America Builds

038: Bilal Zuberi, Lux Capital Jun 03, 2024

We are wrapping up season 3 of America Builds with our guest, Bilal Zuberi from Lux Capital. The conversation between Will Allen and Bilal Zuberi explores various topics, including food and culture, the importance of human stories, the challenges of managing people, and the role of technology in defense and national security.

037: Sarah Adams, CIA Targeter May 21, 2024

In this conversation, Sarah, a former CIA officer, discusses her experience in targeting and tracking terrorists. She shares insights from her book on Benghazi and explains the career trajectory of a targeter. Sarah highlights the importance of human intelligence and the challenges of using open source intelligence.

036: Tess Hatch, Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners May 05, 2024

Tess Hatch is a Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners.

035: Jon Pelson, China Expert Apr 21, 2024

Jon Pelson is a China expert and the author of "Wireless Wars: China's Dangerous Domination of 5G and How We're Fighting Back."

034: Fitness and National Security with Don Faul, CEO of CrossFit Mar 31, 2024

Don Faul is the CEO of CrossFit and a USMC veteran. He has also held operating roles at Pinterest, Meta, and Google.

033: John Gedmark, CEO and Co-Founder of Astranis Mar 23, 2024

John Gedmark is the CEO and co-founder of Astranis, a satellite company.

032: Steve Bowsher, President & CEO of In-Q-Tel Mar 16, 2024

President and CEO Steve Bowsher describes the history and mission of In-Q-Tel, the original gangster of national security investing.

031: Michael Easter, #1 NYT Bestselling Author of Scarcity Brain and The Comfort Crisis Mar 09, 2024

Michael Easter is the New York Times bestselling author of Scarcity Brain and The Comfort Crisis. He has spent his career researching and writing about mental and physical health, performance, nutrition, fitness, mindset, toughness, the value of challenge and adventure, and much more.

030: Josh Wolfe, Founder and Managing Director at Lux Capital Mar 03, 2024

Josh Wolfe is the founder and Managing Director at Lux Capital.

029: Global Resilience with Paul Kwan, Managing Director at General Catalyst Jan 06, 2024

Paul is a managing director at General Catalyst. He leads the Global Resilience team, focused on modernizing critical societal systems including defense, intelligence, industrial and energy.

028: Even Rogers, CEO and Co-Founder of True Anomaly Dec 17, 2023

Even Rogers is the co-founder and CEO of True Anomaly, a venture-backed space technology startup.

027: David Ulevitch, GP at Andreessen Horowitz Dec 10, 2023

David Ulevitch is an entrepreneur and investor. As a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, he leads the firm’s American Dynamism practice, which focuses on investing in companies advancing American interests.

026: Nick Sinai, Senior Advisor at Insight Partners Dec 08, 2023

Nick Sinai is a Senior Advisor at Insight Partners, Adjunct & Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, and author of Hack Your Bureaucracy: Get Things Done No Matter What Your Role on Any Team.

025: How to Lobby the Government, with Paul Arcangeli Dec 04, 2023

Paul Arcangeli is a national security expert, with over three decades of public sector defense experience. He served as an officer in the United States Army, as a Department of Defense civilian, and as a professional staffer to the House of Representatives. Paul spent 18 years on the House Armed Services Committee, including more than a decade as staff director.

024: Dan Gwak, Managing Partner and Head of Point72 Private Investments Nov 27, 2023

Daniel Gwak is the Managing Partner of Point72 Private Investments, the institutional private investing business of Point72 Asset Management. He oversees Point72 Ventures’ Defense Tech and Growth investment teams.

023: Dan Brahmy on Israel, Hamas, and Social Threat Intelligence Nov 19, 2023

Dan Brahmy is the Co-Founder & CEO of Cyabra, a social threat intelligence company.

022: Dr. Carl McCants, Special Assistant to the Director at DARPA Nov 13, 2023

Dr. Carl McCants is the special assistant to the DARPA director for microelectronics policy. He serves as DARPA’s top advisor on the agency’s Electronics Resurgence Initiative and the National Network for Microelectronics Research and Development, among other key investments in microelectronics for national security.

021: Matthew Gialich, Co-Founder and CEO of AstroForge Oct 29, 2023

Matthew Gialich is the co-founder and CEO of Astroforge, an asteroid mining company.

020: Don Burnette, Founder and CEO of Kodiak Robotics Oct 22, 2023

Don Burnette is the founder and CEO of Kodiak Robotics, which builds advanced autonomous technology for long-haul trucking.

019: Rosa Hathaway, Aerospace Engineer and Investor at Atento Capital Oct 16, 2023

Rosa Hathaway is an aerospace engineer and investor at Atento Capital.

018: Ian Cinnamon, CEO and Co-Founder of Apex Oct 08, 2023

Ian Cinnamon is the founder and CEO of Apex, a spacecraft manufacturing company based in Los Angeles.

017: Season 1 Highlights Sep 10, 2023

Thank you for tuning in for Season 1 of the America Builds Podcast (now the Launch Pad Podcast). We have exciting plans for Season 2, coming soon. In the meantime, please enjoy some highlights from this season.

016: Sam Gray, Executive Director of Silicon Valley Defense Group Sep 03, 2023

Sam Gray is the Executive Director of the Silicon Valley Defense Group, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering connections among people, technology, and capital to secure the US and its allies' technological edge. Sam is a retired Naval Officer, and as a fighter pilot, he deployed 7 times in the Pacific and Middle East. Sam co-founded NavalX, the Navy and Marine Corps innovation office, where he spearheaded its growth from a single office to 15 across the US and UK. His prior roles include managing aerospace procurement for the Under Secretary of Defense, strategic planning focused on China at Pacific Command, and serving as the commanding officer of an F/A-18 squadron based in Japan. Sam has a degree in history from The Ohio State University and a Master's in National Security and Strategic Studies from the US Naval War College.

015: Michael Palank, General Partner at MaC Venture Capital Aug 27, 2023

Michael Palank has been General Partner at MaC Venture Capital since its inception in January 2019. Michael focuses on seed-stage consumer and enterprise startup investing across a number of sectors, including aerospace.

014: Ben Kohlmann, Early-Stage Defense & Energy Investor at Cubit Capital Aug 21, 2023

As an early-stage defense and energy investor, Ben supports courageous founders tackling substantial problems. Formerly a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet pilot, Ben founded the Chief of Naval Operations Rapid Innovation Cell. His entrepreneurial spirit also led him to co-found the non-profit Defense Entrepreneurs Forum, which now boasts over 2,500 members. As the CEO of a startup called Farcast, he used technology to deliver critical supplies to complex geographies, and during his time at McKinsey, he drove transformation within the energy and public sectors. Ben's passion also extends to podcasting, where he hosts "Texas Rising," exploring the growth within the Lone Star State, and the prior show "A Random Walk with Ben Kohlmann."

013: Lior Susan, Founder and Managing Partner at Eclipse Ventures Aug 13, 2023

Lior Susan, the Founder and Managing Partner of Eclipse Ventures, has dedicated his career to rearchitecting industries crucial to our lives and economies. Growing up on a kibbutz and serving in the Israeli Special Forces, Lior is an unlikely venture capitalist. From building Intucell, which was acquired by Cisco, to leading Flex's hardware investment platform, his diverse background has shaped his commitment to digital transformation. With Eclipse, Lior partners with entrepreneurs reshaping industries, and serves on the boards of companies like Bright Machines, Augury, and Owlet. A relentless optimist, Lior sees the need for a new economy and is devoted to building it.

012: Will Gray, Managing Partner at Atento Capital Aug 06, 2023

In this episode, we talk with Will Gray, a Tulsa-born tennis enthusiast who combined his love for the sport with a keen business acumen to build a thriving career. From his early days on the tennis courts to his academic pursuits at the University of Tulsa, and his subsequent career in venture capital, Will's story is one of ambition, hard work, and community involvement.

011: Jake Leventhal, Ecommerce and SpaceX Jul 29, 2023

Jake Leventhal is currently the CTO of Rip Technologies. Previously, he worked at SpaceX for 4 years, and founded his own ecommerce company. Jake has a Bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California.

010: Michael Moreno, Deep Tech VC and Former CIA Jul 23, 2023

Michael Moreno's background in deep tech startups and national security makes him the perfect person for a conversation about global security and resilience. Mike has over a decade of service with the US government in roles within the CIA, DOD, and Department of State. Currently, he works on Space and National Security on the Worldwide Public Sector VC and Startups team and AWS. He's also a founding board member of Sound Off, a pro bono mental health platform for veterans. Mike has an MBA from Berkeley and a Master's in International Affairs from Columbia University.

009: Alexander Harstrick, Partner at J2 Ventures Jul 17, 2023

Alex is a Managing Partner at J2 Ventures. His diverse career has seen him build the enterprise venture investing arm at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, serve as a Military Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, and contribute to national security through his work at the Defense Innovation Unit and AFWERX. As a reservist he managed the DIU's investment efforts in deep tech through its early-stage funding vehicle, National Security Innovation Capital. Alex has a B.A. from Columbia University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

008: Kristen Hajduk, National Security Professional & Entrepreneur Jul 10, 2023

Kristen Hajduk is an expert in national security and defense policies, currently helping tech companies work with the DOD and IC. Her illustrious career spans across critical roles in the DOD, Special Operations Command, and the National Security Innovation Network. She also co-founded No Exceptions, an initiative instrumental in opening all military positions to women who meet the standard.

007: Armando Torres, Custom Fabrication and Metal Tech Manager Jul 03, 2023

Armando Torres is a small business leader in the steel fabrication and manufacturing industry, working as a Custom Fabrication and Metal Tech Manager in North Carolina. He previously served in the United States Marine Corps and received a BS from the United States Naval Academy.

006: Ethan Batraski, Partner at Venrock Jun 26, 2023

Ethan Batraski is a partner at Venrock, focusing on data infrastructure, developer tools, and hard engineering problems, including space and computing.

005: Garrett Smith, Founder & CEO of Reveal Technology Jun 20, 2023

Garrett Smith is the CEO and co-founder of Reveal, a UAV edge analytics software platform. He is also a Reconnaissance, Intelligence, and Infantry Officer in the USMC Reserve. He is a graduate of Stanford University's Ford Dorsey Program in International Policy Studies, and earned a master's degree in June 2015. His focus of study was International Security and Cooperation, with background experience in South, Southeast, and East Asia.

004: Kyle Olson, Managing Director at Fairwater Labs and Former Marine Raider Jun 11, 2023

Kyle is currently a Managing Director at Fairwater Labs, a venture studio building dual use defense tech companies. Kyle is also a former Marine Raider and Special Operations Officer with worldwide experience.

Inspired by the technological challenges he faced in combat, Kyle decided to leave active duty to focus on putting America’s best technology into the hands of those that need it the most. He is passionate about technologies that support intelligence collection, tactical survivability, unmanned systems, and digital privacy.

003: James Clapper, Former Director of National Intelligence of the United States Jun 07, 2023

James Clapper is an esteemed veteran in the intelligence community, with over five decades of service under his belt. He served as the United States Director of National Intelligence under the Obama administration, a position that made him the principal advisor to the President on intelligence matters relating to national security. Clapper has held several other key positions within the U.S. intelligence community: he has served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

Clapper's career is not limited to intelligence. He is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Air Force, and a recipient of numerous military and civilian awards, including two Defense Distinguished Service Medals, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, and the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award. His invaluable insights and distinguished experience make him a standalone figure in discussions about intelligence, defense, and national security.
Purchase Clapper's book, Facts and Fears, here.

002: Ashley Pelzek, Merlin Labs VP of Business Operations Apr 11, 2023

Ashley is currently the Vice President of Business Operations at Merlin Labs. Ashley served as an FA-18 naval aviator in the U.S. Navy for over a decade. Ashley has an MBA from MIT, and graduated from the United States Naval Academy, where she earned a B.S. in International Relations and was the basketball team captain.

001: Will Allen Apr 02, 2023

Get to know our hosts and the story behind the America Builds Podcast.

America Builds Podcast Trailer Mar 03, 2023

Introduction to the America Builds Podcast.

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