Robotics, Customer Focus, and Academia to Entrepreneurship with Matt Bilsky

08/09/23 • 51 min

Join Callye Keen as he engages with inventive engineer and entrepreneur, Matt Bilsky. From innovative product design to the challenges of running a successful startup, this episode uncovers the intersections of creativity, technology, and business.
Topic Highlights:
00:00 - Decoding Product Design with Matt Bilsky
Matt Bilsky explores the intricacies of product design, discussing the importance of user-focused development and its role in creating successful, marketable products.
17:12 - Emerging Trends in Engineering
Bilsky provides an overview of current trends in engineering, their impact on product development, and the exciting potential they present for the future of technology.
22:50 - The Role of Persistence in Innovation
Bilsky highlights the pivotal role of persistence in the realm of innovation. His personal anecdotes underscore the necessity of resilience in the face of adversity.
41:07 - Deciphering the Start-up Landscape
Bilsky delves into the thrills and spills of running a startup, sharing insights on the journey from conceptualization to realization, shedding light on the dynamics of modern entrepreneurship.
43:04 - Navigating Business Challenges
An honest examination of the challenges encountered in business from Bilsky's experience, offering valuable lessons for those stepping into the entrepreneurial world.
44:12 - The Future of Technology
Bilsky concludes with a thought-provoking discussion on the future of technology, exploring its potential impacts on society and speculating on emerging trends in the field.
Parting Thought:
"The secret to successful product design is in understanding that it's not about what we make, it's about why and for whom we make it." - Matt Bilsky [01:45:30]
Callye Keen - Kform
https://kform.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/callyekeen/
https://youtube.com/@kforminc
https://twitter.com/CallyeKeen
Matt Bilskey - FLX Solutions, Inc.
https://twitter.com/flx_solutions
https://linkedin.com/company/flxsolutions
https://www.facebook.com/FLXSolutionsInc
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mbilsky

Previous Episode

Disrupting Fiefdoms, Rapid Growth, and Fenix Group with Dave Peterson

In this engaging conversation, Callye Keen is joined by Dave Peterson, a defense entrepreneur with a wealth of knowledge in defense startups. Their lively discussion revolves around the importance of startups in the defense space, market sizing, and potential challenges in the transition of commercial technologies to defense.
Topic Highlights:
00:00 - Defense Entrepreneurship
Dave Peterson outlines the significance of entrepreneurship in the defense sector, highlighting the difference in culture, language, and processes from conventional startups, providing an overview of the role that startups play in contributing to defense innovation.
18:32 - Challenges of Introducing Commercial Technologies to Defense
Callye Keen sheds light on the difficulties faced when introducing commercial technologies into defense. Discussing his experiences, he emphasizes the challenges of convincing defense stakeholders about the reliability and applicability of technologies proven in the commercial sector, often leading to resistance due to unfamiliarity.
19:02 - Market Sizing and Value Proposition in Defense
Callye Keen discusses the complexities and uncertainties of sizing the defense market, especially when considering product applicability. He shares key strategies to estimate the total addressable market, the value of solving specific problems, and how the opaque nature of defense can sometimes be a barrier.
20:14 - Understanding Your Market in Defense
Dave Peterson explains why understanding the defense market is crucial, especially when trying to secure investment. From projecting future revenue to identifying potential competition, he highlights the importance of business intelligence for defense startups.
22:09 - The Value of Dual Use for Defense Startups
Both Callye and Dave discuss the advantages of dual-use strategies for defense startups, underscoring the protective benefits of diversifying into related markets. The conversation emphasizes on finding commercial applications for defense innovations to overcome potential hurdles.
24:04 - Importance of Process and Mentorship in Defense Startups
Dave Peterson's final thoughts revolve around the need for well-defined processes in defense startups and the value of seeking guidance from experienced individuals. He advocates for productization and quality control as key factors for success.
Parting Thought:
"Nobody wants to buy one-offs. They want to buy productized things with quality control enabled, in your whole process soup to nuts." - Dave Peterson [00:24:42]
Callye Keen - Kform
https://kform.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/callyekeen/
https://youtube.com/@kforminc
https://twitter.com/CallyeKeen
Dave Peterson - Fenix Group
https://www.fenixgroup.io
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-peterson-042b30125/

Next Episode

Venture Capital, User Stories, and Decoding the Defense Industry with Meg Vorland (Dcode)

Imagine if the complexities of government tech adoption, the disruption caused by AI and ML, and the power of compelling user stories were all decoded for you in one enlightening conversation. That's exactly what you're signing up for as Meg Vorland of DCode and DCode Capital graces our podcast. Meg offers us an insider's perspective on how DCode helps startups surf the opportunities surfacing at the intersection of government and technology.
Technology has its tentacles wrapped around modern governance and its challenges. Commercial tech companies are taking the plunge into the government market, while innovation shops and programs like SOFWorks and Defenseworks are reshaping government's tech approach. But as AI and ML disrupt the market, we must confront significant hurdles. Meg Vorland, with her rich experience, provides us a roadmap to navigate this evolving landscape. She talks about DCode's role in guiding startups and aiding the government in identifying use cases and potential impact areas.
We then pivot our discussion to an often overlooked aspect - understanding the user. Meg and I emphasize the power of 'listen mode', the art of asking the right questions to get the backstory. We also touch upon the role of a good connector in the ecosystem who offers insight and understanding. Wrapping up this insightful discussion, we value having a VC for market sentiment and intelligence and echo the importance of a mentor to maintain focus. Dive headfirst into this riveting conversation as we demystify the convergence of government and technology.

The Startup Defense - Robotics, Customer Focus, and Academia to Entrepreneurship with Matt Bilsky

Transcript

Speaker 100:00:00.059

I draw a lot of analogies between being a founder and startup life dating , whether it's meeting investors and it's just like going on dates . Sometimes it's good , sometimes it doesn't work out . But are you a bad person or was it just not a good ?

Speaker 200:00:13.564

fit .

Speaker 200:00:14.640

Welcome to the Startup Defense . T