The Team

Lambda has assembled a team with large-scale capital formation and infrastructure deployment experience. And they've built a technology that is defining what comes next in AI infrastructure for the super intelligence era.

What's Next

I'm very honored to be part of it. This kind of work sits at the intersection of capital, technology, and vision. It's where the defense market and commercial AI infrastructure are both evolving rapidly.

Final Thoughts

Lambda is positioned to shape the future of AI infrastructure. With the right team, the right technology, and the right capital strategy, we're building for what's ahead.

Joining a company at this stage, especially one focused on emerging technology infrastructure, is something I don't take lightly.

Read the exclusive from Bloomberg here.

If you don't really care what I think and just want a list of companies, you can skip ahead.

TL;DR: there are already a lot of good drone market maps. A few worth bookmarking:

• Chris Mann, 2015
• CB Insights, 2017
• Drone Report, 2025

What follows is not another market map. It's a framework: the 5 Levels of Drone Autonomy, from remote-controlled flying cameras (Level 1) to AI-driven autonomous swarms that start to resemble Skynet's hunter-killers (Level 5).

PART 1: Drones "So What?"

Drones can deliver your burrito. Drones can help firefighters find you faster than an ambulance. Drones can also, apparently, destroy nuclear infrastructure. Which is not nothing.

For a long time, drones were treated as gadgets: cool demos, great YouTube videos, questionable Christmas gifts. In 2025, they became something else entirely: a line item, in consumer P&Ls, municipal budgets, and military balance sheets.

Start with Burritos

In 2025, the U.S. saw its first public burrito delivery by drone through the Zipline × Chipotle partnership. This wasn't a pilot or a PR stunt. It was a national brand deciding that a two-pound burrito should not be delivered by a two-thousand-pound car, and that a drone is both faster and cheaper.

This wasn't new technology. Wing had been flying deliveries since 2019. What changed was permission: regulatory, economic, and social.

Then Cities Followed

In 2025, FAA-approved Drone-as-First-Responder programs jumped from roughly 50 U.S. cities in 2024 to ~600 in 2025, a 10× increase in a single year. This still represents less than 5% of the cities where drones could plausibly be deployed, which is another way of saying: adoption has started, saturation has not.

Then War Removed Any Remaining Ambiguity

In Ukraine, roughly $1M of drones was used to destroy an estimated $7B of Russian nuclear-related infrastructure in the Spiderweb attack. This is not a debate about ethics or strategy. It is a spreadsheet with an unsettling ratio.

Institutions noticed. In early 2026, the Department of Homeland Security created a dedicated drone division, PEO-UAS/C-UAS. When the bureaucracy names a thing, the thing is real. ("Drone division" would have been better alliteration, but no one asked.)

Safe to say: drones took off in 2025. What happens next will determine who controls the air, the data, and the rules, and who finds out last.

PART 2: The 5 Levels of AI for Drones

At this point you might reasonably think: Drones took off in 2025, AI on drones must be incredible now.

This is mostly wrong.

As of 2026, the U.S. Department of Defense is not even cleanly classifying how drones use AI to coordinate with one another. Not because it's classified brilliance, but because it's genuinely very hard.

Autonomous swarming requires real-time perception, distributed decision-making, resilience to electronic warfare, and coordination under uncertainty. The people best equipped to solve those problems are currently working on self-driving cars, humanoid robots, and data centers. Drones, for now, are borrowing pieces of that stack.

What follows is a practical autonomy ladder based on capability levels.

Level 1: Full Manual

How it works: A human operator controls the aircraft directly via joystick or screen. Software may stabilize flight, but there is no autonomy. Comparable to driving a classic car: fun, fragile, unforgiving.

Technology: Radio control, servos, motors, minimal or no flight computer.

Examples: FrSky, RadioLink, BadassMotors

Level 2: Pilot Assistance / Basic Autonomy

How it works: The drone can hold altitude, maintain speed, and follow waypoints, but cannot reason about context. Comparable to adaptive cruise control.

Technology: Level 1 stack, IMU/GPS/barometric sensors, flight controllers, sensor fusion, ArduPilot / PX4.

Examples: 3DR, DJI, CubePilot, Pixhawk, Russian STC (Orlan)

Level 3: Operator-Assisted Object Tracking

How it works: An operator designates a target, sometimes with object-recognition assistance. The drone can follow or intercept but still relies on human judgment for major decisions. Comparable to lane-keep or parking assist.

Technology: Level 2 stack, basic computer vision, substantial onboard processing.

Examples: Zala Aerospace (Lancet), Swarmer, DJI, Anduril, BlueArrow, AeroVironment, Russian unit Rubicon, NVIDIA

Level 4: Dynamic Missions & Environmental Adaptation

How it works: The operator uploads a mission and launches. The drone autonomously navigates terrain, prioritizes objectives, and adapts to degraded or denied conditions. This is where drones begin to function meaningfully under electronic warfare.

Technology: Advanced computer vision, terrain recognition, obstacle avoidance, situational awareness, higher-level decision software, more compute.

Examples: UATechnology, Vermeer, Sentinel, Auterion, BlueArrow, Shahed Aviation Industries, Helsing, NVIDIA

Level 5: Fully Autonomous Swarms (MITL Optional)

How it works: Multiple drones self-organize, distribute tasks, adapt tactics, and complete missions with little or no human input after launch. Operators may supervise but are not required. Comparable to a fully autonomous city of vehicles, except the stakes are higher.

Technology: Mesh networking (MANET), distributed computing, homogeneous or heterogeneous swarming algorithms.

Examples: Swarmer, Vermeer, Sentinel, ACS, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation

The Takeaway

Most drones flying today, even in combat, are Level 2 or Level 3 systems. The economic and geopolitical impact of drones arrived before true autonomy did.

The paradox is that drones reshaped warfare and cities before solving autonomy, meaning the largest economic upside sits in the hardest, least crowded part of the stack.

Three Good Ideas

If you want to start a company, here are three good ideas.

1. Autonomy in Denied Environments

VC Backability: 9.5 / 10

Why it works: This is the core unsolved problem. Winners sit high in the stack with software-driven margins. Dual-use (defense + industrial) expands TAM without fragmenting product. Moats come from data, iteration speed, and survivability under real conditions.

Why it's hard (and good): Long R&D cycles. Elite talent requirements. Early traction often looks unimpressive, until it suddenly isn't.

VC takeaway: If this works, it becomes foundational infrastructure, not a feature. This is where category-defining companies come from.

2. Parts That Don’t Fail First (Brushless Motors, Power, Actuation)

VC Backability: 6.5 / 10

Why it works: Massive volume potential. Clear pain points in attrition-heavy environments. Strong pull from defense, drones, robotics, and industrial automation.

What limits upside: Margins compress. It's hard to avoid becoming "just a component supplier." Differentiation must be proven in the field, not on spec sheets.

VC takeaway: This can be a great company, but usually exits via strategic acquisition or scales into a manufacturing business, not a standalone unicorn.

3. Manufacturing for Attrition

VC Backability: 7.5 / 10

Why it works: Manufacturing speed and iteration are now strategic weapons. Attrition-based demand creates repeat purchasing. Strong alignment with geopolitical tailwinds and re-industrialization. In 2025, Despite growing "drone fatigue" in venture, the production gap is stark: the West and Israel produce ~15,000 mid-strike drones (Altius, Switchblade) per year versus ~100,000 for Russia (Shahed, Lancet) and ~1,000,000 for China.

What makes it tricky: Capital intensity, supply-chain risk, and the danger of scaling before demand stabilizes.

VC takeaway: This is venture-backable if the company controls the process, not just the factory, and couples manufacturing with design or software leverage.

The End.

——————————

Happy Father’s Day: I Am Writing More

My dad read the essay I wrote for my mother’s sixtieth birthday, Half Dome at 60: My Mom’s Lesson in Blue-Collar Humanism, and said, as a former magazine editor and writer himself, “This is good. You should write more.”

It was high praise. Not effusive, not offhand. The kind that arrives in a clean, declarative sentence: half compliment, half command. Better, anyway, than the time my Dad was my basketball coach and I was his eleventh favorite player.

But, like most things between my father and me, a simple sentence can be a big ask.

We are, in different ways, allergic to details. He skips them entirely, leaping straight to grand ideas; epic arcs, sweeping character motivations, existential stakes. I get stuck in them. Paralyzed by the pressure of perfection, I avoid the small stuff the way an ostrich buries its head in the sand. If I don’t look at it, maybe it can’t hurt me. Maybe it’ll go away.

When he says, “You should write more,” I know what he means: pursue the bigger story. Chronicle the long arc. Leave something behind. It’s an invitation, but also an invocation. Join the lineage.

And yet, there are…

of course…

details.

Three, in particular.

One: Writing still takes a great deal of effort. I’m not gliding across the page. I’m a duckling on the pond, legs flailing beneath the surface just to stay afloat.

Two: I’m not, as he sometimes imagines, following my mom up a mountain every week. Most of life doesn’t feel like an epic. So what am I supposed to write about?

Three: In 2025, who is even writing?

My friends post stories. They use X and Bluesky. They Slack. They drop thoughts into disappearing feeds and let algorithms decide what survives. Even jotting ideas into a Google Doc feels like carving a sentence into a glacier and hoping it doesn’t melt.

When I do write about my life, I have to ask: what even happened this week? I don’t always spend my time with my mom summiting peaks or dissecting roadkill (though that story wrote itself). Most of the time, I clean my fridge. I lift weights. I cheerlead someone else’s startup from the sidelines. There’s no arc, no obvious mountain peak. It’s Sisyphean. But maybe, still, a paragraph.

When my dad asks me questions, I worry he wants to hear about the frontier: how I’m shaping new ideas, meeting wild innovators, solving problems that matter. He’s a basketball coach; he wants Steph Curry’s Comeback Story. He wants the modern American myth.

Or maybe I should take “write more” as a prescription. A way to treat our shared flaw: the tendency to skip the details until they catch up to us.

To write is to notice details. It is fluency. The strange, hopeful act of putting words in order until meaning shows up. Sit still long enough, and a shape begins to emerge.

Maybe it’s McLuhanism. In the Age of Intelligence, AI, and memes, the essay itself is a message, not what it says, but that it took time to notice the details, to find a beginning, middle, end, and a moment to reflect.

It might not get published in Nature, or go viral, or win a prize. But sometimes, it makes someone laugh. Or nod. Or want to write something of their own.

Maybe that’s what he meant all along.

I am writing more.

My Dad was a ski patrol at one point. Thanks to him I could ski before I could walk.



He never critiqued my fashion choices, so long as our shoes matched.

One of the unexpected perks of a VC job was getting great Warriors tickets, and being able to bring my dad.

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I love you more than I am scared of heights.

So impressed you hiked Half Dome at 60.

Half Dome at 60: My Mom’s Lesson in Blue-Collar Humanism

My childhood best friend once said, “The one thing you need to know about Janet is that she would wake up to go to a 5 a.m. swim workout.”

I disagree. There are several dozen people in the pool at 5 a.m. The one thing you need to know about my mom is how cheap, creative, and hardworking she is. In a world where you can order anything on demand, she still uses the proverbial full buffalo. For example, if she saw fresh roadkill on her way back from swimming that hadn’t been there at 4:30 a.m. on the way in, she’d pick it up and dissect it for her anatomy class. Roadkill is cheaper—and more interesting—than ordering frogs. To my mom, there was no line between public school biology and raw intellectual curiosity. She believed every kid deserved hands-on science—even if it meant hauling a squirrel off the road in a Honda Fit.

Her love of teaching science spans decades. A couple of years ago, one of her high school students was published in Nature. Published in Nature while still in high school. When she started teaching at Dublin High, no students entered the science fair. When she was working full time, one in six did. Some worked on projects for years, won scholarships, and got published. Occasionally, I even heard about it at the dinner table.

As a kid, you’re on the inside looking out. Then you grow up, move away to a new town or state, and find yourself on the outside looking in. That’s when you realize what makes your family different. What makes my mom different is that she lives by a philosophy I call blue-collar humanism.

Blue-collar humanism is a grounded, quietly radical belief that dignity, meaning, and genius aren’t reserved for ivory towers—they’re forged in daily effort, working hands, and fierce love. It’s not something you’ll find in most philosophy books, but it’s how she raised us – and probably why Taylor Sheridan’s stories like Yellowstone and Tulsa King make me cry.

And it’s a philosophy that celebrates birthdays with hard things. Why hard things? A form of existentialism, I think—feeling alive through struggle and choice. ​​To my mom, effort isn’t a virtue to be rewarded—it is how you pay rent on the life you want.

At 40, she hiked Half Dome with me. At 45, she swam a 10k. At 50, a 5k. At 55, it was Covid. Nothing happened. At 60, she hiked Half Dome again—this time with me and my brother.

This most recent hike was much harder for me than it was twenty years ago. In that time, I’ve developed new fears—including a fear of heights.

According to the National Park Service Website, “The 14- to 16-mile round-trip hike to Half Dome is not for you if you’re out of shape or unprepared.”

Our mom made sure we were prepared. She had us make our own sandwiches—no fancy hiking snacks, just peanut butter and jelly. Her approach to hiking was like her approach to teaching: no corners cut, no excuses, everything earned. She made fun of me for walking seven miles in new heels two days before the hike. My brother—who has fought fires, trained army recruits, and now DJs—had just walked 100 miles at a music festival and had a cold. She made fun of him too.

Neither of us wanted to let our 60-year-old mom beat us.

While some hikers may have new bags. We packed everything into old bags my mom carefully stored for decades. One was my middle school backpack covered in pink flowers. The strap broke. “Thank goodness” she exclaimed. “I can finally throw that away”.

I tried to convince my big strong little brother to carry everyone’s water up the hill. The idea was rejected by both my mom and him. Everyone was fit enough to carry their own water.

We left before dawn. Coffee. Road. Park by 6:30. Trail by sunrise. If you’ve hiked Half Dome, you know there are three parts: stairs up two waterfalls, meandering forest trail, and then the granite slab to the summit.

The steps up Vernal and Nevada Falls are carved into rock, slippery and steep. My brother teased me: “Jenny, I can train you.” I reminded him I lift weights twice a week. I’m just scared of heights, and those steps are slick.

After Nevada Falls, the trail flattens out. Poles help. Chocolate breaks every thirty minutes help. My brother skipping and singing? Not helpful to me but helpful to my mom’s morale.

Eventually, we met the ranger at the base of Sub Dome. Since 2010, you have needed a permit to hike the cables. My mom had entered the lottery. Of course she won.

We showed our permit. The ranger reminded us not to leave trash or fall off.

Then we climbed.

The carved granite steps to Sub Dome were easier than I remembered. I counted them to stay focused. 300 steps, I told myself. But after 300, the stairs ended. No cables. Just a steep, slick slab called Sub Dome.

Halfway up, my fear of heights took over. I felt dizzy and sat in the shade of a tree. My mom joined me.

“I don’t remember this,” she said.

The route had changed. It seemed more dangerous. A few other hikers joined us, all uncertain. One misstep and you could slide right off.

“We don’t have to go all the way,” she said. “This counts. I’m 60.”

We sat. Contemplated. Then a young family passed us on their way down. Maybe what my mom and I looked like twenty years ago. “You’re almost there. The cables are next. This is the hardest part.”

I love my mom more than I am scared of heights. I couldn’t let fear keep me at 80%.

One step at a time, I climbed.

At the cables, I sat for one last chocolate. Bobby was already halfway up. My mom followed.

I waited, wondering if I could do it. A woman named Amanda sat next to me. She was also scared of heights.

“My mom is 60,” I said. “She’s the one in bright pink.”

Amanda looked. “If she can do it, I can do it.”

So I stood up and followed.

The cables are hard but simple. Here’s what I recommend:

• Wear gloves. The metal ropes will shred your hands.
• Three points of contact. Always. You’re vertical crawling.
• Patience. Some folks freeze. Wait. Encourage them.
• Focus on the rock. Not the 5000 foot drop.
• Cheer people on. Ask where they’re from.

The cables weren’t just safety lines—they were reminders that every inch upward requires your full body, your full attention. It’s not elegant. It’s an effort. The kind of effort my mom has believed in all her life: not always graceful, but always honest.

At the summit, we ate lunch, took pictures, and soaked in the magic. Someone had proposed earlier that morning. The rock was surprisingly crowded—only 300 permits a day, but it felt full.

On the way down, everything felt lighter. Except my brother, who kept joking about California earthquakes and thunderstorms.

I put in an audiobook—Trillions, about ETFs. (Gross, I know. Still working on my blue-collar humanism.)

Coming down felt like flying, but only because my little brother made sure I carried my water up and it was gone on the way down. That’s the magic of blue-collar humanism: joy earned the long way.

At the bottom, we got more water. My mom was proud. I was a little less scared of heights, and a little more sure that work, in her hands, had always been a form of love.

That resilience—showing up even when it's hard—is something I've come to value in all areas of life. It's why I believe so strongly in hiring college athletes for sales teams.

Start of the hike.

Jenny, Mom, and Bobby eating lunch at the top of half dome.

Jenny and Mom were excited we did not slide off sub dome.

Me contemplating the cables. It was very steep.

Wear gloves!!! My gloves were shredded on the cables.

At this point Bobby was making fun of me for being scared of falling.

It was 40,688 steps up to half dome and back.

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During our event, Sarah Zugelder shared her inspiring story of career transition, and I provided insights and actionable advice on how to prepare for a successful job interview—especially if it’s your first.

Sarah Zugelder, former Princeton athlete and now a leading Al cloud sales rep at Lambda Labs

Whether you’re fresh out of school, pivoting careers, or simply unsure what hiring managers expect today, this guide outlines the essential steps to confidently navigate the interview process and stand out in the competitive tech landscape.

One market worth exploring is defense technology—it’s growing rapidly and offers unique opportunities for ambitious professionals. I wrote about the defense market and why it matters.

Understand the Company and Its Customers

Start with the basics: Do your homework on the company.

If you can’t explain what they do to your mom or best friend in under a minute, keep researching. You should be able to articulate:

• What the company offers and why it matters
• How they help their customers
• The value they bring to the market

Being specific about how their products address these areas demonstrates that you understand their business model.

Consider specific examples of how their product delivers value to real customers.

Learn the Interview Process Ahead of Time

One of the smartest ways to reduce anxiety is knowing what to expect.

Ask early on: “What is the interview process like?”

This allows you to prepare specifically for each stage. A typical structure might include:

• Initial screening interview – a “vibe check” or quick call
• Hiring manager interview – more structured and role-specific
• Skills project or assessment – to demonstrate your competency
• Closing interview – often another team fit round
• Offer extended

Always confirm your appointments via email before interviews.

This simple step demonstrates professionalism and ensures everyone is aligned on timing and expectations.

The entire process shouldn’t take more than a month for entry-level positions. If it stretches longer, there should be a clear explanation.

Remember that timing varies by role seniority—more details below.

Sarah chatting with attendees

Tailor Your Expectations by Seniority

Interview intensity varies significantly by position level.

Here’s a breakdown of the different levels.

Entry-level positions

• Typically involve around four interviews
• Focus on basic qualifications and cultural fit
• Process usually completes within a month

Mid-level positions

• May include up to seven interviews
• You’ll meet with people at your level, those you’ll manage, and those you’ll report to.
• Team fit becomes increasingly important as you progress through the interview stages.
• The process may take slightly longer than lower-level positions.

Executive-level positions

• Can take up to six months to complete the hiring process.
• Include several interviews with founders or the CEO.
• Involve detailed discussions about building out organizational plans.
• Require extensive background checks.

Scout the Market Landscape

Take time to research the competitive ecosystem:

• Who are the company’s main competitors?
• What do their customers care about most?
• What are the current market trends affecting their industry?

For a more proactive approach, consider reaching out to team members at the company to request a coffee chat. This shows initiative and gives you an insider perspective on the company culture.

Identify a Healthy Business

Before committing to a company, look for these three indicators of organizational health:

1. Structured onboarding program: Do they have a clear process for integrating new hires?
2. High employee retention: Do people tend to stay with the company long-term?
3. Strong product retention: Do customers stick with their products/services?

Zero red flags in these areas typically signal a healthy business with good management practices.

Also, pay attention to who your hiring manager will be and research their leadership style, if possible.

Polish Your Materials (and Your Online Presence)

Before you click “apply,” take time to update:

• Your CV with the latest experience and accomplishments.
• Your portfolio (if relevant to the role).
• Your LinkedIn profile with recent achievements.
• Include your other social channels (Instagram, TikTok); employers in creative and marketing roles frequently check them.

For marketing positions specifically, your social media presence becomes particularly important, as it demonstrates your understanding of digital platforms and personal branding.

Ensure your digital footprint supports the professional impression you want to leave.

Companies do check social media—make sure what they find aligns with your professional goals.

Me, Jenny, interacting with attendees (icebreakers)

Master the Technical Setup

For virtual interviews (which remain common), first impressions matter:

• Test your camera and microphone beforehand.
• Ensure you have a stable internet connection.
• Choose a quiet location with a clean, professional background (a plain white wall is often ideal).
• Log in 5 minutes early to avoid technical issues.
• Use noise-canceling headphones to minimize distractions.
• Dress professionally, just as you would for an in-person interview.

These details may seem small, but technical glitches can disrupt your confidence and the flow of conversation.

Prepare Insightful Questions

Being proactive during the interview is just as important as your answers.

Consider asking:

• What does the onboarding process look like?
• What are the key responsibilities for the first 90 days?
• How will success be measured in the first 3-6 months?
• What recent projects has the team been working on?
• Where do you see me fitting into current initiatives?
• Will I collaborate with other departments?
• What is your management style? (Are you hands-on, or do you prefer autonomy?)
• What tools does the team use for communication and project management? (Slack, Asana, etc.)

These questions demonstrate you’re thinking long-term and help you evaluate if the company suits your needs. Understanding their processes and tools gives you valuable insight into the team’s daily operations.

Practice and Manage Your Nerves

Before the big day, rehearse:

• Common interview questions and answers
• Clear examples of past projects or achievements
• How to speak confidently and concisely (avoid rambling)
• Specific case studies that demonstrate your skills

When answering questions, stay coherent and focused on providing value. Make sure you address what they actually want to know, not just what you’re eager to share.

Your goal is to prepare thoroughly, so nerves don’t prevent you from showcasing your true capabilities.

Nervousness is normal.

Preparation is your strongest defense against interview anxiety—the more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll feel during the actual interview.

Attendees completing an exercise (icebreaker)

Master the Follow-Up Process

Your engagement shouldn’t end when the interview does:

• Confirm appointments: Always confirm interview times beforehand.
• Send thank-you emails: Within 24 hours after each interview.
• Schedule next steps: Try to clarify the timeline during the final call.
• Check in if necessary: If you haven’t heard back within the stated time frame (usually a week), a polite follow-up email is appropriate.

Follow-Up Email Template:

Subject: Thank you for the [Position] interview

Dear [Interviewer’s Name],

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today about the [Position] role. I enjoyed learning more about [specific company initiatives or values we discussed].

[One sentence about why you’re excited about the role based on what you learned.]

[One sentence highlighting a strength you bring that aligns with their needs.]

I look forward to hearing about the next steps in the process. Please let me know if you need any additional information from me.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

Final Thoughts

Prepping for a job interview can feel overwhelming—especially when it’s your first.

But with the right tools, awareness, and preparation, you’ll walk in confident and ready to shine.

Remember, every interview is not just an evaluation but also an opportunity to determine if the role is the right fit for your talents and goals.

Follow me on LinkedIn, X, or Patron View for more.

Sarah will share her journey from athlete to tech professional, offering insights on breaking into the startup world and building a successful career in tech.

Enjoy food, drinks, and optional professional headshots—come ready to connect and leave inspired.

Event Details

When: May 7, 2025, Wednesday
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM (EDT)
Where: RSVP to get the location
Hosted by: Jennifer Kaehms

Click here to RSVP and view all the event details.

In this article, you will learn:

• How defense has evolved into a trillion-dollar market ripe for venture investment
• Why government procurement isn’t the obstacle most VCs imagine
• Where to find the most promising opportunities across AI, biotech, and space technologies

For those entering this market, strong interview skills are essential. I've shared my advice on how to prepare for your first job interview in tech.

Why Defense Now (A Trillion Dollar Market)

Health, wealth, and common sense are all things you must defend—and in today’s world, that’s more evident than ever. Geopolitical pressures from China, Ukraine, the Red Sea, and Taiwan reshape how nations project strength, protect assets and pursue stability.

Defense starts with diplomacy. When that fails, we see economic coercion—as with the April 2025 tariffs. And when that fails, violence.

But modern conflict isn’t just missiles and metal. It’s AI models, supply chains, biotech, and trust infrastructure. The future of warfare—and of resilience—is software-defined, sensor-enabled, and venture-backed.

For investors, this isn’t a niche category. It’s the next wave of general-purpose technology, with trillion-dollar upside and national security urgency.

This market map answers one core question:
Where do we invest to promote human flourishing—and– defend against the Terminator?

Government as Customer: Procurement 101

The U.S. defense budget exceeds $850 billion, with over $100 billion earmarked annually for tech-adjacent spending. DARPA, the Department of Defense’s R&D arm, operates on a budget of $4.3 billion, while HHS has allocated $20 billion over the next five years specifically for biodefense.

So how do startups break in? Here are three common onramps:

• Subcontracting: Partner with a prime or integrate into existing defense programs—especially effective for early-stage or dual-use companies. The best way to learn subcontracting is to become your DOGE (Defense Orientated Growth Engineer). Go to usaspending.gov and research potential customers who need your startup product.
• Agency-Led Programs: Leverage SBIR, STTR, DIU, AFWERX, or OTA pathways to get early funding and traction. In addition to reaching out directly to reps at these organizations you can use many AI writing tools to help you win grants, RFPs, and awards.
• Political Support: Congress is the “power of the purse” (https://www.nsf.gov/about/budget/processread more here about their process). Build relationships with local representatives and defense-focused congressional staffers—especially if your product has a district impact. You can look for a relevant committee and congress person by clicking here.

Breaking into the government isn’t about hacking procurement—it’s about understanding the mission, building credibility, and aligning with long-term priorities.

Defense Investing – What Most VCs Get Wrong (and What Great Ones Get Right)

Many investors shy away from defense because they assume:

• One customer (the government) = concentrated risk
• “Defense tech” = slow-moving research projects
• Their portfolio companies could never sell to the government

But the great ones know where to look.

They back:

• Second-time founders who know how to commercialize complex technology
• Teams with government ties—especially veterans or former DoD engineers who speak the language
• Novel platforms with a clear dual-use pathway (e.g. defense-first, commercial-follow or vice versa)

Case Study: Seed Investing in Allen Control Systems

When we invested in Allen Control Systems, three things stood out:

• The founders had previously exited a robotics startup to DoorDash
• Two founders were former Navy nuclear engineers—with deep technical credibility with operational experience.
• Their robotic gun system had immediate military applications and commercial potential in the growing field of autonomous security and industrial robotics.

This wasn’t a defense-only bet—it was a wedge into one of the world’s hardest (and highest-leverage) markets.

Market Map – Where I see opportunities

Three Technologies Shaping the Future of Defense

Over the next decade, AI, bio/health, and space will be the most consequential technologies in reshaping how nations defend, deter, and deliver.

AI: The New Warfighter

Over $100 billion of the FY2025 U.S. Department of Defense budget is allocated annually to tech-adjacent categories—including AI, autonomy, and cybersecurity. And we’re now at multiple inflection points:

• Geopolitics of compute: The race to build and control data centers is no longer a commercial play—it’s a national security imperative. As of March 2025, the U.S. hosts approximately 5,426 data centers, the highest number globally. It’s an American imperative to stay in front of the competition, so much so that there are export controls on Nvidia to China.
• Foundational models for bureaucracy: AI is transforming procurement, compliance, and intelligence analysis. Paperwork isn’t just admin—it’s operational tempo.
• Autonomous systems: Drones, robotic sensors, and automated targeting systems are shifting the frontline from boots to bots. With China making a kamikaze drone a minute, it’s more important than ever to have robotic supply chains and counter unmanned systems.

I recently profiled one founder building in this space—Zane Mountcastle of Picogrid.

Bio/Health: The Invisible Battlefield

Defense doesn’t stop at the border—it extends into the body. In FY2025, DARPA requested $169 million for biomedical research, a $65 million increase from 2023. At the same time, HHS earmarked $20 billion over five years for biodefense, including $965 million in FY2025 for IT and infrastructure upgrades across IHS, NIH, and CDC. These investments are designed to modernize aging systems and strengthen national resilience.

• The brain is next frontier: Currently in biomedical research the brain is the most complex battlefield—and the next high ground in defense innovation. Cognitive enhancement will shift human performance in warfighting, intelligence, and decision-making. Neuro-monitoring can detect fatigue, stress, or deception—turning soldiers into more adaptive, self-aware operators.Neural interfaces promise faster control over drones, exoskeletons, and battlefield robotics—moving from hands to thought.
• AI-powered genetic discovery: Speeding up vaccine development, anti-aging, and enhancement.
• Pandemic prevention: COVID was a warning shot. Pathogen defense is now a defense mission.
• Food as infrastructure: Keeping a population healthy, resilient, and metabolically prepared is both a public health and a military priority.

Space: The New High Ground

The global space economy is expected to nearly triple, growing from $630 billion in 2023 to $1.8 trillion by 2035. This is no longer the domain of government agencies alone—private capital is unlocking orbital infrastructure, autonomous logistics, satellite intelligence, and next-gen launch systems.

• Space travel and logistics: From ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) to resupply missions, space is operational.
• Communications: Secure, resilient satellite infrastructure underpins everything from targeting to troop coordination.
• Missiles & motors: Rocket tech isn’t just about getting off-planet—it’s about speed, reach, and deterrence here on Earth.

Conclusion: Why We’re Investing in Defense

Defense is no longer just a government silo—it’s the launchpad for the next wave of general-purpose technologies. AI, biotech, and space aren’t just national priorities—they’re massive venture-scale opportunities.

This is where foundational technologies are stress-tested, de-risked, and often accelerated. From autonomous systems and neural interfaces to biosecurity and resilient communications, the innovations that win in defense don’t stay in defense—they define the future of industry.

We’re not investing in war. We’re investing in resilience, infrastructure, and the technical edge of national security.

The best technologies of the last century came out of defense.
The best returns of the next one might, too.

This is why we’re here early—backing the founders building what the future will demand.

Programs List

AFWERX

AFWERX is the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force and Space Force, designed to connect startups with Air Force needs through SBIR, STTR, and open innovation challenges. It helps commercial companies rapidly prototype and deploy solutions in defense contexts.

Click here to visit their website

Army Futures Command (AFC)

Army Futures Command leads the modernization efforts of the U.S. Army by integrating emerging technologies into future force development. It partners with startups, research institutions, and defense innovators to accelerate capabilities in AI, robotics, autonomy, and more.

Click here to visit their website

Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)

DIU accelerates the adoption of commercial technology across the U.S. military by funding pilot projects and helping non-traditional vendors win defense contracts. Its mission is to strengthen national security through rapid tech integration.

Click here to visit their website

Other Transaction Authority (OTA)

OTA is a flexible contracting mechanism used by DoD agencies to fund research, prototyping, and production outside traditional federal acquisition rules. It’s often faster, more agile, and more startup-friendly than FAR-based contracts.

Click here to visit their website

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)

A competitive program that encourages U.S.-based small businesses to engage in federal R&D with strong commercial potential. SBIR provides phased funding to help startups develop and scale emerging technologies for government use.

Click here to visit their website

Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)

Similar to SBIR, STTR funds early-stage R&D but requires collaboration between a small business and a U.S. nonprofit research institution. It’s designed to bridge the gap between basic science and commercialization.

Click here to visit their website

Let me start with a confession: I used to run around a lot—collegiately, at UC San Diego. There were uniforms, coaches, and early mornings.

As a bioengineering student, I also had a full academic schedule, which was intense.

And somehow, years later, I found myself working alongside others who did the same—minus the cross-country part, plus maybe some lacrosse or rowing.

Over time, I’ve noticed something: former college athletes make excellent salespeople.

Not just decent. Not “they’ll figure it out.” Actually great.

And not just in a “grindset” kind of way—though yes, there is grinding—but in an operationally valuable, quota-hitting, and culture-stabilizing way.

For startups building sales teams, these former athletes offer tremendous value. The qualities they develop fall into three key categories:

• Physical and Mental Discipline
• Growth and Adaptability
• Team and Leadership Skills

Let’s break this down. If you’re a startup building a sales team, and you don’t consider athletes, it might be like leaving money on the table.

Or at least like turning down a 6 AM demo call because you didn’t feel like it.

Here’s why.

Exceptional Work Ethic/Consistency/ Discipline

They show up. Every. Single. Day.

Sales is mostly just losing, politely—occasionally winning—always showing up.

Athletes get that. You don’t get “fit” and then coast. You stay fit. Forever. Or at least through college eligibility.

I once spoke with a field hockey player turned cloud rep (Princeton, obviously) who said she won a competitive deal simply because she emailed and attended meetings more consistently than the two larger vendors.

That was the differentiator—not pricing, not features, just… endurance.

Attention to Detail

They care about inches. Literally.

The same Princeton hockey field player mentioned that a slightly off-field hockey pass, maybe just inches off target, means your teammate is running behind them to recover. Not ideal.

That level of detail orientation is… strangely relevant to CRM hygiene, forecasting accuracy, and how you spell “prospect’s” name in a cold email.

Resilience

They’ve lost worse.

Sales rejection is spiritually violent. Athletes have had entire seasons implode. Races where the wind won.

A Stanford rower, now an all-star start-up CEO, broke his back, lay in bed for two months, recovered, and became an All-American.

Your SDR had 100 people in a day hang up on her? She’ll be fine.

Intrinsic Motivation

… And they’re addicted to metrics.

Athletes don’t just do the work—they measure it. Religiously.

On my triathlon team, Strava wasn’t just an app—it was a lifestyle. Every split, segment, and second became a data point in the pursuit of a personal best.

Sound familiar? It should.

Sales is just another race with a leaderboard: quotas, conversion rates, and pipeline velocity. Athletes already speak that language.

Coachable

They like being coached.

Imagine someone who wants feedback—and uses it. Shocking, I know.

But athletes are wired for improvement.

They’ve spent years turning critique into performance gains. Shave a second, jump an inch higher, close a deal.

Same muscle.

Quick Studies

They adapt faster than your onboarding flow.

Athletes are professional adjusters. New plays, new opponents, new weather, new shoes—it’s all part of the job.

In 2008, my cross-country coach introduced heart rate monitoring. Not the sleek Apple Watch kind. The kind with chest straps, beeps, and Excel spreadsheets.

We adapted because performance demanded it. So when your sales team pivots to a new CRM, pricing model, or product line mid-quarter?

They won’t flinch. They’ll just ask for the login.

Effective Time Management

They know how to calendar.

Class. Practice. Travel. Homework. Sleep. Repeat.

Athletes don’t just manage time; they weaponize it.

They will take your disorganized sales org and, within a week, be blocking time for “Follow-up Blitz 3” and “45-min Pipeline Cleanse.”

Teamwork

They understand team dynamics.

Yes, sales is competitive.

But also, reps pass leads. SDRs hand off to AEs. Teams have goals.

Athletes know how to run their legs and cheer for the next. They also understand how not to be annoying in Slack. Priceless.

College athletes know how to take direction. They’ve lived entire seasons inside someone else’s playbook—literal ones.

But they also know when to improvise. The coach isn’t on the field, and sometimes you have to call an audible.

In sales, this translates to a magical combination: people who follow the process and know when to quietly bend it to close the deal.

Not rebels, not robots. Just… useful.

Empathy

They remember what it’s like to suck.

Athletes know what it’s like to be bad at something—painfully bad. I still remember my first day on the triathlon team, trying (and failing) to ride in clip-in shoes.

I fell over repeatedly in the parking lot like a winded toddler on stilts. One teammate stayed behind to help.

No judgment. Just patience.

Two years later, we were the 5th team in the nation. We still call each other when we learn something new—bike, job, life, whatever.

That kind of empathy doesn’t show up on a résumé, but it shows up everywhere else: in customer calls, team huddles, and post-mortems.

Perform Under Pressure

They don’t freak out in front of an audience.

Sales is theater. Demos are performances.

Athletes are used to being watched, judged, and occasionally heckled.

So if your AE doesn’t flinch when the prospect brings in their CTO for the pricing call—that’s the athlete in them.

Academic Intelligence

They’re actually smart.

Contrary to popular belief, many college athletes went to class.

And stayed eligible. And graduated. Some even double-majored.

These are humans who can hold product knowledge and budget objections in their head at once.

Highly Networked

They come with friends.

Athletes have networks. And not just “I know a guy” networks—trust networks.

Other high-performing, coachable, driven, slightly masochistic people.

Want to scale a sales team fast? Ask a former athlete who their fastest friend is. Or how?

TL;DR: Why hire college athletes? Former Stanford rower Diego Baugh said it best: “You either have that dawg or you don’t.” They show up, take feedback, compete hard, and know how to win—on the field and in the funnel.

One sector I'm particularly excited about for sales talent is defense technology. I wrote about the defense market and why it's becoming a launchpad for venture-scale opportunities.

Conclusion

College athletes bring more than hustle—they bring systems, grit, and the ability to thrive under pressure.

I’ve seen it firsthand: as a teammate, and now as someone building and working with sales teams.

When hiring, don’t just look for résumés with SaaS logos. Look for the people who:

• Wake up early without being asked
• Adapt on the fly
• Manage time like it’s a sport
• Lift the team, not just their own numbers

Here’s the cheat sheet:

1. Work ethic
2. Attention to detail
3. Mental toughness
4. Metrics mindset
5. Coachability
6. Fast learners
7. Time management
8. Team players
9. Empathetic collaborators
10. Calm under fire
11. Smart enough to stay eligible
12. Networks full of other high-performers

Bonus tip: A friend and two-time founder told me he loves hiring athletes with engineering degrees. “They did college in hard mode.” He’s not wrong.

Don’t miss out on high-value opportunities for builders and visionaries.

Events Coming Up

Here’s everything you need to know.

Austin4America

March 6-7, 2025 | Austin, TX

Austin4America is where builders, operators, and visionaries in the defense industry come together to shape the future.

If you’re serious about manufacturing, national security, and scaling real-world tech, this is the room you want to be in.

Register here

Austin4America

Foundation

March 8, 2025 | Austin, TX

Foundation is where serious founders & builders in defense, manufacturing, and vertical SaaS come to connect.

No fluff—just high-signal convos, deep networks, and people actually building the future.

Register here

Foundation

Human Performance Summit

March 9, 2025 | Austin, TX

The Human Performance Summit is where elite operators, founders, and thinkers push the limits of mind & body.

From cognition to resilience to peak performance—if you’re optimizing for greatness, this is where you need to be.

Register here

Human Performance Summit

Hope to see you there!

Our Guiding Principle

There was a Friday standup where Trey Holterman delivered an inspiring speech about the “right to compete.”

He emphasized that the pursuit of excellence isn’t just a goal—it gives us the privilege to show up for our team, colleagues, and work.

He made it clear that pursuing excellence keeps us sharp and allows us to contribute at the highest level.

In true Trey fashion, he then cracked a self-deprecating joke, saying that if he got hit by a bus, everyone would still need to work just as hard so his little brother’s Tennr shares would be worth something.

The Tennr Culture

That balance between relentless drive and genuine humility is exactly what makes Tennr such an incredible place to work.

Whether it’s flying to three industry conferences in a single week, engineering retreats that push innovation forward, or the way Trey Holterman, Diego Baugh, and Tyler Johnson set the tone with their leadership, Tennr stands out.

It’s a culture built on hustle, empathy, and an unmatched sense of humor.

Conclusion

Tennr has just raised $37 million in its Series B funding round to power a new growth push and is looking to grow its team across the board.

If you’re looking for a company where you’ll be inspired to push your limits and be part of something special, let’s chat—I’d be happy to tell you more.

Connect with me on LinkedIn to learn more about Tennr.

What’s Changed?

Making the U.S. government more efficient is not a new presidential task.

Five of the last six presidents have issued executive orders or launched programs to audit and improve the government’s efficiency.

What’s new, however, is AI—and leaders who know how to use it.

Executive orders from previous presidents

Government Inefficiencies

Looking at the 2023 federal budget in broad strokes, the places to look for government inefficiencies are bureaucratic systems, healthcare, and defense.

What’s new now is that we can solve many of these government inefficiencies with AI.

Federal budget in 2023

Healthcare Transformation

A look at the numbers:

• Current spending: $1.455T (Medicare/Medicaid)
• Total healthcare spending: $4.5T

AI Solution Categories:

• Primary Care Automation
• Health Coaching
• Back Office Operations
• Drug Discovery
• Preventive Care

Defense Spending Reform

Defense spending operates on a cost-plus model.

If you exceed your budget, you simply increase it and bill the Pentagon more.

This works because the Pentagon can’t easily switch contractors.

Moving away from the cost-plus model is challenging, but AI could help.

We can use AI for better forecasting on project budgets and defense proposals, and AI CAD to design new defense applications.

I've written more about why I'm bullish on the defense market as an investment opportunity.

Bureaucratic Systems Improvement

Bureaucratic systems can be anything from limiting the amount of people hired to reducing paperwork burden, and even making the visit to social security more bearable.

Any government process should have an RPA plus LLM automating that process.

Conclusion

Here’s what’s needed.

Political Willingness

While the congress, senate, and white house are now run by one party, there needs to be a willingness to change the status quo.

A great way to change the status quo is radical transparency.

Elon has turned the audit of inefficiency into a spectator sport through X, catalyzing change.

Human Capital

Once the key challenges are identified, the next step to hire or contract top talent to automate paperwork, reform healthcare, and overhaul defense.

Infrastructure

To automate everything, we are going to need more compute and AI infrastructure companies.

About Zane

Zane is a patriotic software developer and the co-founder & CEO of Picogrid, a defense startup shaping the future of military technology.

Recognized by Gizmodo, he embodies a techno-optimist mindset, leveraging innovation to strengthen national security.

About Picogrid

Picogrid is a defense technology company revolutionizing how military and defense systems connect.

Our platform seamlessly integrates third-party sensors, cameras, and autonomous systems into a unified ecosystem, enabling operators to deploy the capabilities they need in seconds.

Fun Photo from My Visit

Here’s a photo of me doing a deadlift:

All about the gains!

Thank you to Nick Gray, Patron View, and his team for helping me build this site.

This recognition highlights the importance of supporting innovative companies tackling humanity’s greatest challenges.

Highlights From My Profile

The feature noted key aspects of my career:

• Working at Canvas Ventures to discover ambitious companies in digital health, software, AI, and consumer tech.
• Educational foundation in bioengineering from UC San Diego.
• Entrepreneurial initiative to establish a Silicon Valley hacker house for AI and hardware companies, gaining firsthand company-building experience.
• Career path to Canvas Ventures, which began with a cold email to co-founder Rebecca Lynn.

Here’s what Business insider said:

Jennifer Kaehms, who earned her degree in bioengineering, helps recruit college students to become the top VCs of tomorrow.

“At Canvas Ventures, Jennifer Kaehms finds ambitious companies focused on digital health, as well as software, artificial intelligence, and consumer tech. But it’s other activities that make Kaehms a standout venture capitalist. She oversees the firm’s liaison programs at Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley. Students at these top-ranked colleges sit in on partner meetings, organize events for the firm, and develop thesis areas around tech investing — an unparalleled opportunity. Participants often go on to work at venture-capital firms or startups, according to Kaehms. After earning her degree in bioengineering from University of California, San Diego, she moved to Silicon Valley to set up a hacker house focused on artificial intelligence and hardware companies. There she learned how to build companies. On a whim, she sent a cold email to Rebecca Lynn, a former chemical engineer and co-founder of Canvas Ventures, and wound up with a job.”

Nurturing Future VCs

The article highlighted my role overseeing Canvas Ventures’ liaison programs at Stanford and UC Berkeley.

These programs allow students to attend partner meetings, organize events, and develop tech investing theses—offering them invaluable learning experiences.

This initiative helps students gain real exposure to venture capital, enabling many to leverage this experience to launch careers in VC firms or startups, creating a robust pipeline of fresh talent in the industry.

About the Publishing Source

Business Insider, a leading business and tech news platform, consistently identifies emerging trends and spotlights influential figures.

Their “40 and Under” lists showcase promising young professionals making significant impacts in their fields.

This particular feature focuses on venture capitalists under 40 who are betting on revolutionary technologies in healthcare, food systems, and longevity science, highlighting the next generation of investors shaping these critical industries.

Looking Forward

As the biotech sector continues to evolve with advances in gene editing, immunotherapy, and sustainable food tech, I remain dedicated to supporting visionaries who address global challenges through innovation.

Read the Full Article

Curious about cutting-edge biotech innovations?

Check out Business Insider’s “40 and Under” article to discover young investors transforming healthcare, longevity science, and sustainable food systems.

These visionaries are actively shaping biotechnology’s future through their strategic investments.

Thank you to Nick Gray, Patron View, and his team for helping me build this site.