Episodes
-
Yadin Soffer, co-founder and CEO of Traysar Industries, joins Steve to discuss why the future of warfare may be shifting beneath the surface.
Yadin on X: https://x.com/yadinsoffer
Yadin on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadinsoffer/
Traysar: https://www.traysar.com/
Steve on X: https://x.com/StevenSimoni
Steve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensimoni/
Follow the show!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541
Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/DroneUltimatum
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-drone-ultimatum/
Our website: https://www.thedroneultimatum.com/
After building and exiting a fintech company, Yadin made the leap into defense to tackle one of the military’s toughest operational problems: autonomous systems for subterranean environments.
The conversation explores how lessons from Ukraine, Gaza, and other modern conflicts are changing assumptions about maneuver warfare. As the air domain becomes increasingly contested by drones and precision fires, Yadin argues that tunnels and underground infrastructure are becoming the next critical battlespace.
Steve and Yadin also discuss what it’s like building an early-stage defense startup—from fundraising and navigating the Pentagon acquisition process to working with DARPA and balancing rapid commercial development with government customers.
The episode closes with a broader discussion on defense innovation, startup strategy, and where autonomous systems are headed over the next decade.
-
Defense venture capital has entered a new era.
In this episode, Steve Simoni speaks with Vardan Gattani, Partner at 645 Ventures, about why investors are increasingly focused on national security, how defense startups are evaluated, and what founders need to build enduring companies.
Vardan on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vardangattani/
645 Ventures: https://645ventures.com/
Steve on X: https://x.com/StevenSimoni
Steve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensimoni/
Follow the show!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541
Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/DroneUltimatum
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-drone-ultimatum/
Our website: https://www.thedroneultimatum.com/
The conversation covers the rise of defense investing, lessons from Shield AI, manufacturing and supply chains, defense procurement, and why the next generation of defense companies will need to excel across both software and hardware.
Whether you’re a founder, investor, or simply interested in the future of defense technology, this episode provides an inside look at how one of the industry’s leading venture firms thinks about building category-defining companies.
-
Missing episodes?
-
In this episode, Steve sits down with Dennis DeMeyere, Co-Founder and CEO of Autonomous Production.
Manufacturing capacity has become a strategic advantage. As drones, autonomous systems, and precision weapons reshape modern warfare, the ability to produce at scale is becoming just as important as the technology itself.
Dennis discusses how autonomous factories, AI-powered manufacturing systems, and distributed production networks could transform the defense industrial base.
We explore lessons from Ukraine, the promise and limitations of additive manufacturing, the concept of dark factories, and what it will take to rapidly scale production in the event of a major conflict.
We also discuss:
Autonomous manufacturingAdditive manufacturing and 3D printingDistributed production networksAI agents in industrial operationsDrone production at scaleThe future of the defense industrial baseDavid on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisdemeyere/
Jason on X: https://x.com/Jason_Zins
Steve on X: https://x.com/StevenSimoni
Steve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensimoni/
Follow the show!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541
Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/DroneUltimatum
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-drone-ultimatum/
Our website: https://www.thedroneultimatum.com/
-
Jason Zins is the Founder and Managing Partner of Nomi Capital.
Nomi Capital invests across defense, aerospace, manufacturing, space, energy, and national security technologies. Jason shares how his team evaluates defense startups, why they focus on later-stage companies, and what separates durable businesses from hype-driven investments.
We discuss the current state of defense venture capital, manufacturing bottlenecks, the evolution of military technology, defense software, hypersonics, space infrastructure, and why Jason believes defense remains underinvested despite growing attention from investors.
Jason on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-zins-5317aa3a/
Jason on X: https://x.com/Jason_Zins
Steve on X: https://x.com/StevenSimoni
Steve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensimoni/
Follow the show!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541
Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/DroneUltimatum
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-drone-ultimatum/
Our website: https://www.thedroneultimatum.com/
-
In this episode, Steve sits down with John "JD" Parkes, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Parry Labs, and Amber Walker, Chief Growth Officer.
(00:00) Intro
(01:34) Building Parry Labs
(02:58) Edge computing and electronic warfare
(07:26) Mapping the defense technology ecosystem
(22:06) Advice for defense startups
(31:01) Ukraine and scalable military systems
(32:30) AI at the edge
(44:20) How defense contracting really works
(45:43) Customer acquisition in defense
(52:24) Software business models in defense
(55:30) The hidden factory behind software
(56:54) Why defense still needs system integrators
(58:45) Open architectures and autonomy marketplaces
(01:02:45) Platform risk in defense acquisition
(01:22:06) Why the best product doesn't always win
Parry Labs develops mission-critical software and digital infrastructure that helps military systems communicate, integrate, and operate more effectively in contested environments.
We discuss the evolution of military software, the push toward open architectures, the realities of defense acquisition, and why integration remains one of the hardest problems in defense.
We also discuss AI at the edge, customer acquisition in the defense market, startup competition, and what it takes to build and scale a company serving the Department of Defense.
John Parkes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-parkes-979738b/
Amber Walker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-walker-8a2245a7/
Parry Labs: https://parrylabs.com/
Follow the show!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541
Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/DroneUltimatum
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-drone-ultimatum/
Steve on X: https://x.com/StevenSimoni
Steve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensimoni/
-
Zane Mountcastle is the co-founder and CEO of Picogrid, a defense technology company building the software and hardware infrastructure layer that connects drones, sensors, autonomous systems, and command platforms into unified operational networks.
Learn more about our sponsor, Cushman & Wakefield: https://linkly.link/2hoRt
(00:00) Intro
(01:18) What Picogrid actually does
(03:34) The integration problem across defense systems
(07:02) Building infrastructure instead of one-off integrations
(10:41) Deploying software inside the DoD
(12:05) Picogrid’s early contracts and growth
(15:07) Why acquisition incentives create friction
(18:45) The engineering talent problem
(22:31) The changing defense industrial base
(27:05) Drone warfare and air defense economics
(31:10) Scaling a defense startup
(35:02) Hardware and manufacturing realities
(39:04) The future of autonomous warfare
(42:58) Marketing and communication in defense tech
(46:32) AI hype vs reality in defense
(50:14) Venture capital and defense startups
Zane on X
Zane on LinkedIn
Picogrid
FOLLOW THE SHOW
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541
Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/DroneUltimatum
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-drone-ultimatum/
Steve on X: https://x.com/StevenSimoni
Steve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensimoni/
Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/
---
In this episode, we discuss the integration problem across modern defense systems, why autonomy changes the scale of warfare, and what it actually takes to deploy usable technology across the Department of Defense.
Zane explains how Picogrid approaches interoperability, why software infrastructure matters as much as hardware, and how the defense industrial base is being reshaped by startups building specialized capabilities.
We also get into the economics of drone warfare, acquisition bottlenecks, the reality of scaling defense companies, and why the future battlefield depends on systems that can work together instead of operating in silos.
-
Ben Cipperley is the Chief Strategy Officer of HavocAI and a former Navy EOD officer who spent more than two decades in the Navy, including work on robotics, autonomy, and the Navy’s strategic modernization efforts.
(00:00) Intro
(01:21) Ben’s Navy background
(05:05) Robotic naval systems
(12:15) Replicator initiative
(13:25) Containerized warfare
(16:46) Starlink and communications
(25:21) Ukraine vs Russian Navy
(27:55) China and Pacific deterrence
(40:47) Autonomous weapons policy
(46:34) Building a robotic Navy
(56:10) Autonomous minesweeping
(01:00:15) Counter-UAS at sea
Follow Ben on LinkedIn
Havoc AI
Follow the show:
YouTube
Spotify
Newsletter
Apple Podcasts
Instagram
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Follow Steve:
LinkedIn
X (Twitter)
Allen Control Systems
In this episode, we break down how autonomous systems are changing maritime warfare, why drones are forcing militaries underground, and how the U.S. Navy is trying to adapt to a world shaped by cheap autonomous systems and mass production.
We also discuss Taiwan, the Strait of Hormuz, sea denial, logistics, shipping vulnerabilities, modular payloads, Replicator, mines, and why low-cost autonomous systems are beginning to flip the traditional cost equation of warfare.
This is a wide-ranging conversation about the future of naval warfare, defense procurement, autonomy, and the changing character of war.
-
Weston Moyer and Jonathan Rue of MVP Ventures join The Drone Ultimatum to discuss defense tech investing, AI, robotics, aerospace, manufacturing, and what it takes for startups to scale in national security.
00:00:00 — Intro
00:02:13 — Anthropic and Pentagon AI concerns
00:07:16 — Saronic and defense manufacturing scale
00:08:46 — Guam and Pacific logistics
00:12:25 — Shahed drones and counter-UAS economics
00:14:04 — How defense sales actually work
00:29:38 — Anduril, Lattice, and defense software
00:31:10 — Rebuilding American manufacturing
00:33:12 — Freeform and advanced manufacturing
00:41:28 — Why overcapitalized startups fail
00:43:43 — Ukraine lessons and preparing for China
00:52:09 — AI warfare and Taiwan scenarios
00:53:19 — Wartime industrial mobilization
00:54:21 — Apple, China, and manufacturing risk
01:04:33 — SpaceX and industrial scaleThey break down why capital can be a weapon in defense tech, how startups should think about government sales, why congressional and departmental strategy both matter, and what separates serious defense companies from companies chasing momentum.
The conversation also covers Saronic, Skyways, Valinor, Anduril, Freeform, Cambium, SpaceX, China, Taiwan, industrial mobilization, and the future of American manufacturing.This is a wide-ranging discussion on venture capital, defense production, government go-to-market, and the companies trying to rebuild the industrial base.
Follow Weston (X)
MVP Ventures
Follow the show:
YouTube
Spotify
Newsletter
Apple Podcasts
Instagram
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Follow Steve:
LinkedIn
X (Twitter)
Allen Control Systems
-
Nick LaRovere is the co-founder and CEO of Pryzm, a startup building an AI-powered operating system for defense business development and procurement.
00:00 - Intro
01:19 - AI coding, “vibe coding,” and hiring engineers
04:27 - What Pryzm does and the future of defense procurement
10:35 - AI, CRMs, and the changing defense sales process
18:00 - Raising from Andreessen Horowitz and building Pryzm
24:36 - Scaling manufacturing in defense tech
27:12 - “Every company becomes a defense company”
32:28 - Startup culture, engineers, and product building
35:01 - “Startups are war”
40:13 - Palantir culture, Alex Karp, and defense tech talent
48:11 - How defense procurement is changing
59:49 - Anthropic, AI companies, and defense partnerships
01:02:18 - Closing thoughts
In this episode, Nick and Steve talk about why selling into government is still so relationship-driven, how defense companies can use better data to find the right opportunities, and why the traditional CRM stack falls short for companies selling to the Department of Defense.
They also get into AI-assisted coding, the challenge of evaluating engineers in the age of “vibe coding,” how startups should think about product management, and why defense tech may still be underinvested despite all the recent hype.
The conversation covers Pryzm’s work with both defense companies and government customers, the future of acquisition reform, and how the changing battlefield is forcing the procurement system to move faster.
Follow Nick (LinkedIn)
Pryzm (Website)
Follow the show:
YouTube
Spotify
Newsletter
Apple Podcasts
Instagram
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Follow Steve:
LinkedIn
X (Twitter)
Allen Control Systems
-
David Michelson, former Army Ranger, DIU autonomy leader, and current Drones Thesis Leader at Re:Build Manufacturing, discusses what’s actually working and not working in drones and autonomy today.
Learn more about our sponsor, Cushman and Wakefield.
This conversation covers:
Why autonomy is a spectrum, not a switchLessons from Ukraine that the U.S. may be misreadingThe reality of drone operations vs. “swarm” hypeManufacturing constraints and scaling challengesWhy design for manufacturability matters earlyThe role of competition in defense acquisitionWhat it takes to actually field systems at scaleFollow David (LinkedIn)
Re:Build Manufacturing (Website)
Follow the show:
YouTube
Spotify
Newsletter
Apple Podcasts
Instagram
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Follow Steve:
LinkedIn
X (Twitter)
Allen Control Systems
-
Cheap drones are reshaping warfare in real time.
In this episode, Soren Monroe-Anderson, co-founder and CEO of Neros Technologies, breaks down what it actually takes to build low-cost, scalable FPV drone systems for modern combat.
Learn more about our sponsor, Cushman and Wakefield.
From Ukraine battlefield lessons to manufacturing tens of thousands of drones per month, this is a ground-level view of how drone warfare is evolving.
We get into production scale, electronic warfare, autonomy, and why most people misunderstand how drones are actually used in real-world operations.
Follow Soren (Twitter/X)
Neros Technologies (Website)
Follow the show:
YouTube
Spotify
Newsletter
Apple Podcasts
Instagram
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Follow Steve:
LinkedIn
X (Twitter)
Allen Control Systems
-
Nathan Mintz, founder and CEO of CX2 and former founding CEO of Epirus, joins the show to break down how electronic warfare is reshaping modern drone defense.
Nathan Mintz (LinkedIn)
CX2 Website
We cover the origin of Epirus, the moment the drone threat became impossible to ignore, and how soft kill systems fit into a layered approach to counter-UAS.
Nathan also explains what it actually looks like to build a defense company today, from working inside legacy primes to launching and scaling startups in a system that rewards access, alignment, and execution.
This episode is a practical look at electronic warfare, soft kill vs kinetic solutions, and how companies like CX2 are thinking about the future of drone defense.
• Electronic warfare and soft kill systems
• The rise of the drone threat
• Epirus origin story and lessons learned
• From legacy primes to startups
• Building CX2 and modern defense companies
• Counter-UAS strategy and layered defense
Follow the show:
YouTube
Spotify
Newsletter
Apple Podcasts
Instagram
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Follow Steve:
LinkedIn
X (Twitter)
Allen Control Systems
-
Kurt Freshley, Chief Growth Officer of Valinor Enterprises, joins the show to break down the company's strategy and portfolio companies while sharing what it actually takes to scale in defense and advanced manufacturing.
Kurt Freshley on LinkedIn
Valinor (LinkedIn)
Valinor (Twitter/X)
From navigating procurement and aligning with real customer demand to building sustainable growth inside a complex ecosystem, this conversation gets into the operational reality behind the headlines.
We discuss how defense companies think about growth differently, where most startups get it wrong, and what separates companies that win programs from those that stall out.
Kurt also shares perspective on aligning incentives across government, primes, and startups, and what it takes to build something that actually gets fielded.
Follow the show:
YouTube
Spotify
Newsletter
Apple Podcasts
Instagram
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Follow Steve:
LinkedIn
X (Twitter)
Allen Control Systems
-
Jamie Goettler (CRO, BTX Precision) breaks down what’s actually happening inside U.S. advanced manufacturing right now.
Demand across defense, aerospace, semiconductors, and medical devices is surging at the same time, but the real story is on the supply side. Can U.S. manufacturing actually scale to meet it?
We cover reshoring, tariffs, precision manufacturing constraints, and what it takes to rebuild the industrial base.
Topics include:
Why demand is rising across multiple industries at once
The real bottlenecks in U.S. manufacturing capacity
What reshoring looks like in practice
The role tariffs play in accelerating domestic production
Why precision manufacturing is uniquely difficult to scale
Questions answered in this episode:
Why is U.S. manufacturing demand increasing?
Can the U.S. reshore production at scale?
What are the biggest constraints in advanced manufacturing?
LINKS
Follow Jamie on LinkedIn
BTX Precision Website
Full episode transcript
Follow the show:
YouTube
Spotify
Newsletter
Apple Podcasts
Instagram
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Follow Steve:
LinkedIn
X (Twitter)
Allen Control Systems
-
Rick Harlow, founder of NovaSpark Energy, joins the show to break down how his company turns water into hydrogen for military drones, backup power, and off-grid energy systems.
The conversation covers defense use cases, disaster response, critical infrastructure, data center demand, and why on-site hydrogen production could eliminate major supply chain bottlenecks. Rick also shares his path from telecom and early IoT into startups, defense, and energy entrepreneurship. This is a practical discussion about resilience, logistics, and where hydrogen may actually make sense in the real world.
Follow the show:
YouTube
Spotify
Newsletter
Apple Podcasts
Instagram
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Follow Steve:
LinkedIn
X (Twitter)
Allen Control Systems
-
Patrick Blumenthal (Investor at Anomaly Fund) returns to break down how venture capital actually works in defense, what makes founders worth backing, and how geopolitical realities shape investment decisions.
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/
Follow Pat on X: https://x.com/PatrickJBlum
The conversation spans Iran, great power competition, and the second-order effects of U.S. strategy on global markets and startups. Patrick also shares how he evaluates companies, why certain founders consistently outperform, and where defense tech is still misunderstood by investors.
Follow the show:
YouTube
Spotify
Substack
Apple Podcasts
Instagram
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Follow Steve:
LinkedIn
X (Twitter)
Allen Control Systems
-
Jocelyn Kinsey, Partner at DFJ Growth, joins us for a deep dive into defense tech investing, startup strategy, and the realities of building in the national security ecosystem.
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/
Jocelyn Kinsey on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelyn-kinsey/
DFJ Growth Website:
https://dfjgrowth.com/
DFJ Growth has been investing in deep tech for decades, including early bets on SpaceX.
In this conversation, Jocelyn explains how the firm approaches growth-stage investing—and why defense is fundamentally different from traditional venture categories.We cover:
Why defense is a hit-driven industry, not SaaSThe surge of capital into defense and whether it’s a bubbleLessons from SpaceX and Palantir on working with governmentHow modern drone warfare is reshaping defense prioritiesThe need for layered counter-drone systemsWhy detection remains one of the hardest problemsWhat investors look for in defense founders and teamsThe importance of marketing, lobbying, and go-to-marketIf you’re building or investing in defense tech, this episode is a clear look at how the game actually works.
Follow the show:
YouTube
Spotify
Substack
Apple Podcasts
Instagram
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Follow Steve:
LinkedIn
X (Twitter)
Allen Control Systems
-
Sign up for our newsletter
Jim's book, With My Shield
Former U.S. Army Ranger James Lechner joins the podcast to discuss modern warfare, drone combat, and the lessons the West should be learning from Ukraine.Lechner shares experiences from Mogadishu to advising Ukrainian units near the front lines, explaining how urban combat works in practice and why counter-drone systems are becoming essential on the modern battlefield.
The conversation explores drone swarms, fiber-optic drones, AI targeting, and the limits of airpower in modern conflicts.We also discuss NATO, the future of warfare in the Pacific, and what Western militaries must learn from Ukraine’s battlefield innovations.
Follow the show:
YouTube
Spotify
Substack
Apple Podcasts
Instagram
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Follow Steve:
LinkedIn
X (Twitter)
Allen Control Systems
-
Sign up for our newsletter
Isaiah Taylor, founder and CEO of Valar Atomics, joins the show to discuss why energy is becoming a national security issue. Valar is building small modular nuclear reactors designed to deliver scalable, grid-independent power for industrial infrastructure, military installations, and emerging technologies like AI.
In this episode, Isaiah explains why energy production is falling behind advances in AI, robotics, and manufacturing and why that gap matters for both economic competitiveness and defense readiness. He also breaks down Valar's approach to radically simplifying reactor design so they can be manufactured and deployed at scale.
We discuss the global nuclear race with China, how modular reactors could power military bases and industrial capacity, and why the real opportunity isn’t selling reactors, it’s producing abundant electricity.
Follow the show:
YouTube
Spotify
Substack
Apple Podcasts
Instagram
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Follow Steve:
LinkedIn
X (Twitter)
Allen Control Systems
-
Sign up for our newsletter
Clayton Swope, Deputy Director of the Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow in the Defense and Security Department, joins us to break down the real state of U.S. space and missile defense.
We dig into how the Pentagon is thinking about space resilience, missile warning, and emerging threats from China and Russia.
Clayton explains where policy, budget, and strategy are aligned and where gaps still exist.We also get into the industrial base behind space systems, acquisition friction, and what “resilience” actually means in practice. If you work in defense, space, or national security policy, this conversation connects the dots between strategy and execution.
LINKS
Follow Clayton on LinkedIn
Would Airstrikes Against Iran Work? (article by Clayton Swope)
The Pentagon Should be a Better Customer (article by Clayton Swope)
Follow the show:
YouTube
Spotify
Substack
Apple Podcasts
Instagram
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Follow Steve:
LinkedIn
X (Twitter)
Allen Control Systems
- Show more
