CRO of Anduril Industries, Matt Steckman, talks about the importance of defense tech, barriers to entry, government decision making, utilizing AI for border security, acquisition of Dive Technologies, qualities for success, and hiring needs in the defense industry.
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Quick takeaways
New entrants in the defense industry are pushing legacy competitors to improve and adapt, leading to rapid transformation.
Anduril specializes in building robotic and unmanned systems supported by advanced command and control software, focusing on mission autonomy in heterogeneous fleets.
Recruiting top talent is crucial in the defense industry, requiring consensus building, performance, and creating environments that attract and retain the best software talent.
Deep dives
Changing the Game in the Defense Industry
The podcast episode discusses how new entrants in the defense industry can bring about significant changes. By entering the competition, these new players are forcing legacy competitors to improve and adapt. The speaker highlights that the breakthrough of just one or two companies can lead to rapid transformation. This trend has already been observed, creating an exciting environment. The guest, Jubin, who has extensive experience in defense, shares his perspective on the increasing interest in defense technology and the importance of engaging the best talent to shape the industry's future.
The Role of Technology in Defense Systems
The podcast explores the role of technology in defense systems, specifically focusing on Anduril's expertise in building robotic and unmanned systems. These systems are supported by advanced command and control software, which enables efficient and accurate communication between the commander and the fleets of hardware. The guest highlights the importance of advanced mission autonomy, especially in heterogeneous fleets, where different types of systems need to interact and coordinate effectively. This area of autonomy in the defense sector is relatively unexplored, and Anduril's focus on developing this capability sets them apart from traditional defense prime contractors.
Anduril's Journey to Become a Defense Prime
The episode discusses Anduril's ambition to become a leading defense prime contractor. The guest reflects on the initial skepticism they faced when they set out to achieve this goal. However, over the years, the company has been able to demonstrate their progress and success in the defense industry. They emphasize the importance of strategic vision and their focus on building cutting-edge technology and software. By acquiring companies like Dive Technologies, Anduril has expanded their capabilities, enabling them to win significant contracts such as the partnership with the Australian government to develop submarines.
Recruiting Talent in the Defense Industry
The podcast highlights the critical role of recruiting talent in the defense industry. The guest emphasizes the importance of consensus building, conviction, and performance in successful startup teams. They also discuss the unique challenges and opportunities in recruiting for defense technology companies. The ability to identify indicators of performance, such as a history of exceeding expectations and a track record of leading impactful projects, is crucial in selecting top talent. The guest also emphasizes the need for companies to create environments that attract and retain the best software talent, even in the highly competitive tech industry.
Navigating the Dynamics of Defense Contracts
The episode delves into the complex dynamics of defense contracts and the challenges they present. The guest shares insights into the risk equation in defense contracting, where traditionally the government bears most of the risk. They highlight the need to change this equation and share in the risk to drive innovation and success. The guest emphasizes the value of equalizing risk and proactive engagement with the government in the early stages of development to shape successful outcomes. They also shed light on the importance of understanding the government's decision-making processes and the need to build companies that can navigate the unique complexities of defense contracts.
Walk into one of Anduril Industries’ offices and it might take a minute for you to realize: This is a defense contractor. “It feels like a tech company, stylistically,” says CRO Matt Steckman, “because we know we have to recruit the best software talent in the world.” Matt says the executive team spends a “comical” amount of time on recruiting, one of his personal passions, and especially works to minimize the number of people who turn down offers. “That’s something that a lot of companies, both tech and non-tech, miss ... Are you losing candidates at the very end, where you spent a tremendous amount of time and resources getting to that decision?”
In this episode, Matt and Joubin discuss security clearance, Lockheed Martin and Boeing, politics vs. technology, Palantir, consensus building, border security, command and control technology, the qualities of great defense tech workers, and long-term thinking.
In this episode, we cover:
The importance of defense tech (02:37)
What Anduril does (04:33)
Barriers to entry (07:58)
How the government picks winners (11:56)
Matt’s path to the defense industry (17:04)
Why he left Palantir (19:57)
Low moments and self-awareness (22:17)
What you can control (27:36)
Joining Anduril (30:14)
Surveillance towers (33:26)
Dive Technologies (37:30)
Risk mitigation (39:24)
Kinetic warfare (42:43)
Recruiting top talent (45:26)
Performance against expectations (48:34)
Caring and empathy (51:25)
Hitting revenue goals (52:31)
How Matt manages his calendar (54:38)
The economics of defense (56:26)
Who Anduril is hiring and what “grit” means to Matt (58:11)
