Goat Rodeo

This episode: Rip-It still isn’t sponsoring us, Garrett’s got a new tattoo, and we’re talking punk shows, MARPAT pants, and startup knife fights. This week’s guest is Brian MacCarthy, Senior Vice President of Ventures in the Chief Technology Office at Booz Allen Hamilton—a venture investor with TS/SCI clearance and a front-row seat to the shifting landscape of defense tech. Brian joins the crew to...

This episode: It’s office-warming week, Garrett’s officially a Lieutenant Colonel, and Simon’s haircut is getting more attention than the President’s budget—which, by the way, still hasn’t shown up. The team dives into the latest budget signals from Congress and the White House, including $100B in drone-related spending and a $2B boost to DIU’s budget. But will that money actually move the needle?...

This episode: Noah Sheinbaum joins the crew to talk Defense Gameday, trade show fever dreams, and what recent executive orders from the White House could mean for defense tech companies. With Simon out this week, Garrett, Dave, and Noah dig into how policy is shifting —and what founders should be doing right now to take advantage. They break down the rise of “new primes,” why dual-use still matter...

This episode: Markets are bouncing, Bagram is trending (but not really), and defense venture funding is heating up—so what does it all actually mean? Simon was right about Bagram being fake news—but wrong about the tariffs. Classic. Garrett, Simon, and Dave unpack the recent surge in investor interest, why we haven’t seen big exits yet, and whether venture is really the right model for defense sta...

This Episode: Ari Schuler drops in to share insights from his years inside DHS and what startups need to understand about entering the CBP and DHS markets. We talk go-to-market strategy, how authority is shifting across agencies, and what happens when O6s start writing their own requirements. There’s a deep dive into how DOD and DHS actually collaborate (or don’t), the risks of interoperability ga...

This Episode: Garrett, Simon, and Dave dive into a whirlwind of leaked war plans, JD Vance’s rise as a meme-worthy main character, and why no one wants to work the southern border. They unpack what Signal leaks mean for national security, whether the innovation economy should treat DHS as a growth market, and how DoD’s slow roll on border support is reshaping interagency dynamics. Plus: DIU goes i...

This Episode: Garrett, Simon, and Dave discuss happenings on capital hill, how they effect defense technologists & contractors, techniques for gaining acquisitions priority, the changing nature of warfare, and once again- action movies. Our podcast: National security, defense tech, and geopolitics—serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast bring...

This episode: Black & Tans in the Holler, STRATFI & SBIR's, Shutdown and CR. Some big topics in this one. If you are a young defense tech company, listen up. Our Pod: National security, defense tech, and geopolitics—serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the bigges...

This episode: DOGE, NatSec Innovation, Ukraine, Bond V Hunt, and more Our pod: National security, defense tech, and geopolitics—serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare. Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occa...