Founder10x - From Data Sovereignty to Battlefield Defence - Max Buchan, Co-founder & CEO, Valarian

Max Buchan is the Co-founder & CEO of Valarian, a dual-purpose defense tech company that emerged from stealth with a $20M seed funding round.

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Valarian website - https://www.valarian.com/

Max Buchan LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxbuchan

🎙️ Hosted by Prashant Choubey

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Key Topics:

- Technology: Secure enclaves ("Acro") deployed from public cloud to battlefield hardware in Pelican cases

- Defense Pivot: Approached by US government; co-founder Josh brings 12 years at Palantir + 18 years in US special operations

- Dual-Use Market: Same platform serves airlines/banks, enterprises and Department of Defense

- Funding: Backed by early Palantir investors, Scout Ventures, MD1, and Gokul Rajaram (Coinbase/Pinterest board)

Key Insights:

- European nations increasingly need digital sovereignty solutions independent from American software

- Mission-driven hiring can compete with higher-paying tech giants

- Dual-use technology requires different go-to-market strategies for enterprise vs. government

- Building critical infrastructure creates natural competitive moats

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(03:07) Max's background at CoinShares and founding of Valarian

(05:59) Explanation of Valarian's core technology and dual-purpose approach

(08:31) Cybersecurity and digital infrastructure focus

(10:29) Building trust and credibility with government and enterprise clients

(14:14) Go-to-market strategies for enterprise and government sectors

(17:47) Challenges of selling to government clients

(21:00) Fundraising approach and investor selection

(24:41) Capital allocation strategy

(26:28) Hiring strategy and attracting top talent

(29:23) Finding high-quality talent from smaller companies

(31:24) Building a moat and defensibility for the company

(33:32) Product market fit considerations

(35:30) Key metrics for tracking company performance

(38:30) Organizational structure for managing enterprise and government segments

(40:49) Learning and seeking advice as a first-time founder

(43:03) Managing mental health and maintaining relationships

(44:49) Most pivotal decision in Valarian's journey

(46:12) Closing remarks and ways to follow Max

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