Crossing the Valley

Guests Brian Drake, Federal CTO at Accrete AI, and Bill Wall, who leads federal operations, share insights from their journey in dual-use AI. They discuss the challenges of transitioning from commercial focus to securing government contracts, including a recent $15 million agreement with the Air Force. The conversation covers the necessity of real-time AI demonstrations, the shift toward outcome-driven queries, and the synergy between commercial success and government needs, emphasizing effective storytelling in marketing strategies.

About Brian StreemBrian Streem is the founder and CEO of Vermeer, a company building vision-based navigation systems for GPS-denied environments. His unconventional path began at NYU film school, where a screenwriting teacher taught him that good stories are "both unpredictable and inevitable" – a principle that would define his entrepreneurial journey. Streem became one of the first legal drone cinematographers in America, working on Fast & Furious movies and Steven Spielberg films before pivoting to defense tech.About VermeerVermeer develops hardware-software systems that enable drones to navigate without GPS by using computer vision and locally stored terrain databases. Their solution combines cameras, NVIDIA chips, and neural networks to match real-time imagery with pre-loaded 3D maps, creating jam-proof navigation for military applications. The company has secured millions in product sales and works with tier-one defense contractors across the US, Europe, and Asia.Key Takeaways1. Customer Discovery at Scale Beats Perfect Pedigree: The story that defines Brian’s hustler ethos takes place in a cabin on a lake during COVID. Brian scraped 50,000 .mil emails for DoD personnel, emailed every one, and conducted over 2,000 individual conversations to understand the market before he started his business. This aggressive customer discovery revealed that GPS-denied navigation was the #1 problem across multiple military branches. Customer discovery is the way. In his own words: "Don't build a goddamn thing. Speak to a thousand people who have a lot of money in your market and ask them what their biggest problem is." 2. Naivety Can Be Your Greatest Weapon: Brian’s lack of defense experience became an advantage. While experts said solutions already existed, he asked simple questions: "If it exists, where is it? Why do they tell me it's still a problem?" His outsider perspective led him to pursue solutions that insiders had dismissed, ultimately winning five Phase II SBIRs in his first year.3. Test in Real Conditions or Risk Building Fantasy Products: Instead of raising venture capital, Streem moved to Ukraine for 14 months to test his product in actual combat conditions. "There's no point of wartime technology if you don't fight in a war," he argues. This real-world testing revealed critical issues – like the challenge of testing $30,000 systems on one-way drones – that he simply wouldn’t have learned as quickly back home in the comforts of the United States. 4. Services Revenue Can Fund Product Development: Vermeer is not Brian’s first startup. He previously funded software development by running a drone cinematography service company, which generated millions in revenue. But like many founders who start with services and aim to pivot to products, he hit a wall — he captured most of the Hollywood market, and realized that he couldn’t scale himself as fast as he wanted to grow his business. At the same time, he saw that "investors would rather fund your product from zero" than hear about “distracting services revenue.” They wanted him to focus. 5. Solve the Hardest Version of the Problem First: Brian discovered that in some ways, "Hollywood drone cinematography is actually harder than military drone missions" because of their highly specific aesthetic requirements and demands around precision. Learning to fly for Hollywood actually made it easier to handle the military applications. Just like Tesla started with the high-end car, and SpaceX started with bespoke missions, solving the complex use case first created competitive advantages that have proven sticky.Brian is a star in the making — honestly, listen to this on 1.5x if you have to, but don’t delete this email. You can thank me later.For more on Vermeer: getvermeer.com For more on Brian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianstreem/For more Crossing the Valley: Valleycrossers.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

Building Multi-Domain Capabilities Through Iterative ExperimentationAbout our GuestsRepeat guests from Episode 43, Lt Colonel Tommy Burns and Lt Colonel Aaron Ritzema are completing their tours with the 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force in Germany, where they've spearheaded some of the Army's most innovative experimentation efforts. Both officers bring operational experience to the challenge of transitioning emerging technologies from concept to battlefield capability.As they prepare to transition to new roles, they re-joined Crossing the Valley to share their experience leading the Arcane Thunder exercise, and to give a candid look into what worked, and what didn’t, as we look toward the future.Key Takeaways1. Network Architecture Enables All Other CapabilitiesThe exercise's biggest breakthrough was achieving real-time data sharing between operations in Poland and Arizona. This network integration became the foundation for every other success, enabling live video feeds across continents and coordinated multi-domain operations. Without robust network architecture, individual technologies remain isolated capabilities rather than integrated systems.2. Honest Assessment Accelerates Innovation CyclesDespite multiple drone crashes and weather setbacks, the team gave themselves a "passing grade" because they proved the core digital signal flow concept. This honest evaluation—celebrating successes while acknowledging failures—enabled rapid iteration and course correction. Organizations that hide failures slow their own progress.3. Training Systems Must Evolve With TechnologyThe unit broke Army records by launching 10 micro-HABs in one day (previous record was 5) because they developed deliberate training progressions from individual to collective tasks. Their success came from building human proficiency alongside technological capability.4. Performance Standards Need Development for New CapabilitiesUnlike traditional military capabilities with established time and accuracy standards, multi-domain operations lack comparative benchmarks. "We still don't even really know what good looks like yet," Burns explained. Building evaluation criteria and collecting baseline performance data must happen in parallel with capability development.5. Human Judgment Remains Critical in Automated SystemsEven with sensors automatically connecting to shooters across domains, empowered junior leaders remain essential. The exercise reinforced that technology should enhance human decision-making rather than replace it. "There's absolutely room for empowered junior leaders to execute within commander's intent," Ritzema emphasized, highlighting the enduring importance of the "humans over hardware" philosophy.For more on Arcane Thunder 25: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/496977/exercise-arcane-thunder-25-press-releaseFor more Crossing the Valley: www.valleycrossers.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

Case Study: How ULA CEO Tory Bruno Stewarded a Legacy Giant Through Existential ThreatsAbout Tory BrunoTory joined United Launch Alliance as CEO in August 2014, bringing four decades of aerospace experience and a track record of over 400 rocket launches. Previously at Lockheed Martin, he led programs in hypersonics, directed energy, and missile defense while running one of the company's largest and most profitable business units. Bruno initially resisted the ULA opportunity, preferring to work on critical national security technologies, until his wife (also a rocket scientist) convinced him that taking on the ULA mission would be too important for the nation’s space capabilities to pass up.Bruno is known for his technical depth, strategic foresight, and unconventional approach to business challenges. He is a steady hand in stormy waters. The contrast to his fellow space executives at SpaceX and Blue Origin is quickly apparent.About United Launch AllianceUnited Launch Alliance was formed in 2006 as a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, combining their Delta and Atlas rocket programs. Created to solve a national security crisis when both companies threatened to exit unprofitable space launch, ULA became a "monopoly of service" focused on mission success over commercial competition.When Bruno arrived in 2014, ULA faced existential threats: Senator McCain had outlawed their primary Atlas rocket by 2017, SpaceX was emerging as serious competition, and the company culture was unprepared for competitive markets. The 50-50 ownership structure prevented traditional equity financing, requiring creative approaches to fund development of the new Vulcan rocket.Today, ULA maintains a 100% mission success rate, has achieved National Security Space Launch certification for Vulcan, and holds major contracts including a multi-billion dollar government award and 47 launches for Amazon's Kuiper constellation.For more on the United Launch Alliance, visit their website at https://www.ulalaunch.com/Tory recently launched the Burn Sequence Podcast - you can check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2XFxZO6iLoPlease subscribe and share with friends — we’d love to keep doing this sort of in-depth, on-site work if you enjoy it! 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

About JoshJoshua Steinman brings a unique combination of operational military experience, senior policy leadership, and entrepreneurial drive to the challenge of securing America's industrial infrastructure. A retired naval officer, Josh was one of the original "10 heretics" tasked by the Chief of Naval Operations to find asymmetric opportunities for the Navy - an effort that helped catalyze today's defense tech ecosystem.During the first Trump administration, Steinman served as Senior Director for Cybersecurity on the National Security Council staff, where he was responsible for all cyber, telecom, crypto, and supply chain policy. This role gave him intimate knowledge of the vulnerabilities in America's critical infrastructure and the sophisticated threats targeting these systems.After leaving government service, Josh co-founded Galvanick with Brandon Park (former Amazon global OT cybersecurity lead) and Feliks Pleszczynski (hedge fund trader). The team brings together expertise from military operations, large-scale industrial cybersecurity, and zero-failure financial environments.About GalvanickFounded just over three years ago, Galvanick focuses on securing operational technology (OT) - the industrial control systems that manage physical processes in manufacturing facilities, power plants, and other critical infrastructure. Unlike traditional IT cybersecurity, OT security requires deep understanding of industrial processes and the unique constraints of manufacturing environments.The company has developed a platform that provides real-time visibility and automated threat detection for industrial control systems. Rather than requiring defenders to manually correlate data across multiple systems - a process that can take hours, days, or weeks - Galvanick automatically generates comprehensive investigations in real-time.With a lean team of 14 people, Galvanick already protects manufacturing facilities for some of the world's largest companies. Their platform can be deployed in as little as 2.5 hours and operates with the passive monitoring approach required in zero-failure industrial environments.The company represents a commercial-first approach to a fundamentally dual-use problem. While their current customers are primarily large manufacturers, the same vulnerabilities exist across defense industrial base companies and military installations.For more on Galvanick: https://www.galvanick.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

SOF Week Part II: How Early Stage Companies’ Strategies Played OutLast 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 ValidationOriginal 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 partnershipKey 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 EngagementOriginal 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 AlleyKey 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 ScaleOriginal 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 constraintsKey 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

SOF Week Pt. 1: A Tale of Three Defense Tech StartupsIn this special edition of Crossing the Valley, we sit down with three promising defense technology companies ahead of their trip to SOF Week—one of the defense industry's premier events. Each company represents a different stage in the journey across the "valley of death" from concept to production, providing valuable insights for founders navigating the defense ecosystem.About Edgerunner AICompany Overview: Edgerunner AI is building domain-specific AI agents for warfighters that can operate without internet connectivity. Their technology enables military personnel to access ChatGPT-like capabilities that are tailored to their specific military occupational specialty (MOS), all while functioning in disconnected, degraded, intermittent, and limited bandwidth (DDIL) environments.Founders:* Tyler Saltsman: Former Army logistician who served in Operation Atlantic Resolve. Previously at AWS where he first encountered Stability AI, helping to build their infrastructure before eventually joining them.* Colton Malkerson: Former Capitol Hill staffer for Speakers Boehner and Ryan, Stanford Business School graduate, and held positions at AWS and Stability AI.Company Stage: Edgerunner AI has secured a CRADA (Cooperative Research and Development Agreement) with the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) to power NIPR GPT. They recently closed their Series A funding (announced during SOF Week) and partnered with Second Front Systems. The company is less than a year old.About Aurum SystemsCompany Overview: Aurum Systems is developing the Atlas platform, designed to transform existing UAVs into independent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting assets. Their software works completely at the edge and in the field, enabling operators to complete missions autonomously with minimal input.Founders:* Jason Ashton: Founder and CEO with a background in robotics and self-driving technology.* Myles Spencer: Founder and CTO with product development experience at Google (YouTube's data warehouse) and Wayfair.Company Stage: Aurum is approximately one year old, having raised a small angel round in September 2023. They recently demonstrated their technology publicly for the first time at the Avon Park Air Force Range for US SOCOM. They currently operate as a two-person team.About Distributed SpectrumCompany Overview: Distributed Spectrum focuses on helping warfighters understand what's happening across the radio spectrum. Their technology adds intelligent software to existing hardware systems, enabling both trained experts and frontline operators to identify adversary communications and detect jamming without requiring expensive equipment or specialized training.Founders:* Alex Wulff: Co-founder and CEO with a background in electrical engineering and a deep fascination with radio waves. Started the company with Ben Harpe (COO) and Isaac Struhl (CTO) while in college at Harvard.Company Stage: Approximately 4.5 years since founding, with significant momentum since 2022 after graduation. They've raised a Series A round of $25 million, secured over $7 million in DoD contracts, and their RF sensing platform is already deployed in Ukraine and with U.S. special operators. The company currently has 16 employees.About our AdvisorsDave Rolen is a combat developer for US Army Special Operations Command. He identifies, captures, and develops resourcing strategies for emerging requirements and Program Objective Memorandum (POM) products for key emerging capabilities.Scott Moore is a recently retired Green Beret, most recently serving as the R&D NCOIC, and previously Director of Operations with the 3rd Special Forces Group. He’s now with SBIR Advisors and brings a wealth of recent insider knowledge after many years as the target customer and planning industry engagement events.To hear how the show went, tune in next week for Part II of this special episode!For more about 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

The Army's Multi-Domain Task Force: Soldier-Driven Innovation in ActionAbout our GuestsLieutenant Colonel Thomas Burns serves as the Deputy Commander of the 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF), headquartered in Germany in support of US Army Europe and Africa. With a background in traditional Army operations, Burns brings a task force-level perspective on how new capabilities need to integrate into joint warfighting concepts.Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Ritzema commands the 2nd Multi-Domain Effects Battalion (MDEB), which serves as the primary sensing and non-kinetic effects arm of the task force. His battalion comprises specialized companies focused on space, cyber, electronic warfare, and unmanned systems. Ritzema's role involves organizing, training, and equipping soldiers across multiple technical specialties that historically have been siloed across different parts of the Army.Together, these officers represent the operational leadership of one of the Army's most innovative organizational constructs - a unit specifically designed to counter anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities that potential adversaries have developed to keep U.S. forces at bay.About the Multi-Domain Task ForceEstablished through Army Chief of Staff General James McConville's 2021 vision paper "Army Multi-Domain Transformation," the MDTF concept represents the Army's primary organizational innovation for multi-domain operations. The Army is currently building five such task forces, with three currently established - two focused on the Indo-Pacific and the 2nd MDTF focused on Europe.The 2nd MDTF, activated in late 2021, consists of a headquarters element, an intelligence/cyberspace/electronic warfare/space detachment, and a brigade support company. At its core is the Multi-Domain Effects Battalion, which is organized into specialized companies:* A signal company providing mission command networks* A military intelligence company for target analysis* An extended range sensing and effects company with unmanned aerial systems, electronic warfare, and high-altitude balloon platoons* A space company with modular and fixed space control capabilities* An information defense company with defensive cyber and electromagnetic attack platoonsWhat makes the MDTF concept unique is that it brings capabilities previously reserved for joint or national-level commands down to the tactical level, enabling field commanders to integrate and synchronize effects across domains. As LTC Ritzema explains, the task force's mission is fundamentally about finding adversaries faster than they can find you, then delivering effects - whether kinetic or non-kinetic - to enable broader joint operations.For more on Arcane Thunder 25: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/496977/exercise-arcane-thunder-25-press-releaseFor more Crossing the Valley: www.valleycrossers.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

Is the Department of the Navy Taking the Lead in Defense Acquisition?About Justin and ArtemJustin Fanelli serves as the Navy Chief Technology Officer and has earned a reputation for dismantling bureaucratic barriers that traditionally slow defense innovation. Coming from a technical background, Fanelli has developed new mental models for technology adoption within the Department of the Navy, including a structured approach to piloting, evaluation, and scaling of emerging technologies. His work focuses on creating transparent, outcomes-driven processes that empower change agents across the department.Artem Sherbinin serves as the CTO for the Naval Surface Force, implementing modernization strategies on the front lines. His operational background as a navigator and operations officer on a Navy cruiser gives him a warfighter's perspective on technology risk. This experience has shaped his approach to innovation, with an emphasis on addressing real operational needs rather than satisfying bureaucratic requirements. Sherbinin works three echelons below Fanelli in the Navy's organizational structure, yet their collaborative approach demonstrates the cross-functional alignment driving today's modernization efforts.For more Crossing the Valley:* YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crossingthevalley* Substack: ValleyCrossers.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

Grant DeMaree, Founder and CEO of OneBrief, discusses his journey from military service to launching a revolutionary software platform designed to streamline military planning. Inspired by his experiences during the Ebola crisis and his time in Iraq, he highlights the need for faster decision-making tools. The importance of strategic partnerships in military contracting and the role of AI in improving planning processes are also explored. Grant emphasizes the necessity of modernizing military decision-making to save lives and enhance operational efficiency.