Category Visionaries John Lee, CEO & Founder of Safire: $11 Million Raised to Accelerate Defense Electrification Technology
Safire is pioneering advanced electrification solutions for defense applications, transforming how military operations are powered in austere environments. With $11 Million in funding and over $7 million in government contracts secured just this year, Safire is developing revolutionary technology to make batteries safer and more efficient for defense applications. In this episode of Category Visionaries, I spoke with John Lee, CEO and Founder of Safire, to learn about the company's journey from a core nanoparticle technology to a full suite of defense electrification products that are changing how soldiers operate in the field.
Topics Discussed:
- Safire's revolutionary silicon nanoparticle technology that transforms lithium-ion batteries into "non-Newtonian fluids" that solidify upon impact
- The company's evolution from core R&D to developing multiple defense products, including tactical electric dirt bikes, battery-infused body armor, and deployable microgrids
- The process of securing government contracts and navigating defense appropriations
- The importance of building relationships with end users in the military and understanding their needs
- John's background as a Navy contracting officer and former head of government contracts at Palantir
- Safire's approach to brand development as part of their path to becoming a unicorn
GTM Lessons For B2B Founders:
- Put mission first to attract talent and customers: John's commitment to protecting lives became his driving force after his experience procuring counter-IED jammers that saved soldiers' lives. He explains, "I couldn't really do anything besides, whatever I do, I want to help protect and save lives." This clear mission has helped him attract talent, customers, and investors who share this vision, demonstrating how a compelling purpose can accelerate GTM efforts.
- Listen to customer needs before defining your product roadmap: Rather than forcing a single-product strategy, Safire let customer requirements guide their development. As John noted, "We really focused on customer first. And if the customer said, I want you to be just one product company... that may have been okay. But that's not what the customer was asking for." By building solutions to address real military needs, Safire has secured multiple contracts across different applications.
- Use government R&D contracts as a runway to production: Safire strategically leveraged Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts to fund their early development while creating a path to larger production contracts. John advises, "It's really important to understand... all the effort it takes to go from the R&D contract into production into program of record and [to] prepare for it." He warns against the "if I build it they'll come" mentality that leads many startups to fail.
- Invest in lobbying early for long-term ROI: The company prioritized hiring lobbyists immediately after raising their seed round. John revealed, "The $4.5 million contract that we just got awarded last month came from our lobbying efforts... from two and a half years ago. And that was the very first third-party payment I was making as soon as we raised our seed round." This demonstrates how early investment in government relations can deliver substantial returns for defense tech companies.
- Brand sophistication matters in defense tech: Breaking with industry norms, Safire invested significantly in professional branding before their Series A. John explains this decision: "Every unicorn status company had a great brand before they became a unicorn status company... When we're walking through four-star generals and three-star generals into our offices, into our skiffs... we want to be trusted and we also want to be seen as a sophisticated, responsible contractor." This approach has helped them stand out in an industry where branding is often neglected.
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