Congressman Gabe Amo, 8VC’s Alex Moore, Saronic’s Rob Lehman, and Varun Gupta | Maritime Power Reimagined: The Naval Edge in a Dangerous World

In this session from the Hill & Valley Forum 2025, Congressman Gabe Amo (RI), Saronic's Co-Founder & CCO Rob Lehman, 8VC partner Alex Moore, and Caffeinated Capital GP Varun Gupta explore how autonomous surface vessels and AI-driven maritime systems could help the US counter China's substantial naval buildup. The conversation highlights the potential for a transformative "hybrid fleet" combining traditional naval assets with unmanned systems, and examines how American shipbuilding can be revitalized through private investment and public-private partnerships.

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Alex Moore on how elite Silicon Valley engineers are entering the naval space

(00:27) America's maritime challenges and China's naval advantage

(01:29) Congressman Gabe Amo on the strategic imbalance in the Indo-Pacific and funding predictability challenges

(03:51) Rob Lehman explaining Saronic's approach to unmanned vessels enhancing the Navy's hybrid fleet concept

(06:38) Alex Moore on the compounding nature of maritime AI and autonomous software stacks

(09:14) Congressman Amo discussing underwater drone development in Rhode Island's maritime industry

(11:58) The evolution of maritime dominance from battleships to distributed autonomous systems

(15:19) Discussion of America's withered shipbuilding industrial base compared to Asian competitors

(17:38) Rob Lehman detailing Saronic's $250 million investment in Gulf Craft and plans for Port Alpha

(20:17) The emergence of tech startups entering naval defense and shipbuilding after decades of Silicon Valley neglect