Brett Granberg is a co-founder and CEO of Vannevar Labs, a startup building AI for defense.
We dive into Brett’s journey as a defense investor and startup founder, and the challenges and opportunities he sees in defense tech right now. He breaks down the differences between hardware and software development, the evolving DoD acquisition process, and how to know when a defense startup has achieved product-market fit. Plus, we discuss the biggest thing Brett looks for in interviews and what it takes to succeed in a startup environment.
Outline
- 1:30 The genesis of Vannevar
- 04:38 What have you changed your mind about?
- 06:49 Knowing when to adjust course
- 10:09 Building products with urgency
- 12:42 Doubling down on existing products vs. exploring new bets
- 17:27 Hardware vs. software in defense
- 19:19 DeepSeek and what LLMs mean for defense tech
- 25:27 DoD acquisition evolution
- 28:01 The defense tech market
- 31:48 The next decade
- 33:40 Building a company culture that withstands growth
- 35:38 Personal reflections
- 37:31 Unexpected predictors of success
- 39:07 Lessons for future founders
- 40:58 Opportunities at Vannevar
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