Revolutionizing Cyber Defense Strategies with Mike Weigand

This week, Bonnie Evangelista dives into the cutting-edge world of defense cybersecurity with co-founder and Chief Growth Officer of Shift5, Mike Weigand. As a former army officer turned cybersecurity pioneer, Mike has taken the helm at Shift5 to revolutionize real-time cyber monitoring solutions across various fleets, including manned aircraft and combat vehicles. Mike shares his keen insights on navigating defense acquisitions, conquering the “valley of death”, and increasing operational readiness. Tune in for an inspiring interview with a maverick on a mission to reshape the national security landscape.

TIMESTAMPS:

(1:20) How Shift5 became a dual-use company

(5:11) Solving a critical need in fleet cybersecurity

(7:06) Why data observability is key for weapon systems

(10:55) What led to the founding of the Cyber Branch in 2014

(15:01) Overcoming bureaucratic and logistical challenges of acquisition

(19:11) How to navigate the “Valley of Death”

(23:25) Successfully scaling in the aerospace industry

(26:47) What does the future of Shift5 look like?

(29:45) Why you must tie your product back to the mission

(31:09) Advice for acquisition professionals

LINKS:

Follow Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-weigand/

Follow Bonnie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-evangelista-520747231/

CDAO: https://www.ai.mil/

Tradewinds AI: https://www.tradewindai.com/