Tech Scouting, Adversarial Capital, and the Defense Investor Network with Heather Jo Richman

Callye Keen sits down with Heather Richman to discuss the transformation of defense programs into sustainable ventures, the significance of private capital, and the emergence of new players in the defense arena.

They tackle how to create a thriving dual-use company and explore the potential value gap for innovators, where a commercial product can serve the DoD. Heather dives into the importance of embracing failure in the pursuit of national security and the necessity of clean capital in the startup arena. 

They delve into the possibilities of bridging the gap between the DOD and the private capital community, shedding light on the complexities of this process. They discuss the need for trusted relationships and the potential of innovation units. They cover insights learned from Heather's time in Washington. 

Topic Highlights:

00:00 - Introduction
Heather shares her background and what she is passionate about right now.

05:23 - Challenges and Opportunities in Bridging the DOD and Startups
Callye emphasizes the concept of "dual use," where innovations and products developed in the commercial sector can be repurposed for defense applications. This approach could save time and resources by not reinventing the wheel and leveraging already proven commercial technologies.

14:15 - Commercial-Government Relations in Defense
Heather Richman identifies the inefficiencies in commercial-government relations due to frequent personnel changes in the defense department. In 2018, a surge of Chinese capital in Silicon Valley led to concerns about investment sources. This prompted the development of a "trusted capital marketplace" for clearer capital origin transparency.

23:35 - Innovation & Government Challenges
Keen illustrates how the DoD and Intelligence Community face amplified versions of commercial market issues. While organizations like the US Cyber Command have specific areas of interest, these concerns are universally shared but bear greater consequences for the government.

37:12 - Sustainable Defense Programs 
Heather Richman emphasizes the shift from repetitive appropriations to crafting self-sustaining defense programs, underscoring the role of private capital in this transformation.

38:00 - The Reality of Technological Evolution 
Callye touches on the extensive infrastructure development, including software platforms and data centers, that companies like Nvidia invest in to make revolutionary tech applications feasible.

40:04 - The New Face of Primes 
Heather Richman discusses the evolution and significance of prime companies in the defense sector. With evolving war scenarios, the role of primes becomes even more crucial.

43:20 - Role of Venture Capital
Heather highlights the increasing interest of venture capitalists in the defense market, advocating for an incorporation of a national security perspective in investment choices.

43:51 - Opportunities in Startup Defense
Both Callye and Heather extend an invitation for deeper discussions and explorations into the defense startup ecosystem, highlighting its potential and 

Parting Thought

"When you and I wake up every morning, I see the world through a national security lens. and I'd like for people to be thinking about national security as they're making choices." - Heather Jo Richman

Callye Keen - Kform
https://kform.com/ 

Heather Richman - Defense Investor Network
https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherjrichman/