Defense Mavericks

Are rules the biggest barrier to government procurement? In this replay episode, Jonathan Mostowski, a trailblazer in government procurement and co-author of the TechFAR Handbook , unpacks the truth about “hacking” bureaucracy in government contracting and how agile acquisition, strategic contracting, and responsible risk-taking can transform procurement into a driver of innovation. He also shares...

What if the biggest barrier to innovation in government contracting isn’t bureaucracy–but mindset? In this replay episode, Ryan Connell sits down with Major General Alice Treviño, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting, to discuss how the Air Force is rethinking procurement with digital tools, leadership strategies, and streamlined processes. With over 32 years of experience, Major General Tre...

Military procurement is known for its slow, bureaucratic processes, but what if it didn’t have to be?  In this week’s episode, Ryan Connell sits down with Major General Edward Vaughan to talk about how the Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell (JRAC) redefines how warfighters get the tools they need—fast. With over 40 years of military experience, Major General Vaughan shares his perspectives on balancing...

Would you trust AI to review your proposals? AI is now streamlining processes, improving efficiency, and reducing bureaucratic roadblocks. Yet, while 80% of industry professionals use AI to draft proposals, almost none are comfortable with AI evaluating them. In this week’s episode of Defense Mavericks, host Ryan Connell lets ChatGPT take the interviewer’s seat for a deep dive into AI’s growing ro...

Approximately 99.5% of available data is unclassified. Yet, intelligence agencies often focus on the 0.5% that is classified. How can the U.S. government bridge this intelligence gap?  In this week’s episode, Ryan Connell speaks with Sammy Semwangu, CEO of Bazze, about how his startup is transforming intelligence with commercial data solutions. With over a decade of national security experience, S...

Ever wonder why critical military resources get lost in the “fog of war” ? In this week’s episode of Defense Mavericks, Ryan Connell sits down with Beowulf’s founders, Mark Hammonds and Ryan Perez, to discuss how Bulldog—a logistic and planning tool—was developed to streamline military logistics. Drawing from their firsthand experiences in Ukraine, they discuss how real-time feedback from soldiers...

Balancing defense and commercial markets can be daunting, but today’s guest shares how the dual-use readiness model makes it easier for startups to thrive in both worlds. In this week’s episode, Ryan Connell speaks with Gene Keselman, Director of Mission Innovation Experimentation at MIT.  Gene shares how creating a shared language between startups and defense organizations, along with integrating...

What if the DoD could be as agile as a tech startup? In this week’s episode of Defense Mavericks, Ryan Connell chats with Warren Katz, chairman of the Alliance for Commercial Technology in Government, to explore the challenges and inefficiencies in the DoD’s acquisition processes. They discuss promising reforms, including the Restoring Freedom’s Forge Act, and compare Ukraine’s rapid adoption of c...

The real challenge for the Department of Defense (DoD) isn’t coming up with innovations. The DoD has a long history of celebrated innovators and has invested billions of dollars in research and development. So, what’s holding back these innovations? In this episode of Defense Mavericks, Ryan Connell speaks with Josh Marcuse, former Defense Innovation Board leader and now with Google Public Sector,...

Have you ever wondered how AI and robotics are transforming the military? This week, Ryan Connell speaks with Cathleen Rush, Deputy of the Office of ARSOF Autonomy–a newly formed office within the U.S. Army Special Operations Forces–about the intersection of technology and military operations. Cathleen shares her journey from active-duty engineer to her leadership role in Autonomy, where she combi...

What does it take to build a thriving startup in defense technology? In the world of startups, chaos is constant. But in the defense sector? It’s chaos with billion-dollar stakes. In this week’s episode of Defense Mavericks, Matthew Steckman, Chief Revenue Officer at Anduril Industries, reveals how defense startups like theirs survive and thrive. From predicting government demands to integrating c...

Are rigid acquisition processes slowing down your innovative solutions? Tradewinds is here to change that. This week on Defense Mavericks, I’m joined by Stephanie Wilson, Kristina Botelho, and Tony Kwag at this year’s NCMA Conference to explore how Tradewinds is revolutionizing AI and digital solution procurement for government agencies.  With flexible contracting options and open, candid collabor...

Did you know the right network could be the DoD’s most powerful tool? In this week’s episode of Defense Mavericks, we’re joined by Jesse Levin, Executive Director of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum (DEF); Jay Long, COO and Founder of Parlay; and Brad Halsey, CEO of Building Momentum. These innovators dive into the importance of leveraging networks–both formal and informal–as a strategic advantage...

Imagine a Marine stranded on an island, needing a critical part to continue their mission. What if that essential part could be produced on the spot? In this week’s episode of Defense Mavericks, we sit down with Matt Pine, Innovation Officer for the U.S. Marine Corps at Camp Lejeune, to explore how additive manufacturing (AM) is revolutionizing military logistics. Matt shares how point-of-need pro...

With deepfakes and misinformation on the rise, distinguishing truth from lies has never been more challenging. A recent Harvard paper stated how generative AI, like ChatGPT, is increasingly showing up in academic journals, archives, and repositories. So, how can we fight back against this growing misinformation crisis? This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Nathan Manzotti, Managing Director of Da...

Can AI help you bid on more government contracts? In this week’s episode, Ryan Connell sits down with Alex Cohen, an AI expert and founder of GovPro AI. Alex is on a mission to help small and medium-sized contractors streamline their proposal process. He walks us through how AI tools are transforming how proposals are submitted–making them faster and more compliant. However, Alex is clear about th...

This week, Ryan Connell is joined by Keith Scheffler from Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to discuss the role that blockchain plays in their manufacturing division. Keith dives into the evolution and broader applications of blockchain technology beyond cryptocurrency, AFRL's approach to addressing technology gaps, the integration of digital tools in modern manufacturing, and the critical inte...

This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Therman Trotman, a.k.a. "Mr. SharePoint," to talk about the powerful ways SharePoint can transform workflows and enhance team efficiency. Therman shares his journey from the Bronx to becoming an expert in SharePoint, diving into his unique take on branding, confidence, and overcoming imposter syndrome. He breaks down practical ways to leverage SharePoint’s fu...

This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Scott Sanders, Chief Growth Officer of Forterra, to talk about the advancements and challenges of integrating autonomous systems in defense and industrial sectors. Scott shares his insights on the deployment of full stack and ground autonomy, balancing human and machine roles, and accounting for the diverse terrains of war zones. He also dives into the financ...

This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Lori Wade, Chief Data Officer for the Intelligence Community, to talk about the pivotal role of quality data in driving AI and emerging technologies in the IC. Lori shares her insights on data interoperability, public-private collaboration, and the complexities of managing data across the 18 Intelligence Community elements. She also shares her journey impleme...

This week, Ryan Connell sits down with cybersecurity expert Chris Hughes, CEO of Aquia, a veteran-owned cloud and cybersecurity digital services firm. Chris brings two decades of experience from the federal IT space, sharing insights on everything from AI adoption in the government to the importance of continuous ATO. Chris dives into the challenges and opportunities of experimenting with new tech...

This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Maj. Gen. Alice Treviño, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting in the Department of the Air Force, as she shares insights from her 32-year career. They explore the challenges of contracting, her leadership philosophy, and the evolution of AI tools within the Air Force. Major General Treviño emphasizes the importance of patience, positivity, and curiosity...

This week, Ryan Connell experiments with Google’s cutting-edge AI tool, NotebookLM. Ryan challenges the AI to generate a podcast episode based on the Tradewinds Solution Marketplace Customer Handbook, which dives into the DoD’s efforts to streamline the acquisition of advanced technologies. Listen as AI characters Andy and Ethel discuss the handbook, touch on key defense innovations, and explore h...

This week, Ryan Connell sits down with the legendary Steve Blank, adjunct professor at Stanford and co-founder of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, to discuss the need for disruptive innovation and execution in the DoD. Steve shares his insights on the importance of adopting new methodologies, creating a culture that supports rapid innovation, and challenging the frozen mid...

This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Alex Martin, the CEO and co-founder of Clearspeed, to discuss how they are using AI-enabled voice analytics to revolutionize risk assessment in defense. Alex shares his personal journey from the Marine Corps to tech entrepreneur and how he’s aiming to solve the age-old problem of vetting individuals efficiently and at scale. He elaborates on the challenges of...