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

08/16/23 • 31 min

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.

Previous Episode

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

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

Next Episode

Tech Scouting, Adversarial Capital, and the Defense Investor Network with Heather Jo Richman

Callye Keen sits down with Heather Richman to discuss the transformation of defense programs into sustainable ventures, the significance of private capital, and the emergence of new players in the defense arena.
They tackle how to create a thriving dual-use company and explore the potential value gap for innovators, where a commercial product can serve the DoD. Heather dives into the importance of embracing failure in the pursuit of national security and the necessity of clean capital in the startup arena.
They delve into the possibilities of bridging the gap between the DOD and the private capital community, shedding light on the complexities of this process. They discuss the need for trusted relationships and the potential of innovation units. They cover insights learned from Heather's time in Washington.

Topic Highlights:

00:00 - Introduction
Heather shares her background and what she is passionate about right now.

05:23 - Challenges and Opportunities in Bridging the DOD and Startups
Callye emphasizes the concept of "dual use," where innovations and products developed in the commercial sector can be repurposed for defense applications. This approach could save time and resources by not reinventing the wheel and leveraging already proven commercial technologies.

14:15 - Commercial-Government Relations in Defense
Heather Richman identifies the inefficiencies in commercial-government relations due to frequent personnel changes in the defense department. In 2018, a surge of Chinese capital in Silicon Valley led to concerns about investment sources. This prompted the development of a "trusted capital marketplace" for clearer capital origin transparency.

23:35 - Innovation & Government Challenges
Keen illustrates how the DoD and Intelligence Community face amplified versions of commercial market issues. While organizations like the US Cyber Command have specific areas of interest, these concerns are universally shared but bear greater consequences for the government.

37:12 - Sustainable Defense Programs
Heather Richman emphasizes the shift from repetitive appropriations to crafting self-sustaining defense programs, underscoring the role of private capital in this transformation.

38:00 - The Reality of Technological Evolution
Callye touches on the extensive infrastructure development, including software platforms and data centers, that companies like Nvidia invest in to make revolutionary tech applications feasible.

40:04 - The New Face of Primes
Heather Richman discusses the evolution and significance of prime companies in the defense sector. With evolving war scenarios, the role of primes becomes even more crucial.

43:20 - Role of Venture Capital
Heather highlights the increasing interest of venture capitalists in the defense market, advocating for an incorporation of a national security perspective in investment choices.

43:51 - Opportunities in Startup Defense
Both Callye and Heather extend an invitation for deeper discussions and explorations into the defense startup ecosystem, highlighting its potential and
Parting Thought

"When you and I wake up every morning, I see the world through a national security lens. and I'd like for people to be thinking about national security as they're making choices." - Heather Jo Richman

Callye Keen - Kform
https://kform.com/

Heather Richman - Defense Investor Network
https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherjrichman/

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

Transcript

Speaker 100:00:00.080

Great , it's AI Cool . We will tout that . But what problem are you actually solving with this ? Where in the government are having those problems ?

Speaker 200:00:09.320

Welcome to the Startup Defense . Today I have Meg Vorlin from Decode and Decode Capital and many other interesting things . Meg , for our audience , can you tell us who you are , what you d