Stay ConnectedFew companies make it from pilot to production in the defense market. Those who do often change the industry in the process.
How do they do it? What lessons can startups take from their trials, successes, and failures? Crossing the Valley tells the stories of the trailblazers who are forging a new path for America’s defense.
Copyright: © Noah Sheinbaum
About Bazze
Founded in 2019, Bazze is an intelligence platform designed to transform how the defense and intelligence community accesses and utilizes commercial data. The company's platform enables users to know everything about a person, place, or thing using exclusively commercial data sources. Users of Bazze technology can quickly identify potential security risks and gather comprehensive intelligence using publicly available information.
For more on Bazze, or if you’re interested in checking out their products, head over to bazze.io
For more on Sammy, you can follow him on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/semwangu/
This summer, Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) at Georgetown published the paper Building the Tech Coalition: How Project Maven and the U.S. 18th Airborne Corps Operationalized Software and Artificial Intelligence for the Department of Defense (check it out here).
Today’s episode dives deep into the case, highlighting a crucial illustration of successful defense innovation.
About Chris
Christopher Kirchhoff has been a key figure in many major developments in defense and national security over the past decade. He served as Obama's director for strategic planning at the National Security Council, was a senior civilian aide to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and authored influential reports on America's war in Iraq, the space shuttle Columbia disaster, and the Ebola response. Crucially, along with Raj Shah, Kirchhoff helped establish the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx), which has become a vital piece in bringing modern technology into the mission of national defense.
Darkhive, founded in the fall of 2021, aims to address the critical gap in the defense community by building affordable, high-performance tactical drones that are designed with the end-user in mind. The company places a strong emphasis on open, discoverable systems that can be easily integrated with existing infrastructure, ensuring that their products remain useful and adaptable over time. Darkhive has secured multiple government contracts, including a Phase III award from Autonomy Prime, and has received widespread support from various branches of the military, including the Air Force, Space Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy.
In this episode of "Crossing the Valley," we are joined by Ian Kalin, CEO and founder of Turbine One, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in bringing innovative technology to the defense sector.
Key topics covered:
- Ian's diverse background from Navy counterterrorism officer to tech entrepreneur
- The mission of Turbine One and its focus on edge AI for warfighter safety
- Navigating the complex landscape of defense contracting and acquisitions
- The importance of exercises and field testing in product development
- Overcoming obstacles in the "frozen middle" of defense procurement
- The key elements needed for success in defense tech startups
Ian shares candid insights on the realities of building a defense tech company, including dealing with industry incumbents, protecting intellectual property, and aligning with warfighter needs. This episode offers valuable lessons for entrepreneurs and innovators looking to make an impact in the defense and national security space.
David Brown, CEO of CounterCraft, joins Noah to discuss the company's journey in the digital security industry. David covers the company's foray into the American market, its partnership strategies, and plans for future growth.
Timestamps:
00:00-00:45: The Evolution of Deception in Warfare and IT
03:04-03:26: Spanish Cybersecurity Startup's Unique Approach
04:37-06:10: Countercraft's Deception Platform
09:16-12:43: Early Days: From Commercial to Government
13:39-16:52: Scaling through Partnerships
29:06-31:38: Democratizing Deception Technology
35:33-36:12: What's Next for Counter Craft
36:31-37:43: Advice for Startup Founders
For more visit: https://www.countercraftsec.com/
About Our Guests:
Ben Kohlmann is a retired F-18 pilot, former consultant, founder, and current investor at Cubit Capital. Ben has touched it all, and has a well-rounded, thoughtful, and purpose-driven perspective on defense investing.
Dan Magy is a repeat defense founder and the co-founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs. Dan's experience includes starting a counter-UAS company and working closely with special operations forces, giving him deep insight into the defense innovation landscape. He’s also prolific on LinkedIn, where his near-daily drone videos are wildly popular with the defense community and beyond.
Timestamps:
00:39-01:40: Introduction to Modular, Attritable Systems in Defense Tech
01:56-06:41: The Emergence of Drone Swarms in Modern Warfare
07:06-08:47: Asymmetric Warfare Advantage: Countering High-Tech with Low-Cost Solutions
09:08-10:53: Challenges in Adapting US Military Innovation and Procurement for Modern Conflicts
11:40-13:48: US Missed Opportunity to Innovate and Learn in Ukraine Conflict
13:48-14:46: The Importance of Real-World Testing and Rapid Innovation in Military Technology Development
16:30-17:58: Leveraging Battlefield Experience for Innovation
18:20-19:33: Navigating the Government Procurement Process for Startups
19:34-23:09: The Importance of Lobbying and Customer Discovery for Defense Startups"
23:47-24:58: Finding the Right Customer
26:01-30:58: The Keys to Successful Defense Tech Startups: Relationships, Go-to-Market Strategy, and Building Credibility
31:13-34:34: Navigating the DOD Innovation Ecosystem
36:02-36:25: DIU's Evolution
36:59-38:11: Firestorm's Progress and Future Milestones
38:12-39:15: Effective Storytelling for Congress in Defense Appropriations
42:32-45:51: Finding Alignment and Purpose in Your Role
In this week’s Crossing the Valley, Noah sits down with Hank Holland, CEO of Amaero International, a modern manufacturing company that’s increasingly involved in modernizing America’s industrial base.
In this episode of Crossing the Valley Noah sits down with Greer Carper, the Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategy at Fortem Technologies.
Timestamps:
00:00-03:59: A Journey through Defense Technology Development
03:59-07:04: Moving from Investing to Operating in a Growing Company
07:55-08:47: Navigating Strategy Roles in Startups
10:00-12:38: From Commercial Markets to the Defense Space
18:45-22:02: Leveraging RDTE Funding
22:50-24:23: Navigating the Trade-offs in Counter-UAS Systems
26:10-27:00: International Expansion
27:30-28:45: Next Steps in Defense Contracts and Counter-UAS Innovations
In this episode of Crossing the Valley, I had the pleasure of speaking with Misha Govshteyn, the CEO of Macrofab, a Texas-based cloud manufacturing company that is working to revitalize American manufacturing. With a network of over 100 factories across the United States and Mexico, Macrofab supplies defense contractors and helps them produce goods quickly, cost-effectively, and at a higher quality, all while keeping production closer to home.
About Vannevar Labs
Vannevar Labs is building the next-generation “non-kinetic defense prime.”
Today, they're mentioned in the same breath as defense behemoths like Anduril and Palantir. Since founding the company in their Stanford dorm room in 2019, CEO Brett Granberg and President Nini Hamrick have grown the company dramatically. From $3.5 million in annual contract value in 2021, they did $25 million in 2022, before growing to $49 million last year.
What's even more crazy is, unlike most of their peers, they're already profitable. Brett and Nini know that defense modernization is not a fight that's going to be won by one company alone.
Check us out at ValleyCrossers.com and frontdoor.substack.com for the full writeup!
Timestamps
00:00:00-00:00:34 - Introduction to Vannevar Labs
00:00:34-00:01:50 - Founding Story
00:04:22-00:05:55 - Reactions to Starting a Defense Tech Company
00:09:29-00:11:55 - Building Trust with Customers
00:13:17-00:17:41 - Selecting and Working with Champions
00:26:30-00:28:51 - Transitioning to Larger Programs
00:36:30-00:39:58 - Future Plans and Growth of Vannevar Labs
00:40:09-00:45:50 - Talent and Hiring at Vannevar Labs
In this episode of Crossing the Valley, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jade Baranski, the founder and CEO of Mobilize. Mobilize is a company that connects end users within the federal government to the companies that provide the capabilities they need.
Jade shares the story of how VISION came to be, starting with their participation in an Air Force pitch competition, with twists turns and pivots along the way. The end result is Vision, a data platform, has changed the way data is used in the defense “innovation” and acquisition communities to match buyers and sellers.
For more on the Mobilize team, check out mobilizevision.com
CTV Subscribers,
I’m excited to bring you this timely episode of "Crossing the Valley." I had the opportunity to sit down with Kara Kramer, the Director of Business Development at AeroVironment, and winner of the first Replicator award!
In this episode, Kara spills the beans on AeroVironment's recent win, and goes in depth on the Switchblade loitering munition. We dive into the details of the program, the future of autonomy in the defense industry, and AeroVironment itself.
Kara shares valuable insights on the importance of focusing on customer requirements, the benefits of working with both startups and large companies, and the significance of scalability in defense innovation.
If you're interested in learning more about AeroVironment, their role in the Replicator initiative, and the future of autonomy in defense, this episode is a must-listen.
If you’d like to learn more about AeroVironment, or to join the team, check out avinc.com!
GoTenna is a great example of a company that built legit tech, found its niche in the federal market, and fought to survive long enough to generate the kind of traction that will allow it to be a smash hit. CEO Ari Schuler joined us to share his candid takes on the company, the journey, and the market. The company supports over 350 agencies in mission-critical operations around the world today.
Michael Grochol is a fascinating example of when a Silicon Valley-raised problem solver-come-national security expert. His approach to starting a company was long, methodical, and principled. And it led him to the helm of one of the nation’s fastest growing defense services companies.
Unlike many founders, Michael actually turned down the first opportunity he had to start a company.
Why?
He felt he wasn’t prepared.
So he focused on acquiring the skills and experiences he knew he would need, to be able to succeed when he finally stepped into the role.
Fair to say, that bet is paying off!
For more on IronEagleX: https://ironeaglex.com/
For more on Michael Grochol: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-grochol/
For more Crossing the Valley: https://www.youtube.com/@FrontdoorDefense
Overview
Marc Frankel is one of the few people on earth to have worked at not one but TWO successful defense tech companies: Palantir, and Expanse. Now he's taking on the problem of software supply chain vulnerabilities with his new venture, Manifest Cyber. In this conversation we dive into what he's applying from past experience, what he's learning fresh for the first time, and what the future holds.
For more on Manifest:
Website: Manifestcyber.com
BOM Working Group Slack: info@manifestcyber.com
YouTube: @manifest-cyber
Will Edwards, CEO and Co-founder of Firehawk Aerospace joins us to talk 3D printed rocket propellant, Congressional appropriations, and how the team is revolutionizing the propulsion market.
For more on Firehawk Aerospace, check out: https://firehawkaerospace.com/
In this conversation with Second Front Systems CEO Tyler Sweatt, we dive into Tyler's own transition from military to startups, what the Defense Department and startups miss about each other, and what the future holds for defense tech.
Timestamps:
2:22 - Tyler's background and the journey to the C-suite
6:30 - The Second Front team and Kessel Run origin story
9:00 - Tyler reacts to the Defense Ventures Fellowship news
12:20 - What Second Front is doing and why
16:45 - How Second Front went to market initially
20:54 - You are not at a startup unless...
23:20 - "Mo ways for mo apps is mo better"
26:40 - Federal vs commercial business
31:16 - How to structure the government business for growth
33:55 - Startup culture vs big DoD culture
42:48 - Why a Prime didn't build Second Front's product
44:40 - Tyler's hopes for the industry
For more on Second Front: secondfront.com
To learn more about Offset Symposium: secondfront.com/offset-symposium
To read the case study: frontdoordefense.substack.com
Overview
CFD Research is a small business founded in 1987 in the Singhal family garage in Huntsville, Alabama. Today it is a $75M business that has received more than $100M in SBIR funding, with one of the highest commercialization rates in the business.
We spoke with CEO and President Sameer Singhal about the company's business model, and how they go about delivering for the mission of national defense.
For more:
* On CFD Research: www.cfd-reserach.com
* On Sameer Singhal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sameer-singhal-304b6018/
* Crossing the Valley: https://www.youtube.com/@FrontdoorDefense
Case Study: From Zero to A Billion - the Making of an Identity Verification Unicorn
I met Blake Hall in 2020, during COVID, as my nonprofit organization was looking to help surge healthcare professionals into the fight against the pandemic. One of the key challenges was identifying and verifying user credentials. Enter ID.me; Blake and team offered to do it for the healthcare facilities who were vetting our volunteers - and incredibly, to do it for free. His heart for service runs deep. I’m excited to share his story - the ID.me story - with you.
For more info:
* On Blake Hall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hallblake/
* On ID.me: https://www.id.me/
⏲️ Timestamps ⏲️
2:23 - The ID.me founding story
6:40 - Finding their first users
11:55 - Early funding, the power of serendipity, and the burden of expectations
14:55 - The power of niche: focusing where others had flared
18:25 - ID.me's approach to product
26:20 - Approaching the federal government
30:55 - Commercial as a launchpad for federal
33:15 - The first government grant
38:10 - The cautionary tale of Connect.gov
43:00 - Blake's take on adversity
47:20 - The fatal sin of entrepreneurship
48:25 - The value of certifications and testing
54:15 - The first $1 trillion identity company?
58:50 - Blake's friendship with Elon Musk
1:02:20 - Blake's advice to people entering the federal market
“Skipping the Valley” - the ZeroEyes Story
ZeroEyes was founded in 2018 by a team of Navy SEALs and technologists: Mike Lahiff, Sam Alaimo, Tim Sulzer, Rob Huberty and Dustin Brooks. The company launched following the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas elementary school to prevent future school shootings.
In this episode, we speak with James “JT” Wilkins, a Marine who served fifteen years until he was medically retired. As he prepared to retire, JT had a management consulting offer in hand, and was preparing to move into the analytical lifestyle when COVID hit. What seemed like a disaster at the time turned into a blessing: when the firm pushed his offer back six months, JT knew he had to go back to work. So he discovered defense technology, and a firm called Immersive Wisdom, which gave him his foray into the industry, and an opportunity to continue the national security mission by other means. Over time, as his work brought him into contact with the ZeroEyes team at Tyndall Air Force Base, he decided to join forces with their remarkable team (more on that later).
For more on:
JT Wilkins: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameswilkins610/
ZeroEyes: https://zeroeyes.com/about-us/
Crossing the Valley: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsYH_WbObFJwM3IkLx1UyUQ
Apogee Research is a small engineering firm that developed one the Defense Department’s latest solution to the age-old challenge of interoperability. Over seven years, Apogee not only engineered a technical solution, but helped build a constituency for the tool chain inside the ecosystem, and equipped warfighters with the know-how to use it.
In this episode I spoke with David Gerson, the firm’s Vice President, about how they engineered from transition, how building for defense is different, and what the future may hold. Check it out and let me know what you think! And if you like it, please don’t forget to share and subscribe!
⏲️Timestamps ⏲️
2:43 – Introduction to Apogee Research
6:36 – The Apogee model
13:00 – What it means to build for transition
17:00 - Helping program managers craft great programs
20:28 – How Apogee partners
26:07 – Why interoperability is hard for DoD
29:20 – The genesis of DARPA’S SoSITE Initiative
33:59 – How DARPA works
37:50 – Why global standards fail
46:36 – The STITCHES customer discovery process
50:00 – Running the Gauntlet: Building buy-in among user communities
54:20 – Finding a transition partner
57:30 – Contracting for transition
1:04:49 – The future of defense technology
Welcome to the first episode of Crossing the Valley!
I’m excited to bring you Accrete AI’s story of tech transition. It’s a story about a commercial-first bootstrapped company finding its way in the defense market. The interview was super interesting, as our two guests have such different backgrounds: Prashant was a financial trader, while Brian had a 20+ year career inside the government. But they play off each other incredibly well, and have some absolute truth bombs for our listeners. This case study includes key takeaways, timestamps, company contracts (thanks to our friends at Procure FYI), and much more.
If you like the audio version, check us out on YouTube, and read on for the Case Study highlights!
And please let me know what you like and what you want more of! noah@frontdoordefense.com.
⏲️TIMESTAMPS⏲️
00:00 - Intro
01:43 - Prashant's Background and Accrete's Founding
08:47 - Brian's Background and Transition from Government
13:37 - Accrete's Commercial-first Strategy
17:47 - The DIU Application Process
24:24 - DIU's Acquisition and Transition Process
29:53 - How Accrete Built with the Customer to Pass Technical Milestones
32:44 - The First Transition
35:42 - Expectations vs. Reality of Transition
43:02 - Advice to Small Companies
50:17 - What Does the Future Hold?
Each year, thousands of companies show up to sell their products and services to the Department of Defense.
But so few make it across the “Valley of Death” from pilot to production.
The ones who do?
Their stories are rarely told.
Until now.
In this show, we go deep into the stories of the companies that have blazed a path in the federal market, to understand the tools, tips, and playbooks to getting to scale inside the Department of Defense.
Each episode will be accompanied by an in-depth case study - subscribe to never miss an episode!
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