Ep. 45: What I Learned at SOF Week (Pt 2)

SOF Week Part II: How Early Stage Companies’ Strategies Played Out

Last week, we connected with the founders of EdgeRunner AI, Aurum Systems, and Distributed Spectrum before they made their way to Tampa for SOF Week.

In this follow-up episode, we hear how they performed.

Edgerunner AI: From Education to Validation

Original Objective: Meet "shot callers" (decision-makers at multiple levels) and educate the market about edge AI capabilities that operate without internet connectivity.

Results Achieved:

* Secured high-level meetings with SOCOM J3

* Generated immediate follow-up meetings scheduled in Tampa

* Validated that operators were "blown away" by internet-free AI capabilities

* Announced Series A funding during the event

* Demonstrated product at both their own booth and through Second Front Systems partnership

Key Learning: "Try to line up as many meetings as you can. Let people know you're going to be there and ask them to set aside time." The educational component worked—operators immediately wanted the technology once they understood it was possible.

Evolution: The company is moving from "zero to one" in their market presence and aspires to use conference presence as a yard stick as they scale up (“we want to be on the big stage right next to Anduril.”)

Aurum Systems: Discovery Through Direct Engagement

Original Objective: Achieve a "public launch," validate technology with operators, and receive initial feedback from acquisition professionals.

Results Achieved:

* Received validation that they were "20 to 30% ahead of anything else we've seen" from acquisition professionals

* Discovered entirely new use cases for their 3D reconstruction technology through direct operator conversations

* Successfully demonstrated their Atlas platform for UAV autonomy

* Participated in pitch competitions and secured good booth traffic in Accelerator Alley

Key Learning: The value of unexpected discovery—Jason noted that "everyone sees [our products] in a different light" based on their specific problem sets. This led to previously unconsidered applications of their technology.

Resource Constraint: Myles identified a critical limitation: "We had us and one of our coworkers helping us. That was still not enough." They plan to bring more team members next year to maximize event value.

Distributed Spectrum: Operational Efficiency at Scale

Original Objective: Connect with three stakeholder groups—acquisition teams, operators, and potential partners—while maintaining operational flexibility.

Results Achieved:

* Conducted real-time product demonstrations that led to immediate UI improvements

* Received specific technical feedback that refined their user interface presentation

* Maintained strategic flexibility without booth commitments

* Successfully navigated the event solo due to last-minute team constraints

Key Learning: Alex Wulff's approach of finding "good places to sit down with people to actually have a real conversation" proved more effective than previous years' ad hoc lobby meetings.

Strategic Evolution: As a more mature company (third SOF Week attendance), they're considering booth space once they have "enough resources beyond just me and my co-founders."

For more on the companies:

* Aurum Systems: https://aurum.systems/

* Distributed Spectrum: https://www.distributedspectrum.com/

* EdgeRunner AI: https://www.edgerunnerai.com/

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.valleycrossers.com