibitive delayMaintaining NDAA-compliant supply chains with Singapore and US manufacturing capacity scaling to millions of units at commercial pricingDeploying listen-only modes and RF signature management so ground operators monitor feeds without becoming targetable network nodes

Oura tracked an armored unit's gunnery qualification and found baseline heart rate variability statistically predicted top-quartile performance on weapons platforms. Their three-tier privacy architecture gives individuals AI-driven feedback, lets them share data with coaches by explicit consent, and provides command aggregate de-identified metrics. This information helps command know not only when to back off on training, but when they can push harder and how trainees are recovering.Geoff Wylde, VP & General Manager of Health & Human Performance, discusses how Oura invested in NSA-approved hardware that operates in airplane mode for SCIF access and edge applications that sync intermittently with eight days of on-device storage for denied environments. Topics discussed:Tracking baseline heart rate variability to statistically predict top-quartile gunnery qualification performance on weapons platformsImplementing three-tier data architecture with individual insights, provider coaching access, and aggregate command-level readiness metricsAchieving 80% alcohol consumption reduction among special operators through biometric feedback loops from wearable ring dataBuilding consent-based privacy systems using de-identified accounts where no personal information enters company databases for DoDDeveloping NSA-approved hardware with airplane mode capability and Bluetooth antenna for SCIF access and classified environmentsCreating edge applications with 8-day on-device storage for intermittent sync in denied environments 

Clark Haymond, COO of DEWM, leveraged active duty relationships to compress validation timelines that would take years through traditional AFRL sequences. Having friends now in squadron leadership enabled direct jet time allocation for hypothesis testing, proving DEWM's DART could complete actual SEAD kill chains before committing to the formal program of record pathways. This network-driven approach delivers a combined operation with real-time feedback loops impossible in controlled SBIR phases.   Clark also explains why Air National Guard units became initial customers: state-controlled budgets enable faster procurement decisions than ACC. Guard wings need robust EW environments but face $5-15M price tags for traditional threat emitters. DEWM's 2-foot dish exploits the power threshold gap between legacy radar warning receivers and modern HTS pods, achieving tactically relevant detection ranges without massive amplifiers. Haymond candidly admits the MBA network delivered "almost none" of the value compared to Defense Ventures Fellowship placements and direct operator access.    Topics discussed:   Transitioning from permissive environments to building training systems for contested near-peer warfare scenarios Solving range emitter density problems where NTTR has tens of systems due to prohibitive replication costs 5th gen sensor sensitivity differences that enable lower-powered threat emitters to achieve tactically relevant detection ranges for training Building attritable radar targets using open architecture software-defined radios that customers can reprogram without vendor dependency or additional costs Leveraging active duty networks and squadron relationships to accelerate product validation cycles and compress AFRL timelines Comparing MBA network value versus Defense Ventures Fellowship placements for defense startup founders building hardware solutions  Scaling from Wessip weapon evaluation to international F-35 customers seeking cost-effective EW training infrastructure for SEAD mission preparation  

Storing cargo in orbit is becoming cost-comparable to maintaining hundreds of terrestrial warehouses scattered globally, but in orbit, they’re not as vulnerable to atmospheric conditions, geographic limitations, and single points of failure. Justin Fiaschetti, CEO & Co-founder of Inversion, explains how this approach requires orders of magnitude fewer units to cover the same geographic area because any satellite can deliver to any location within its coverage zone. When launch costs continue declining with reusable systems like Starship, the economics shift dramatically toward orbital warehousing that eliminates moisture, temperature variations, and the fragility of ground-based logistics networks while providing true global reach. But what would a company journey be without some challenges? Recruiting for a hardware startup demands different strategies than software companies where engineers are somewhat interchangeable. Inversion needed distinct specialists, each requiring completely different screening processes and networks. Justin's solution was screening every candidate against one question: could this person be a future founder? That mindset ensured each hire could own an entire engineering discipline autonomously, allowing Inversion to build a 25-person team capable of designing and launching operational spacecraft in under 3 years.  Topics discussed: How pre-positioning cargo 400 km above Earth eliminates geographic constraints while maintaining coverage of any point on the globe. Recruiting strategies for hardware startups requiring distinct engineering disciplines, focusing on founder mentality over domain expertise. Why resource constraints force startup focus and efficiency that unlimited funding prevents. Implementing commander's intent leadership philosophy where clear direction replaces micromanagement. The economics of space logistics becoming cost-comparable to maintaining global warehouse networks. Autonomous landing systems achieving sub-3-meter accuracy using guided parachutes that surpass human skydiver precision. Defense applications for 1-hour delivery including medical supplies within golden hour treatment windows and mission-capable parts. Cold email conversion strategies for reaching military decision makers by targeting specific innovation offices and logistics personnel.

Jonathan DiMattei, Founder & CEO of Lothric Labs, describes his pathway into defense manufacturing as fearless, relentless, and totally unbiased networking. He attended every ribbon cutting, grand opening, and Chamber of Commerce event he could find, regardless of industry. The breakthrough came at World Trade Center Denver, where events put him directly in front of United Airlines, Lockheed Martin, and defense contractors. His team's thousands of hours of lived 3D printing experience made the elevator pitch natural rather than rehearsed. Ten months after opening Lothric Labs to the public, they secured over 50 active clients and became the US strategic partner for Ultimaker, the only 3D printer adopted by the U.S. Army. The biggest challenge for small manufacturers entering defense isn't technical capability but compliance, warns Jonathan. You can master aerospace-grade 3D printing, network into meetings with defense contractors, and shake hands with CEOs, but without CMMC certification, you're not getting the 3D model files. Some defense companies are softer, asking to see compliance on the roadmap. Others had hard lines. Luckily, publicly accessible SCIF spaces are now creating pathways for smaller manufacturers to access government-compliant networks and start bidding without building multi-million dollar facilities. The real bottleneck isn't equipment but knowledge: which materials to use among thousands of options, how to optimize CAD models for additive manufacturing, and navigating the compliance requirements that gate access to classified work. Topics discussed: How publicly accessible SCIF spaces enable small manufacturers to bid on defense contracts without building their own secure facilities. The evolution from 40-hour print times on early desktop 3D printers to machines that are 5-7 times faster, enabling true rapid prototyping. Why Ultimaker is the only Army-adopted 3D printing solution with no internet connectivity or camera capability for classified manufacturing. How Ferrari's entirely 3D printed F80 suspension demonstrates the shift from prototyping-only applications to final production aerospace-grade parts. Why CMMC compliance creates a bigger barrier than technical capability for small defense suppliers who can't receive 3D models without proper certifications. Material selection challenges among thousands of 3D printing options and why using the wrong material with expensive equipment leads to complete project failure. Listen to more episodes:  Apple  Spotify  YouTube Website

Primer.ai reduced a 50-day intelligence analysis timeline to hours, enabling operators to redirect friendlies away from hostile forces before collision. CEO Sean Moriarty explains why this speed advantage stems from working backward from customer need rather than leading with AI capabilities — understanding workflow bottlenecks where analysts spend more time assembling information than analyzing it, then building software that starts their day where it used to end.   Sean's product background shaped his counter-intuitive approach to government AI deployment: aggressive, rapid vetting with proper oversight beats trying to solve hypothetical risks in abstract policy frameworks. He also advocates for time-bounded capability mandates that force elimination of bureaucratic barriers rather than incremental process reform. Sean's team matches customer shift work during crises, a level of commitment he attributes to hiring people who care about mission as deeply as the end users they support.    Topics discussed:   Transitioning from commercial tech leadership to applying AI for national security intelligence analysis and defense missions. Building products by working backward from customer workflow bottlenecks rather than deploying AI capabilities just for the sake of it. Operating at the app layer with workflow tooling beyond LLMs, including source ingestion and closed-loop reporting systems. Mitigating LLM hallucinations through generative chunk playback against source material and surfacing contested claims with full source transparency. Deploying capabilities via API to augment existing platforms rather than forcing workflow disruption through full system replacement requirements. Accelerating government technology adoption through time-bounded capability mandates that eliminate bureaucratic barriers versus incremental process reform approaches. Reducing 50-day OSINT analysis timelines to hours by parsing massive unstructured data volumes for signal extraction and collision avoidance.  

SpaceX's early mission operations exposed a fundamental problem: mission-critical teams were executing complex procedures across Excel spreadsheets, PDFs, and fragmented communication channels, creating dangerous gaps where hardware gets destroyed and critical data falls through the cracks. Laura Crabtree, Co-founder & CEO of Epsilon3, built Epsilon 3 to solve this after watching teams flip through paper documentation at T-minus countdowns instead of focusing on root cause analysis.    Her platform now digitizes operational decision-making across aerospace, defense, and robotics, enabling real-time visibility across distributed teams without voice loop confirmations, automated conditional branching that redirects operators to the right procedures when failures occur, and full lifecycle traceability from parts inventory through testing to flight operations. The shift from "try it indefinitely" to paid adoption came down to proving 10x value over internal development costs calculated across 5-year customer lifecycles.    Topics discussed:   Identifying market gaps through fact-finding interviews that showed no commercially available software teams actually wanted to use. Digitizing mission control operations beyond Excel to enable real-time distributed team visibility, automated conditional branching, and centralized documentation. Expanding platform from launch operations into testing workflows, hardware traceability, parts inventory management, and full lifecycle component tracking. Pricing strategy using 10x customer value calculation compared to internal development costs amortized over 5-year lifetime projections. Navigating government contracting complexity through multiple partners for SBIR/STTR vehicles while finding actual DoD buyers remains harder than users. Achieving FedRamp compliance despite lengthy, expensive process to establish data security trust signal. 

Michael Peters, CEO & Founder of Lazarus Alliance, built his cybersecurity career on one principle: turn over rocks before the bad guys do. After 25 years conducting audits, he's watched DIB companies treat compliance frameworks like magical protection. For Michael, however, passing CMMC means you had two good weeks, not 50 weeks of security. His Security Trifecta framework overrides this checkbox mentality with three layers: governance that documents policies in writing, technical enforcement that operates without human bias or fatigue, and vigilant teamwork for everything technology can't solve. As Michael puts it, defenses actually fail not because of the hardware, but “the wetware" — humans clicking ransomware, ignoring protocols, losing focus.   His continuous monitoring methodology spreads audits across 12 months instead of annual blitzes, increasing sample coverage from 10% to near-complete while catching problems in real time. For SMBs without massive budgets, Michael reverses the typical approach: stop buying security tools before identifying what you're protecting. Start with a data-first question, like “What are my critical assets?” Then work backward to the network controls, endpoint protections, and monitoring rules that actually defend them.    Topics discussed:   Security Trifecta framework: governance/policy layer, technical enforcement mechanisms, and vigilant teamwork for proactive defense Monthly audit touchpoints versus annual assessments to increase sample coverage from 10% to near-complete Non-transferable CCA certifications versus FedRAMP's industry-recognized credentials and reasonable fee structure Talent shortage crisis, with 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity positions projected for 2025 and 115,000 DIB companies requiring Level 2 certification Technical quick wins for SMBs: secure DNS and basic firewall rules to neutralize command-and-control malware before expensive tools Building comprehensive security programs beyond 800-171's surface-level 110 controls for better compliance mapping Insufficient oversight frequency for national security applications compared to annual ISO surveillance audit models

OpsLab's scheduling platform saves Air Force squadrons 200 hours per month — time previously spent by pilots manually fixing flight schedules until late at night. Arun Nair, Founder & CEO, showcases how OpsLab's three-layer intelligence system went from 30% scheduler acceptance to operational deployment across 75+ squadrons by combining operations research algorithms, reinforcement learning from daily user feedback, and LLM interfaces that let commanders simulate scenarios like losing 20% of their fleet while managing ATOs and continuation training simultaneously.   Arun warns how Phase III SBIR contracts aren't the finish line everyone thinks they are — the real Holy Grail is program-of-record status. His team spent four years collecting feedback from schedulers to calibrate their algorithms, hired former Air Force schedulers to understand the dysfunction, and built a middleware layer borrowed from his Wall Street high-frequency trading experience that can combine air power from different branches onto the same platform.    Topics discussed:   Building AI scheduling architecture combining operations research, reinforcement learning from human feedback, and LLM interfaces. Achieving 200 hours monthly time savings per squadron by eliminating manual scheduling work that kept pilots working late nights. Scaling across 75+ squadrons and multiple aircraft types from single-seat fighters to B-52 bombers with eight crew positions. Understanding Phase III SBIR contracts are still R&D phase, not a sustainable business model, with program of record as the true goal. Hiring former Air Force schedulers to decode organizational dysfunction and collecting daily feedback to calibrate algorithms. Targeting 60 VCs for Series A fundraising, narrowing to 15 serious prospects, and using venture debt to extend runway. Applying Wall Street high-frequency trading middleware concepts to create a pub-sub layer combining air power from multiple military branches. Deploying LLM-powered scenario simulation enabling commanders to model fleet losses, ATOs, and continuation training constraints simultaneously. 

When Kim Crider, Founding Partner at Elara Nova, became the Air Force's first Chief Data Officer, she had no mandate, minimal staff, and skeptical four-star commanders. Her CORONA presentation changed everything: using actual pilot retention data and analysis, she demonstrated how insufficient training aircraft was driving attrition. The Secretary's response unlocked buy-in across the service.    Kim shares how she did it: start with the decision you need to make, then work backwards to determine what data you need, where to get it, and how to manage it. This problem-first approach drove real outcomes, from identifying landing gear failures caused by excessive fuel loads to optimizing mission planning.    She also warns defense leaders that tech disruption means nothing without adoption infrastructure. AI capabilities, for example, fail at scale without proper data centers and power systems. Invest equally in disruption and the foundational infrastructure that enables adoption — test environments, integration capabilities, and the cultural shift needed for people to work effectively with new technology.   Topics discussed:   Establishing the Air Force's first Chief Data Officer role without mandate or resources, then proving value through CORONA presentation. Implementing problem-first data frameworks that work backwards from decisions to determine required data sources and management. Balancing tech disruption with adoption infrastructure including data centers, power systems, test environments, and cultural integration. Addressing space domain awareness and command-and-control capability gaps. Using operational prototypes, realistic testing environments, and modeling-and-simulation infrastructure to prove integration before deployment at scale. Learning from Viasat, SolarWinds, and Colonial Pipeline attacks that reshaped defense industrial base cyber posture and supply chain security. Avoiding shiny object syndrome by investing in foundational infrastructure alongside platforms to enable cross-domain, multi-orbit resilient capabilities.  

Roger fills gaps other military banks ignore: free credit score monitoring that typically costs $20 monthly, 2% yield on checking with savings rates reaching 5.25% during peak periods, and zero overdraft fees while competitors generate significant revenue from service member overdrafts. Jill Castilla, President & CEO of Roger Bank/Citizens Bank of Edmond, walks through how the platform's fraud detection handles the reality that 75% of account opening attempts come from bots, while allowing legitimate zero-balance accounts to remain open for a year pre-enlistment.    All Roger staff have military experience and provide 24/7 access for financial mentoring, addressing the recruiter-reported problem of family members committing fraud on young service members' accounts during training. Jill also compressed Citizens Bank's VA loan timeline to match conventional loan speeds after experiencing discrimination firsthand, eliminating the realtor objection that VA loans "take too long" and preventing service members from competing for homes.   Topics discussed:   Creating pre-filled CEO-signed direct deposit forms that eliminate missed training days and delayed paychecks for new recruits. Allowing under-18 account opening with any enlistment-accepted ID, a capability unavailable at other military banks for online accounts. Detecting fraud at scale where 75% of account opening attempts come from bots rather than real people. Providing free credit score monitoring, 2% checking yields, and zero overdraft fees while competitors profit from service member overdrafts. Partnering with Mark Cuban to deliver COVID stimulus solutions in 72 hours and PPP forgiveness platform in 10 days. Compressing VA loan timelines to match conventional speeds, eliminating realtor discrimination against service members in competitive housing markets. Proposing CRA credit incentives for banks offering small-dollar loans to compete with 200%+ interest payday lenders around bases. 

Sasha Seymore, Co-founder & President at Ethos, walked onto the UNC basketball team as a senior, struggled with outdated playbook training, and turned that frustration into a company that cuts military schoolhouse failure rates by two-thirds while saving millions per location. His co-founder Andrew was student body president studying active learning pedagogy, and together they built a platform that measures knowledge gaps impacting performance rather than just tracking completion.    The dual-use approach serves defense, life sciences, manufacturing, and retail customers with one unifying principle: accelerating time to competency on critical knowledge that directly affects performance outcomes. Sasha's experience as a Navy reservist with the Defense Innovation Unit gives him essential customer empathy and insight into institutional problems that outsiders miss. The five-year vision centers on becoming the comprehensive training and readiness platform as new weapon systems roll out faster than traditional training can accommodate.   Topics discussed:   The parallel training methodologies between championship athletic programs and military operational readiness that focus on measuring knowledge gaps before performance day. The transition from SBIR Phase 2 directed funding through AFWERX and Naval X to 20-25 Phase 3 contracts by demonstrating measurable cost savings and readiness improvements. How Navy reservist experience with the Defense Innovation Unit provides essential customer empathy and insight into institutional problems that pure technologists miss. The strategic decision to focus on operational readiness tools rather than compliance platforms by prioritizing critical knowledge that directly impacts performance outcomes. The dual-use platform strategy that serves defense, life sciences, manufacturing, and retail customers while maintaining product focus on performance-critical training. How AI-powered content authoring converts physical playbooks and subject matter expert knowledge into interactive training modules in days rather than months. Why readiness dashboards that surface knowledge gaps in real-time enable instructors to correct misconceptions before exams. The challenge of training soldiers on new weapon systems at the speed of technological advancement when passive learning models cannot close the gap. Why diverse team composition combining military veterans and private-sector technologists creates better products than homogeneous backgrounds focused solely on either domain. 

Zone 5 Technologies cut cruise missile costs from $1.5 million to $200,000 by rethinking not just the engineering, but how you build the supply chain and factory floor around cost targets from day one. Thomas Akers, CEO, shares how his team goes from contract award to weapon flight in 4 months by keeping engineers right next to the production line, writing all their own software, and doing machining in-house. When a problem hits the shop floor, an engineer can be there in a minute.   The real insight is what he calls their "production-focused requirement set." Instead of designing for maximum performance and then figuring out how to build it, they start with manufacturing rate targets and work backward. Every design decision serves the question: how fast can we make this weapon at scale?   Topics discussed:   Reducing cruise missile costs from $1.5 million to $200,000 through production-focused design and vertical manufacturing integration. Achieving contract-to-flight timelines of 4 months by co-locating engineers with production staff and maintaining tight feedback loops. Implementing "production-focused requirement sets" that prioritize manufacturing rate targets over maximum performance optimization in weapon design. Building affordable mass missiles using turbojet propulsion at 0.7 Mach and 25,000 feet for 500-nautical-mile range capabilities. Operating as a bootstrap company for 14 years without outside investors to maintain long-term strategic flexibility and control. Leveraging America's existing machine shop network instead of competing for capacity at specialized defense manufacturing facilities. Navigating government acquisition through OTA contracts while maintaining proprietary software development and avoiding open-source security risks.

What happens when China sanctions your drone company? For Skydio, it became the catalyst for complete supply chain independence and battle-tested technology that now guides Ukrainian artillery strikes. Mark Valentine, Global Head of National Security Strategy, breaks down the story for Dave: when their drones in Ukraine failed due to single-band radios and GPS dependence, his team made 36 field visits over two years, embedded Ukrainian engineers, and developed Asimov software enabling complete GPS-jammed operation with frequency-hopping radios.    But the real revelation isn't military, it's civilian. While the DoD debates drone strategy, law enforcement has already cracked the code. New York City operates 600 dock-based drones integrated with ShotSpotter and domain awareness systems. Single operators supervise unlimited robots through connected systems and dock-based persistence — capabilities the military avoids due to connectivity phobia.   Mark also offers his leadership framework, distilled from Microsoft's Satya Nadella, centers on distinguishing "two-way door" decisions (reversible, move fast) from "one-way door" decisions (irreversible, deliberate carefully). This becomes critical in startups where you're making calls alone without institutional backup: speed depends entirely on recognizing which type of decision you're facing.   Topics discussed:   Building GPS-denied navigation capabilities and frequency-hopping radios after Ukraine deployment failures exposed drone limitations. Implementing two-way door versus one-way door decision framework for rapid startup execution without institutional backup support. Deploying 600 dock-based drones integrated with ShotSpotter systems for 28-second autonomous response in New York City. Creating platform extensibility through four USB-C hardpoints enabling third-party sensors from grenade droppers to life preservers. Achieving complete supply chain independence from Chinese suppliers after sanctions targeting Taiwan fire department support. Enabling single-operator supervision of unlimited drones through connected systems versus the military's disconnected one-to-one approach. Developing obstacle avoidance AI using six fisheye cameras and eight-layer neural networks for autonomous flight capabilities.

Defense contractors assume they understand CMMC assessments, but Matt Bruggeman, Director of GTM Federal at A-LIGN, has a harsh reality check for them: organizations consistently arrive for certification without basic documentation like authorization boundaries or data flow diagrams. The gap between CMMC perception and assessment reality is creating a compliance crisis, he tells Dave.   A-LIGN operates as a top-3 FedRAMP assessor and C3PAO, giving Matt unique visibility into federal compliance across multiple frameworks. His unconventional background combining electrical engineering from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base with professional improv comedy shaped his approach to explaining complex technical requirements through clear communication.   Topics discussed:   The assessment methodology uses NIST 800-171A that evaluates 320 assessment objectives rather than just 110 controls, requiring organizations to prove compliance across significantly more granular requirements. External service provider scope issues that consistently trip up organizations during assessments, particularly around MSP, MSSP, and cloud service relationships that require FedRAMP authorization or equivalent. C3PAO backlog management and timing strategies, with smaller assessors facing 3-9 month delays while larger firms like A-LIGN maintain shorter timelines through strategic CCA and CCP resource investments. The three-bucket cost structure of CMMC compliance covering infrastructure changes, readiness process management, and assessment fees ranging from $40,000-$80,000 depending on scope complexity. Phase 1 documentation review failures where organizations arrive without basic elements like system security plans, authorization boundaries, or data flow diagrams for CUI handling. Readiness partner selection criteria and the risks of attempting internal-only compliance approaches that result in failed assessments and doubled costs for remediation. The relationship between compliance frameworks and actual security posture, including how feedback during public comment periods can influence framework development and practical implementation. FedRAMP equivalency requirements for cloud service providers handling CUI, including the December 2023 DoD memo defining the single pathway through 3PAO assessment against FedRAMP moderate baseline. Early C3PAO engagement advantages including assessment planning coordination, partner network efficiencies, and pricing benefits for organizations working with vetted readiness partners. 

Venus Aerospace achieved the first flight of a high-thrust rotating detonation rocket engine, proving that decades of theoretical research can translate into breakthrough propulsion technology. Sassie Duggleby, CEO & Co-founder,  tells Dave about conducting eight engine tests per day while maintaining manufacturing, mission control, and testing in the same facility compressed development timelines from decades into four years.   The breakthrough enables rockets to operate with 67% propellant instead of the industry standard 90%, creating massive payload advantages for defense applications. Sassie shares their strategic pivot from commercial hypersonic travel to defense applications as geopolitical realities shifted, and how combining detonation technology with ramjet systems creates single engines capable of accelerating from takeoff to Mach 5 with no moving parts. She also addresses advanced fundraising strategies for deep tech companies and regulatory challenges including FAA limitations that forced them to throttle capable systems during testing.   Topics discussed: The technical breakthrough of rotating detonation rocket engines that achieve supersonic combustion while reducing propellant requirements from 90% to 67% of total system weight. Rapid iteration methodologies that enable eight engine tests per day through integrated manufacturing, mission control, and testing facilities at Houston Spaceport. Proprietary thermal management solutions that prevent detonation engines from melting during sustained operation at supersonic combustion temperatures. Strategic pivoting from commercial hypersonic travel applications to defense programs including missiles, drones, and orbital transfer vehicles as market conditions evolved. Combined detonation-ramjet engine systems that enable single powerplants to accelerate from takeoff to Mach 5 with no moving parts. Deep tech fundraising strategies for transitioning from R&D-focused companies to production-scale operations while maintaining investor confidence during market downturns. Regulatory navigation challenges in hypersonic flight testing, including FAA speed limitations and the development of commercial test ranges for advanced propulsion systems. The formation and operation of support networks for female aerospace founders in an industry where women represent only 10-11% of the workforce. Scaling challenges for breakthrough propulsion technologies, including IP protection strategies and the transition from academic research to commercial applications. 

America's defense innovation pipeline has a massive bottleneck that most people don't even realize exists: the infrastructure access problem that prevents our best technology companies and cleared talent from working on classified programs. Sean Blackman, Co-founder & CEO at Nooks, experienced this firsthand as a Navy F-18 pilot trying to get non-traditional companies onto classified contracts, only to discover the catch-22 that has plagued defense innovation for decades. His solution is treating classified infrastructure like cloud computing rather than requiring bespoke facilities   Sean's journey from the cockpit to Meta's anti-misinformation team to highlights why traditional approaches to classified work infrastructure are failing at scale. With 5 million Americans now holding security clearances compared to hundreds of thousands decades ago, the old model of one company, one contract, one SCIF simply doesn't work anymore. The conversation with Dave explores how Nooks is building a network of shared classified facilities that companies can access for $500 per user per month — less than the cost of flying across the country to use traditional SCIFs.    Topics discussed: The fundamental chicken-and-egg problem preventing non-traditional defense companies from accessing classified work due to SCIF requirements versus contract prerequisites. How the shift from hundreds of thousands to 5 million Americans with security clearances has broken the traditional bespoke infrastructure model that worked for smaller cleared populations. The strategic application of fractional biotech lab models to classified infrastructure, creating shared facilities that accelerate innovation through increased access and reduced barriers. Why 60-70% of existing SCIFs face obsolescence under new government standards, creating an unprecedented recapitalization crisis across the defense and intelligence community. The operational complexity of integrating over 1,000 different classified networks across agencies that historically avoided collaboration by building separate systems. The dual-use business model that serves both government agencies facing return-to-office challenges and private companies needing classified access without bespoke facility investments. Mobile SCIF deployment capabilities that can establish classified work environments anywhere in the United States within eight hours, fundamentally changing geographic constraints. The security advantages of consolidating classified work into professionally managed facilities with dedicated security focus versus thousands of companies interpreting security policy individually. Why treating security as a revenue center rather than cost center enables investment in advanced protective technologies that exceed traditional facility capabilities.

The underwater domain has become central to great power competition, yet existing autonomous underwater vehicles cost $500,000+ and require teams of specialists to operate single units. Nelson Mills, CEO & Founder of Vatn Systems, and his team have flipped this equation, building vehicles that travel 30+ knots underwater while enabling one operator to deploy hundreds of units with minimal training.    Nelson's experience as an investor proved invaluable not just for fundraising connections, but for understanding what investors seek in defense companies and how to structure deals effectively. His focus on user experience draws from consumer technology principles, recognizing that ease of use and intuitive operation create force multiplication effects that traditional defense contractors often overlook.    Topics discussed: The three-pillar defense sales framework encompassing operator advocacy, program office relationships, and congressional support. Patent-pending modularity architecture that enables mass production of 2,000+ units annually while supporting diverse payload configurations. Strategic focus decisions between dual-use applications versus concentrated government market penetration, including resource allocation considerations. In-house navigation system development to overcome cost constraints of existing high-end solutions while maintaining tactical utility and performance standards. User experience design principles applied to defense technology, emphasizing intuitive operation and minimal training requirements for force multiplication effects. Manufacturing digitization through Palantir partnership to identify bottlenecks, supply chain issues, and optimization opportunities in real-time production environments. Congressional engagement strategies including lobbyist utilization, NDAA language development, and appropriations advocacy as essential components of defense market access. Valley of death navigation through transitional funding programs while layering products at different technology readiness levels. Autonomous decision-making capabilities including obstacle avoidance, target recognition through sonar, and mission adaptation without constant human oversight. Commercial applications in offshore wind, cable monitoring, and energy sector operations as adjacent markets requiring minimal engineering modifications to core vehicle platforms.

The defense industrial base faces a manufacturing crisis that goes far deeper than workforce shortages, and John Albers, President/CEO of Albers Aerospace has positioned his company at the center of solving it. He grew Albers Aerospace from solo systems engineering to a $10 million vertically integrated manufacturer through 12 strategic acquisitions, all funded internally without outside investment until late 2024. His approach reveals how speed, strategic diversification, and long-term thinking can build resilient defense manufacturing capabilities even as traditional approaches struggle with slow cycles and demographic challenges.   John tells Dave that he attributes his business philosophy to reading Warren Buffett's shareholder letters repeatedly after his first business venture failed. Rather than taking distributions, he focused on building company value through acquisitions that provided both capability and customer diversification. The strategy proved prescient as his company evolved from services into weapons manufacturing, now producing components for F-35, F-16, and multiple missile programs while maintaining aircraft integration capabilities through recent acquisitions.   Topics discussed:   Strategic acquisition approach that prioritizes customer value over traditional ROI calculations, resulting in 12 company purchases funded through internal cash flow and moderate leverage rather than external investment. Advanced manufacturing integration combining robotics, digital engineering, and traditional machining to maintain competitiveness while addressing skilled workforce shortages through 21-hour automated operations. Three-vertical business model balancing industrial manufacturing, defense services for predictable cash flow, and innovation incubation to develop scalable solutions across the organization. Defense industrial base classification challenges where companies face punitive size restrictions that prevent natural growth from small to large contractor status, limiting competition and industrial capacity. Workforce development crisis stemming from elimination of vocational training programs, creating artificial scarcity in trades that will drive wage premiums and entrepreneurial opportunities for skilled workers. Leadership philosophy adaptation from military servant leadership principles to business contexts, emphasizing individual thinking and leadership at every organizational level rather than hierarchical command structures. Weapons manufacturing diversification strategy touching major programs through specialized components rather than platform-specific focus, providing resilience against program cancellations and budget fluctuations. Veteran transition challenges requiring complete professional identity reconstruction rather than translating military experience directly into civilian business contexts, emphasizing humility and continuous learning. Manufacturing cycle management addressing the extended timelines from quoting through material procurement to delivery, requiring sophisticated financial planning and pricing strategies to maintain profitability. Customer-centric problem solving approach that prioritizes understanding client pain points over presenting predetermined solutions, leveraging acquisition experience to maintain customer perspective throughout business growth.

The Ukrainian conflict revealed a stark reality that should light a fire under American defense planners: modern warfare consumes weapons at rates that would exhaust our entire arsenal in months, not years. In his conversation with Dave on the latest DIB Innovators, Kunal Mehra, President of Scientific Systems, brings a unique perspective to solving this crisis, shaped by his family's experience fleeing partition-era India and his father's determination to strengthen democratic nations through advanced technology.   Kunal argues that our addiction to "exquisite systems" has created a fundamental mismatch between 20th century military thinking and 21st century threats. The solution requires abandoning the hardware-defined military model in favor of software-defined capabilities that can rapidly turn commercial platforms into effective weapon systems. Scientific Systems' CMA platform demonstrates this approach across three layers: individual platform navigation without GPS, collaborative swarm coordination, and cross-domain orchestration. This architecture has proven adaptable from sea floor to space, enabling autonomous kill chain closure from detection to engagement.   Topics discussed:   The affordable mass imperative and why exquisite systems fail against distributed threats across vast Pacific distances with adversaries achieving numerical superiority. CMA software architecture's three-layer approach: platform-level navigation without GPS, swarm collaboration for complex missions, and cross-domain orchestration for autonomous kill chains. How underwater development environments naturally replicate contested battlefield conditions, forcing edge-based AI decision making with limited communication and sensor data. The acquisition system evolution from winner-take-all programs to separated software/hardware procurement with constant competition cycles every six months. Strategic approaches to crossing the valley of death through end-user demonstration, congressional relationships, and clear value propositions to prime contractors. Why the defense industrial base needs billion-dollar software companies with developers embedded in operational environments for real-time capability iteration. The capital allocation shift as venture firms recognize defense market disruption opportunities beyond traditional West Coast unicorns. Project Replicator and DIU methodologies for rapid capability fielding using OTAs and special authorities to bypass traditional acquisition timelines. Dual-use technology applications in urban air mobility, industrial automation, and re-industrialization efforts requiring edge-based autonomy capabilities. 

When America's adversaries can outbuild us in ships, what's our strategic advantage? Paul Lwin, CEO & Co-founder of HAVOCai, shares how his company is revolutionizing maritime operations by creating affordable autonomous vessels that can operate in swarms. As a Myanmar refugee who first saw American uniforms during his evacuation at age 10, Paul brings a unique perspective to defense innovation, combining his military experience with Silicon Valley approaches to solving national security challenges.   On this episode of DIB Innovators, Paul tells Dave about how, in just 17 months, HAVOCai has delivered 31 autonomous vessels to the Department of Defense, generated $3 million in revenue without government R&D funding, and demonstrated capabilities that outpace competitors who've been in the space for over a decade. Their conversation highlights how defense startups are creating asymmetric advantages for America by leveraging commercial manufacturing capacity, off-the-shelf components, and sophisticated software to transform maritime operations in the Pacific.   Topics discussed:   Creating a strategy where adversaries must spend million-dollar missiles to target $100,000 autonomous boats, creating favorable cost exchanges in conflict scenarios. Leveraging existing American manufacturing capacity and proven commercial components rather than building expensive custom solutions from scratch. Developing software that enables small teams to control dozens of vessels simultaneously, creating true swarm capabilities rather than the 90% remote-controlled systems offered by competitors. Abstracting away boat building to focus engineering resources on sophisticated algorithms that enable autonomous decision-making and collaborative behavior. Implementing theatre-level, sector-level, and unit-level command structures that mirror traditional military organization while integrating autonomous capabilities. Using autonomous vessels to resupply isolated units on island chains when traditional air logistics would be vulnerable to enemy fire. Building resilience into autonomous systems that can continue missions for days or months without human input when adversaries jam communications. Integrating COLREGS compliance for commercial environments while maintaining tactical capabilities for conflict scenarios. Leveraging the unprecedented convergence of government acquisition reform, venture capital interest in defense, and Silicon Valley technical talent to accelerate innovation. Creating logistics and manufacturing processes capable of delivering up to 10,000 vessels annually when required for operational deployment.

When Rhys Andersen, Founder & CEO at Method MFG, moved to Texas with an architecture degree, he never imagined he'd end up machining components for spacesuits and rockets. Yet his journey from welding to founding his company exemplifies the untapped potential in American manufacturing. By combining cutting-edge technology with a focus on upskilling his entire team, Rhys has created a manufacturing environment that more closely resembles a tech company than a traditional machine shop — with white walls, white floors, and sophisticated software driving everything from quoting to production.   Rhys also shares with Dave his practical experience building a bootstrapped manufacturing company servicing aerospace and defense clients, including his counterintuitive approach to workforce development and the technologies revolutionizing production. His insights demonstrate why manufacturing's image problem is holding back America's industrial base, and how rebranding machining as the tech profession it truly is could help solve critical workforce shortages.     Topics discussed:   Bootstrapping a capital-intensive manufacturing business by purchasing used equipment at a fraction of the cost for new pieces, while supplementing income through with other work to fund the company's early growth. The transformation of machining into a tech profession where white-collar programmers operate sophisticated 5-axis equipment and automation cells rather than traditional machine operators. Creating comprehensive cross-training programs to eliminate single points of failure by ensuring every machinist can program and operate the company's most sophisticated equipment. Leveraging technology as a multiplier through automation cells with robots that can change their own end effectors to handle everything from small vises to 900 kg pallets for unattended overnight production. The critical role of process documentation using iPads in the shop to capture setup photos and detailed notes, creating an institutional knowledge repository that prevents "reinventing the wheel" with repeat jobs. Strategic vertical integration decisions like building an in-house anodizing line to control quality and turnaround times for quick-turn aerospace components rather than relying on external vendors. Managing complex stress patterns in large aerospace components by creating strategic relief cuts and adapting clamping approaches to ensure finished parts maintain tolerance despite internal material stresses. The potential of AI-driven programming to automate routine aspects of CAM while allowing machinists to focus on more creative problem-solving and complex machining strategies. Rebranding manufacturing careers through educational partnerships showing students that modern machining involves sophisticated software, 5-axis programming, and automation rather than traditional manual labor.  

President & COO Matthew Malone's journey from solving locomotive failures in Indonesia to leading Graham Manufacturing offers rare insight into how technical expertise transforms into business leadership. In this episode of DIB Innovators, Matthew tells Dave how Graham bridges the innovation gap between rapid-iteration space technology and methodical defense requirements while manufacturing critical components for Columbia-class submarines and Ford-class carriers. His perspective challenges conventional thinking about workforce development, supply chain management, and the often-overlooked IT infrastructure that enables entire organizations to function effectively.   Topics discussed:   How technical problem-solving skills translate directly to business strategy, with Matthew's background in mechanical engineering enabling both relationship-building and physics-based risk management. Strategies for convincing rapid-iteration innovators to work within methodical defense frameworks while using advanced computational fluid dynamics to redesign legacy systems. How connecting 3D design environments directly to production eliminates paper-based processes, enabling much faster concept-to-prototype cycles and more efficient system architecture design. Implementing apprenticeship programs for machinist development while restructuring teams around complementary strengths rather than searching for individual employees who can do it all.  Treating suppliers as team members by extending resources, deploying manufacturing engineers to improve their processes, and working with government agencies to secure funding for dual-sourcing critical components. Managing supply chain risks around rare earth metals for electrification and advanced power electronics, where component differences between vendors can be the difference between product success and failure. The methodical process of demonstrating value to defense customers, from execution within existing structures to proposing improvements that deliver tangible benefits in cost, lead time, or obsolescence management. Why many leaders focus exclusively on domain-specific capabilities while neglecting the critical systems that allow hundreds of employees to collaborate effectively across the organization. 

The race to protect America's orbital assets is accelerating, and Agile Space Industries is providing the engines needed for rapid spacecraft maneuverability. In this episode of DIB Innovators, CEO Chris Pearson walks Dave through how decades-old chemical propulsion technology is finding new relevance as Space Force openly prepares for potential conflict in space. Through vertical integration combining additive manufacturing and in-house test facilities, Agile has achieved 50% annual growth, turning a garage operation into a company with $42 million in backlog.   Chris also shares his journey from UK space engineer to Colorado-based entrepreneur, building multiple successful companies before taking the helm at Agile. His insights on scaling hardware businesses through strategic funding combinations — from non-dilutive SBIR grants to strategic investments from defense primes — provide a masterclass in defense technology commercialization. As Agile expands with a new facility in Tulsa, Chris also offers candid perspectives on managing the cultural transition from innovative startup to production-focused manufacturer while maintaining the speed that gives them their edge in the market.    Topics discussed:   How national security space requirements have shifted from satellite deployment to preparing for potential orbital conflict, creating demand for rapid-maneuverability propulsion. The technical limitations of electric propulsion for military applications, with chemical propulsion providing the immediate thrust needed for threat response and evasive maneuvers. Leveraging additive manufacturing to condense propulsion system development cycles from months to days by printing complex. geometries impossible with traditional subtractive manufacturing Creating vertical integration through in-house test facilities that eliminate industry bottlenecks and enable rapid iteration between design and qualification testing. Strategic capital raising approach combining non-dilutive funding, strategic investment, and commercial revenue to maintain favorable terms. Balancing the triple funding strategy of government investment, commercial partner funding, and internal R&D to accelerate commercialization while maintaining IP ownership. Managing organizational evolution from garage operation to volume manufacturer while retaining innovation speed and preventing analysis paralysis. Building transparent customer relationships around risk management for first-of-kind space technologies, rather than promising unrealistic certainty in performance. Diversifying from component supply to full propulsion systems and launch logistics services to capture more of the rapidly expanding space operations value chain.

Samuel Semwangu, CEO of Bazze, provides his insider perspective on the revolution happening in defense intelligence collection that most Americans aren't seeing. Bazze federates queries across dozens of commercial data vendors, delivering intelligence insights in seconds that previously took days. He also explains why the Ukraine war has become the ultimate proof point for commercial intelligence adoption and why our allies are moving faster than the US in embracing these technologies.   Samuel tells Dave his journey from spending a decade in the national security community to now at Bazze, highlighting the evolution of exclusive intelligence collection methods of the early 2000s that are now commercially available. His platform enables defense and intelligence organizations to pay only for the specific data they need rather than purchasing entire datasets that might go unused. Beyond technology, Samuel offers surprising insights into why personnel management systems and misaligned incentives are the true obstacles to defense innovation.    Topics discussed:   The transformation of global intelligence gathering through commercially available data that was once exclusive to government agencies, with Bazze enabling access to two dozen commercial data sources through a single platform. How Ukraine has become the definitive proof point for commercial intelligence adoption, demonstrating how commercially available satellite and cell phone data combined with affordable platforms can neutralize advanced military hardware. Why US allies are adopting commercial intelligence technologies faster than the US: their budgets are smaller, and they're in the “splash zone" of Russia and China. The structural problem of defense innovation funding, with only approximately 1% of the defense budget dedicated to innovative companies addressing critical national security challenges. How the post-WWII personnel management system, with constant rotations and outdated incentives, actively works against innovation adoption in defense and intelligence communities. The disincentivization of adopting unclassified technologies in intelligence organizations where career advancement is tied to conducting classified operations rather than filling intelligence gaps effectively. Strategies for crossing the "valley of death" in defense tech by building partnerships with established players like Palantir, Valenvar, and Deloitte who are already embedded with target users. The evolution of data partner relationships in defense tech, where Bazze provides value by establishing government contracts and paying data providers on a per-query basis, dramatically reducing their customer acquisition costs. How AI is integrated into every element of Bazze's platform, enabling untrained analysts to accomplish in minutes what experienced analysts previously needed days or weeks to complete.

In a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape, Lt. Gen. Nahom, (USAF, ret), brings invaluable perspective on how Arctic security, budget realities, and emerging technologies are reshaping military strategy. In this episode of DIB Innovators, Lt. Gen. Nahom offers Dave unique insights into why the Arctic has become a critical frontier for national security while climate change creates new opportunities for competition between major powers.    His experience as the Air Force A8 provides a candid look at why the military struggles to rapidly adopt innovative technologies despite having seemingly large budgets and highlights the difficult trade-offs between maintaining aging fleets and investing in modernization. Lt. Gen. Nahom's firsthand account of the Chinese surveillance balloon incident reveals significant domain awareness gaps in detecting unconventional threats, while his strategic advice for small defense companies — partner directly with combatant commands rather than individual services — offers a practical roadmap for navigating the "valley of death" in defense innovation.    Topics discussed: How climate change is transforming the Arctic into a strategic battleground as retreating sea ice creates new shipping lanes that cut 10-14 days off transit between Asian and European ports, opening economic opportunities that bring competition and potential crisis. The misconception about military budgets illustrated through the "pass-through" phenomenon, where intelligence agency funding appears in Air Force numbers but isn't actually controlled by the service, leaving single-digit percentage budget flexibility for innovation. Why maintaining multiple aging aircraft fleets creates unsustainable weapon system sustainment costs, forcing difficult decisions about vertical fleet cuts to enable modernization. The domain awareness challenges exposed by the Chinese balloon incident, highlighting gaps in detecting and responding to unconventional threats that don't match traditional expectations of attack vectors. The cost asymmetry problem in modern warfare where adversaries deploy $1,000 drones that require $500,000 missiles to defeat, necessitating more cost-effective counter-UAS solutions. Why small defense companies struggle to cross the "valley of death" from initial AFWERX/SBIR funding to program of record, requiring partnerships between combatant commands and OSD to secure additional funding pathways. The critical need for predictability in maintenance and training schedules for aging fleets, which can dramatically improve aircraft availability and readiness virtually overnight when implemented correctly. How data integration rather than new platforms will transform warfare by 2030, enabling legacy systems like B-52s to work seamlessly with advanced platforms by closing hundreds if not thousands of kill chains inside a vulnerability period. The strategic imperative of reducing fleet types from seven distinct fighter fleets to four to cut maintenance and logistics costs while enabling faster modernization. The contrasting lessons from Ukraine and Israel conflicts versus the "ultimate away game" in the South China Sea, where geographic distances create fundamentally different operational challenges that many technological solutions from current conflicts won't address.

Advanced Space CEO & President Bradley Cheetham's journey from a PhD student at CU Boulder to successfully putting a satellite around the moon demonstrates how small, innovative companies can lead space exploration with minimal capital. In this episode of DIB Innovators, Bradley shares with Dave how his 14-year journey began with a purpose to enable the sustainable exploration, development, and settlement of space.    Rather than building hardware, his team focused on creating technologies, capabilities, software, and mission design solutions that didn't require giant rocket factories or satellite production facilities. This approach led to operating the CAPSTONE mission (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation experiment): a microwave-sized satellite that's been orbiting the moon for over two years in a novel orbit never used before, pathfinding NASA's Artemis program for under $30 million without outside investment.   Topics discussed:   The counterintuitive approach of focusing on enabling technologies instead of hardware manufacturing, allowing Advanced Space to grow from 12 to 100 people and reach the moon without venture capital by reinvesting customer revenue into strategic capability development. How Advanced Space's focus on advanced astrodynamics reduced mission costs by 75%, transforming what would have been a $120M+ traditional mission into a sub-$30M pathfinder by designing transfer orbits that accommodate smaller spacecraft with less fuel. How the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System (CAPS) solves the Deep Space Network's bandwidth limitations by establishing satellite-to-satellite communication, successfully demonstrated by linking with the decade-old Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter that was never designed for such interaction. Why this unprecedented orbit solves multiple lunar mission challenges simultaneously, providing constant Earth visibility, minimizing solar eclipses to prevent spacecraft freezing, enabling access to any point on the lunar surface, and facilitating efficient Earth-Moon transfers. How Advanced Space recovered from two near-mission-ending anomalies by leveraging NASA partnerships and attempting never-before-tried techniques, including successfully freezing and thawing propellant in space when conventional recovery methods failed. Advanced Space's years-long development of machine learning and neural networks for satellite operations, moving beyond theoretical applications to successfully demonstrating these technologies in lunar orbit two years before the current AI boom. Why the future of lunar exploration depends less on individual mission capabilities and more on developing autonomous operations, communications networks, and navigation systems that can overcome Earth-based infrastructure limitations as mission frequency increases.

The security landscape has radically transformed from counter-terrorism to strategic competition with nation states who are actively positioning cyber assets to disable American infrastructure during potential conflicts. In this vital discussion examining National Security Memorandum 22 (NSM-22), Gen. VanHerck, former Commander of United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, shares that 80% of force projection in any global crisis flows from homeland facilities dependent on civilian infrastructure — from local energy grids to transportation networks, creating an unprecedented vulnerability that adversaries are exploiting daily.    Kevin Phillips, Chairman of the Board of ManTech, provides a rare insider perspective on how nation states have spent decades mapping defense industrial base networks, explaining that it's safe to assume that no matter what size you are, you're on somebody's radar and detailing his 10-year journey implementing zero trust architecture to counter these threats.    Mark Montgomery, Sr. Director & Sr. Fellow at Foundation for Defense of Democracies, delivers the most alarming assessment: China's Volt Typhoon campaign has already embedded malware throughout rail, aviation, ports, and power grids as operational preparation of the battlefield. All this and more on this special episode of DIB Innovators!    Topics discussed:   The transition from cyber espionage to operational battlefield preparation by nation-state actors targeting the 80% of military deployment capabilities that rely on civilian infrastructure, creating a dual vulnerability where domestic critical systems become frontline targets. Implementing a decade-long zero trust architecture strategy that systematically eliminates technical debt, narrows network footprints, and implements micro-segmentation before attempting advanced security measures—a methodology proven successful at Mantech. Why China's Volt Typhoon operation represents a fundamental shift in cyber warfare tactics, embedding dormant capabilities throughout transportation, energy and communications networks as part of a deliberate 25-year strategy following the 1995-96 Taiwan Strait crisis. The critical flaw in NSM-22's approach to critical infrastructure protection through its failure to establish mandatory prioritization criteria for the approximately 500 most vital national assets, while simultaneously dismantling effective public-private collaboration frameworks. How living off the land attack techniques have evolved to mimic legitimate network traffic patterns, requiring organizations to make network penetration prohibitively expensive through comprehensive identity management and application control rather than relying on detection. The operational reality that SMBs face existential threats from cyber incidents with only 4-8 weeks of financial float while remediation typically requires 3-4 weeks, exemplified by the $4 billion emergency Medicare advance during the Change Healthcare attack that still resulted in $1 billion taxpayer losses. The strategic use of cloud services and infrastructure-as-a-service models to maintain current patching and upgrades when internal operations lack capacity, creating resilience against nation-state threats that specifically target update delays and technical vulnerabilities. Addressing the asymmetric security gap where government would respond to physical attacks on critical infrastructure but companies are left to defend themselves against sophisticated cyber attacks from the same actors, potentially requiring National Guard cyber response teams instead of relying solely on CISA hurt teams. Brought to you by RADICL — Cybersecurity-as-a-Service purpose-built for small and mid-sized businesses in the Defense Industrial Base. Starting your CMMC journey? RADICL guides and accelerates your compliance—while reducing ransomware and other cyber risks—with a transparent, turn-key solution. radicl.com/cmmc_solved

Stewart Hamel, CEO, took an eccentric side project for his ranch and transformed it into SkyRunner, a revolutionary air utility transport vehicle that's changing the future of defense sector mobility. In this episode of DIB Innovators, Stewart tells Dave how a viral CNN Money video caught military attention, leading to design input from special operations teams that transformed his vehicle into a tactical platform with dual-engine redundancy, field-serviceable components, and the ability to operate even after taking direct fire.    With a deployment speed of seven minutes versus a Blackhawk's 30 minutes and a price point 1% of traditional aerial systems, SkyRunner can run missions like deliver medical supplies faster than helicopters in 10-mile scenarios while providing ground and air domain flexibility that traditional aircraft can't match. Now with 130+ vehicles in production for four countries and growing interest in unmanned capabilities for GPS-denied environments, Stewart shares his insights on navigating defense partnerships and preparing for acquisition in order to be of even greater impact.   Topics discussed: How a recreational flying vehicle project intended for family use evolved into a tactical solution after a CNN interview resulted in calls from SEAL Team 6 looking to solve specific operational mobility challenges. SkyRunner's space shuttle-inspired redundancy engineering ensures continued operation even after catastrophic damage — including maintaining mobility with a damaged engine block, lost coolant, or compromised axles. SkyRunner's intuitive control system allows operators to become certified pilots in just two weeks versus 8-9 months for traditional aircraft, reducing the training barrier for tactical aviation. All critical components use cannon plug connections and interchangeable parts, enabling quick repairs without specialized training and addressing a critical need for forward deployment scenarios. The dual-engine system enables 70 mph ground speed with wheels and 85+ mph using just the propeller system if ground components are compromised, providing multiple mobility options in contested areas. SkyRunner's adaptation to autonomous operation specifically designed to function in GPS-denied and jammed environments, addressing vulnerabilities exposed in Ukraine and other contested domains. How demonstrating at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show rather than traditional defense expos provided market validation and an alternative path to military adoption. Building relationships with major defense contractors like Collins Aerospace, Raytheon, and AeroVironment to integrate existing military systems rather than competing, creating win-win scenarios. Brought to you by RADICL — Cybersecurity-as-a-Service purpose-built for small and mid-sized businesses in the Defense Industrial Base. Starting your CMMC journey? RADICL guides and accelerates your compliance—while reducing ransomware and other cyber risks—with a transparent, turn-key solution. radicl.com/cmmc_solved

Vertical lift aviation is on the cusp of its biggest revolution since the helicopter itself, and John Piasecki, President & CEO of Piasecki Aircraft, is at the forefront with game-changing technologies that could cut operational costs in half while meeting complex military requirements.    In this episode of DIB Innovators John walks Dave through how his family's aerospace legacy is evolving from the iconic tandem rotor helicopter (now the Chinook) to hydrogen-powered compound helicopters and tilt-duct VTOL platforms.    The discussion illuminates the strategic shift from pure R&D to production capability with their acquisition of Sikorsky's Heliplex facility, while exploring how their innovations directly address the challenges of Ukraine's contested airspace and the vast distances of Indo-Pacific operations.   Topics discussed:   How Ukraine's battlefield realities have driven an "asymptotic" increase in air defense lethality, forcing a shift toward unmanned vertical lift systems for logistics in contested environments. The strategic advantages of high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells that deliver 5x the energy density of batteries and require significantly fewer maintenance-intensive components than turbine engines. Why hydrogen fuel propulsion could reduce vertical lift operational costs by 50% compared to conventional turbine helicopters while enabling units to generate their own fuel with just water and energy. How the Ares tilt-duct VTOL platform solves the critical gap between V22 Osprey capabilities (300+ mile range) and conventional helicopter support that can't match this extended operational radius. The potential for additive manufacturing to transform dynamic component production, reducing 12+ month lead times for critical parts like gearbox castings and cutting development cycles significantly. How software-enabled "cyber rotorcraft" technology could extract 15-20% more capability from identical hardware by replacing traditional safety margins with real-time adaptive flight control systems. The challenges of transitioning from SBIR program success to production at scale, prompting Piasecki's acquisition of Sikorsky's Heliplex facility after 60+ years as a pure R&D company. The shift toward mission-manager operators instead of traditional pilots, potentially solving the commercial and military pilot shortage while broadening access to vertical lift mobility.

In Dave’s latest conversation on DIB Innovators, he uncovers how Slingshot Aerospace has become one of the few major entities globally collecting space data at scale, alongside superpowers like the US, China, and Russia. Erik Ekwurzel, CDIO, explains how their patented optical sensor technology, which is deployed across 22 global sites, can detect objects as small as CubeSats while collecting critical photometric data that radar systems can't capture.    As space becomes increasingly contested and congested, and with satellite numbers projected to grow from 12,000 today to potentially 100,000 in less than a decade, Slingshot's mission to deliver "decision-valued data" for safe space operations has become crucial for both government and commercial operators.    Topics discussed:   How Slingshot's physics-true AI training environment gives them an edge in space domain awareness, allowing their AI to immediately focus on patterns rather than wasting time learning basic physics principles. How Slingshot's global network of optical sensors generates over 1 billion space observations every six months (8-10 million daily), making them a major global entity collecting space data at scale. The competitive advantage of using staring arrays versus traditional cueable sensors, including the ability to monitor large sections of space simultaneously without needing to be repositioned, which allows them to detect both known and previously unidentified objects. How Slingshot applied AI to develop GPS jamming and spoofing detection capabilities for the US Space Force, identifying ground-based interference with satellite signals. The significant cost efficiency of Slingshot's optical sensor approach: sub-million dollar deployable systems versus traditional radar installations that require football-field-sized infrastructure and massive power supplies. The exponential challenges of space traffic management as orbital congestion increases, illustrating why AI-assisted decisions will soon become essential for satellite operators facing ever more risks. The tension between intellectual property rights and government procurement in the DIB, with agencies often wanting to purchase rather than license proprietary technology, creating sustainability challenges for innovative companies. The critical need for real-time data processing at scale, with Slingshot working to minimize latency from sensor observations to actionable intelligence while maintaining 99.999% system uptime.

Imagine aircraft that can stay aloft for weeks, transforming how militaries conduct surveillance across vast distances — that's the game-changing reality Robert Miller, Co-founder & CEO at Skydweller Aero, shares with Dave in this episode of DIB Innovators.    With decades of aerospace experience from Stanford to leading classified projects at Northrop Grumman, Robert walks through how his team is revolutionizing military surveillance by transforming the record-breaking Solar Impulse 2 into an unmanned warfare platform that can fly for weeks without landing. He also cuts through industry hype with battle-tested expertise, emphasizing the critical distinction between flashy demonstrations and real operational capabilities in the defense sector. "There's a lot of noise in the system these days," he explains, detailing how Skydweller has secured airworthiness certifications from European authorities, FAA, and NAVAIR while already flying operational missions for SOUTHCOM. With multiple beyond-line-of-sight data links integrated and working, the platform represents a genuine capability to maintain persistent surveillance far beyond the 1,500 nautical mile limitation of current systems.   Topics discussed:   The conversion of Solar Impulse 2 from a manned aircraft to a fully autonomous unmanned system with fly-by-wire capabilities and why this represents an operational leap beyond mere technical demonstrations. How Skydweller's 236-foot wingspan aircraft can maintain continuous flight for weeks at a time, addressing the critical capability gap in persistent ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) beyond 1,500 nautical miles. The significant cost advantage of Skydweller's platform, with maintenance costs approaching those of small general aviation aircraft rather than traditional military assets. The strategic implementation of advanced weather prediction technologies and autonomous mission planning to navigate around environmental hazards using mathematics similar to those used for avoiding enemy radar systems. The platform's potential for electronic warfare applications given its 200+ kilowatt-hour energy storage capacity and the ability to house substantial power apertures. Why Skydweller's unique design offers survivability advantages over traditional aircraft, including reduced heat signatures and acoustic profiles that make detection more difficult. The business challenges of securing private investment while navigating the complex Department of Defense acquisition process toward becoming a program of record. 

In this episode of DIB Innovators, Scott Schneider, CEO & Co-founder of HTX Labs, takes us from his early days working on classified government programs at Texas Instruments to building a revolutionary virtual reality platform transforming military training. Scott highlights how they unexpectedly pivoted from corporate active shooter training to becoming a key partner with the US Air Force, creating immersive "digital classrooms" where aircraft can be made transparent to visualize complex systems in action.  In his conversation with Dave, Scott doesn't sugarcoat the journey, sharing both exhilarating wins (securing a $90 million IDIQ contract) and sobering challenges of building a defense tech startup without venture capital. His insights into navigating SBIR funding, achieving cybersecurity compliance, and the elusive pursuit of becoming a "program of record" offer a masterclass in achieving meaningful impact within the complex defense procurement landscape. Topics discussed:   The strategic pivot from corporate active shooter training to military aviation training, showcasing how serendipitous relationships with Air Force innovation leaders created unexpected paths to success. How HTX Labs' platform delivers immersive "digital classrooms" that allow trainees to practice procedures repeatedly before touching real equipment, cutting training time by approximately 50% while maintaining or improving competency. The importance of building a platform rather than standalone VR experiences, enabling deployment across headsets, tablets, laptops, and mobile devices to reach 100% of potential users. Navigating the SBIR funding process as a bootstrapped company, leveraging non-dilutive government capital without taking traditional venture funding. The significant challenge of transitioning from innovation contracts to becoming a Program of Record, requiring simultaneous bottom-up adoption and top-down leadership buy-in. How generative AI is transforming content creation for VR training, reducing the labor-intensive process of building digital environments. The integration of badging systems and performance metrics to capitalize on warfighters' natural competitiveness while generating actionable learning analytics. Strategic approaches to cybersecurity compliance and ATOs, balancing stringent security requirements with the need for rapid innovation. 

Bill Berrien, CEO of Pindel Global Precision, has discovered a fascinating parallel: both special operations and advanced manufacturing rely on highly cohesive, highly trained teams enabled by cutting-edge technology to punch above their weight. In this episode of DIB Innovators, he reveals how he's revolutionizing manufacturing by adopting military principles, from creating a model for workforce training called "forward skilling" to implementing special operations team dynamics on the factory floor.    The results speak for themselves, as he tells Dave: employees mastering advanced automation have seen their wages double or triple, while the company has evolved from making ventilator components during COVID to producing sophisticated rocket engine parts. But Bill’s vision extends beyond his company: he's on a mission to transform Wisconsin from #30 to top 10 in defense industrial base contribution by helping manufacturers bridge the gap to defense contracts through innovative training and technology adoption.   Topics discussed: How military NCO development principles can transform manufacturing workforce training, including the creation of "forward skilling" — a shared economy model for upskilling that leverages unused resources across companies to accelerate training capabilities. The strategic positioning of CNC Swiss technology for complex, high-precision parts at production volumes, enabling the company to serve demanding aerospace clients. Strategic implementation of CMMC certification through targeted CUI data segregation, full Microsoft GCC High deployment, and CSP partnership for continuous compliance monitoring. Transforming manufacturing careers through substantial wage increases (2-3x over 10 years) for employees mastering advanced automation, demonstrating the potential for high-skill, high-wage manufacturing jobs. Building Wisconsin's defense industrial base by increasing the state's contribution from #30 to top 10 through the Wisconsin Defense Industry Council's initiatives to connect manufacturers with defense primes. Strategy for integrating AI and automation while maintaining workforce growth — focusing on compressing "white space" in manufacturing processes rather than replacing workers. The parallel between special operations and advanced manufacturing: both rely on highly cohesive, highly trained teams enabled by advanced technology. 

In the early 1990s Brian Peters, Founder/CEO of Inneos recalls, "lasers were a solution looking for a problem. Today, Inneos is transforming military platforms by replacing traditional copper wiring with advanced fiber optic solutions, significantly reducing weight and enhancing security across air, land, and sea vehicles. In this compelling episode of DIB Innovators, Brian walks Dave through how this technology is revolutionizing military platforms through dramatic weight reduction and enhanced security.    Inneos, named by combining "innovation" and "Eos," the goddess of dawn, has developed a way to combine multiple signals onto a single fiber using different wavelengths of light, effectively replacing traditional copper wiring in defense systems. The impact is significant: where a 747 contains approximately 700,000 feet of copper wire weighing 15 tons, fiber optic alternatives can reduce this to just one ton while improving performance. This technology is proving crucial for autonomous military vehicles, where weight directly impacts operational range and power consumption. Beyond weight savings, these fiber optic solutions offer enhanced security against electromagnetic interference and physical tampering.   Topics discussed: The critical SWAP-E (size, weight, power, and EMI) advantages of replacing copper wiring with fiber optics in military platforms. Inneos's innovative approach to combining multiple signals onto a single fiber strand using different wavelengths, enabling up to 16 different channels without interference. The parallel between autonomous military vehicles and the human nervous system, with fiber optics serving as the "spinal cord" that efficiently transmits sensor data to the vehicle's "brain" (CPU). The company's strategic decision to maintain in-house manufacturing and acquire their own semiconductor fab facility for laser production, ensuring supply chain control and enabling development of high-temperature capable components. Specific security advantages of fiber optics over copper in military applications, including immunity to EMI-based surveillance and physical tapping attempts, particularly crucial for command and control centers. The business strategy of bootstrapping after buying back the company and maintaining profitability through disciplined "spending behind revenues" rather than seeking venture capital. The emergence of unmanned and autonomous vehicle applications as a major growth area, where fiber optics' weight and power advantages directly translate to extended range and enhanced capabilities. Defensive business strategy in the defense industry, including building sustainable competitive advantages or "moats" rather than just focusing on product offerings.

How does a former real estate broker end up revolutionizing satellite protection at Mach 21? Trevor Smith, President & CEO of Atomic-6, brings just this unique perspective about aerospace innovation to his conversation with Dave. His company is transforming space technology through groundbreaking composite materials, including their "space armor" that protects satellites from debris traveling at Mach 21, as well as innovative deployable solar arrays enabling new spacecraft capabilities.    Trevor explores Atomic-6's development of lunar power systems, hypersonic aircraft components, and their pragmatic approach to defense innovation. Trevor also offers valuable insights on bootstrapping a hardware startup, creative SBIR strategies, and building dual-use technologies that deliver better value for taxpayers while advancing space capabilities.   Topics discussed: Development of novel composite materials for extreme environments, including space debris protection and re-deployable solar arrays for spacecraft applications. Innovative approach to space debris protection through non-metallic composite shields tested against projectiles traveling at Mach 21. Development of vertical solar array towers for lunar power generation supporting mining operations at the lunar south pole. Strategic approach to government contracting through creative SBIR proposals and incentive alignment with commercial partners. Evolution of venture capital interest in defense technology companies and changing investment landscape since 2021. Practical insights on bootstrapping hardware startups and maintaining efficient capital deployment in aerospace development. Building dual-use technologies that leverage commercial markets to deliver better value for defense applications. Creation of composite structures for hypersonic aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle applications. Leadership lessons on managing innovation teams and maintaining focus on core technological advantages.

Join Michael Simmons, Co-founder & COO of EolianVR, as he details the company's journey from conception — a chance reunion with his now business partner at Rockefeller Center — to becoming a leading innovator in defense technology. Their flagship product, ARTAK, is revolutionizing military mission planning by combining AR/VR capabilities with real-time data integration, creating immersive 3D environments for collaborative mission preparation.    Michael shares with Dave how Eolian has differentiated themselves in the crowded AR/VR space by focusing on mission planning rather than training, enabling users to create detailed digital twins of operational environments through drone scanning, LIDAR, and satellite imagery. The conversation also explores Eolian's evolution from early prototypes to a production OTA with SOCOM, their approach to rapid iteration based on user feedback, and the challenges of building a defense tech startup including security compliance, funding cycles, and navigating the complex defense acquisition process.   Topics discussed:   Development of the ARTAK platform for military mission planning, combining AR/VR technology with real-time data integration capabilities. Evolution from early defense industry prototype to full production OTA contract with SOCOM with the help of AFID funding. Integration of multiple data sources including drone scanning, LIDAR, satellite imagery to create comprehensive digital twins. Challenges and solutions for security compliance in AR/VR technology within the defense sector. The strategic decision to focus on mission planning rather than training applications in the military AR/VR space. Building relationships and securing contracts in the defense industry through events, accelerators, and technical exchanges. Implementation of rapid development cycles with 180 releases in one year based on direct warfighter feedback. Navigation of defense acquisition processes and funding cycles as a small technology company. Creation of the "World in a Box" capability, providing global 3D mapping for mission planning. Development of edge computing solutions for disconnected environments while maintaining collaborative capabilities.