Misson-Driven Innovation, Making the Improbable Possible, and Harpoon Ventures with Larsen Jensen

Episode Summary:
In this episode of "The Startup Defense," Callye Keen sits down with Larsen Jensen, a former SEAL and Olympic athlete, who is making significant strides in the world of impact investing through his work with Harpoon. Larsen discusses his journey from a rural upbringing through elite athletics and military service to becoming a pivotal figure in defense-focused venture capital. He shares insights into the power of private capital to drive innovation in defense technologies and the importance of dual-use applications.

Highlighted Topics:

• Larsen's Diverse Background: From his roots on a Californian almond farm to competing in the Olympics and serving as a Navy SEAL, Larsen's unique experiences have shaped his approach to venture capital and impact investing.
• Impact Investing in Defense: Larsen discusses how impact investing can simultaneously achieve significant financial returns and provide essential capabilities to the defense sector, contributing to national security.
• Challenges of Dual-Use Technologies: The conversation delves into the nuances of dual-use technology development, emphasizing strategic go-to-market approaches for startups in the defense and commercial sectors.
• The Role of Private Capital in Defense Innovation: Larsen highlights how private capital is increasingly pivotal in bringing cutting-edge technologies to the defense market, potentially accelerating development cycles and implementation.
• Advice for Entrepreneurs: Larsen encourages entrepreneurs to take bold actions and leverage their unique backgrounds to innovate within the defense sector, stressing the importance of moving from planning to execution to truly understand market needs.

Key Quotes:

• "I'm passionate about making the improbable possible." - Larsen Jensen
• "Everything's out of reach until it's not." - Larsen Jensen on breaking into the defense industry
• "We need to mass our resources where there is a gap in the market we can exploit." - Larsen Jensen on strategic market entry
• "Stop thinking too much and start doing more." - Larsen Jensen on taking action in entrepreneurship

About Larsen Jensen:
Larsen Jensen is the Founder and General Partner of Harpoon Ventures—one of the first dual-use venture capital firms in Silicon Valley, now with over $300M AUM. Larsen has led dozens of investments in defense tech, cybersecurity, AI, enterprise infrastructure, and frontier technology. Prior to his entrance into venture capital, Larsen was a two-time Olympic medalist (2004 and 2008) and maintains the American record in the 400m swimming event. After the Olympics, Larsen served as a Navy SEAL. Larsen previously held investment and asset management roles at UBS, Goldman Sachs, Andreessen Horowitz, and Lightspeed Venture Partners. Larsen earned a Bachelor’s degree from USC and an MBA from Stanford.