Defense Entrepreneurs Forum

JoAnne (Jo) Bass crushes the crux of it with this post: We spend a lot of time as a national security community in our own respective #silos From #Irregularwarfare #acquisitions to #AI and #readiness and #retention there are numerous camps of practitioners, academics and implementers. One thing we have seen at play, personally, in events on the ground in places like #Ukraine or through partaking in #AfghanEvac efforts are the evolved roles everyday society is playing in the fabric of the national security apparatus. How do we ensure, as practitioners, we are not working solutions through the lens of dated operational constructs and paradigms? We would argue, much of the capacity and capabilities we currently seek are readily available and in play, but fall outside the organizational, contracting and social constructs we are accustomed to in regards to developing solutions within the #NatSec sphere. People are starting to generate ideas around movements for how to further stimulate, codify and actualize informal capacity and actors like Alexis B. Nicholas Vandre, Mike McGinley, Kris Saling and the like. Our current reality requires a true #wholeofnation activation and the opportunities for creative approaches to this are endlessly epic and exciting. We think the #VirtuousInsurgency is an interesting dynamic and use case to study for how to unleash unconventional capacity, at scale around challenge sets. How can we maximize one of our nations greatest assets, in our entrepreneurial spirit and prowess by broadening the aperture and involving a far greater swath of society in the game than is currently participating? Jay Long Brad Halsey Sam Bloch Mike Zuckerman Mike North, PhD Justin Dangel Justin Fanelli Nicholas Krohley, Ph.D. Jen Sovada Irregular Warfare Initiative Jesse Levin

Well that was a year. To say systemic sea-change is afoot would be the understatement of 2024 - going into 2025. The radically shifting dynamics, norms and requirements demanded of us to maintain relevance and readiness does not breed anxiety - it is exciting. What humbles and reassures us are the incredibly odd and unconventional bed fellows that continue to find one another within and through #DEF for incredible collaborations. 2025 and beyond is going to require a radically reimagined approach to all things #NatSec so we encourage all of the #VirtuousInsurgents out there to keep it weird and to not be afraid to seek out and to partner and play with unlikely sorts to make it happen just like our fuzzy little friends here. Happy New Year all. The DEF team.

Wishing the entire community a very happy holiday season. The crew has been hard at work ensuring Santa’s sleigh has the most up to date counter #EW and #CUAS tech available. #SafeFlight #Santa

“This unprecedented revelation was made in the latest issue of Defence Industry Conversion in China, a magazine supervised by the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence. The publication aims to encourage civilian institutions and companies to participate in research on military technologies and weapon production.” 🎯As basic as this is, this aspect of our adversaries respective approaches to their defense and posturing represents a blaring cultural deficit on our end. Despite it being by edict, our competition’s private sector and civil populace are on a war footings. 👩🎓 Ask the majority of college students in the US about the current state of affairs and very few will have any insight into realities like the pervasiveness of domestic targeted information operations, what is happening with China etc. 🏴☠️Among our greatest advantages as a nation are our entrepreneurial spirit, capacity to rise to any challenge and self determination. We can’t help but wonder, with a huge swath of society - particularly our young adults, largely unaware of, and disconnected from the nuances of our current national security issues - might this facet of our culture and arguably one of our greatest defense differentiators and assets be rendered ineffective? William Treseder Joshua Marcuse Jim Perkins Clint Hinote John Cogbill Jen Sovada Brad Halsey Hacking for Defense® (H4D) Common Mission Project NobleReach™️ Truman National Security Project YPFP (Young Professionals in Foreign Policy) Globally #asleepatthewheel #youthofthenation #comfortcrisis #complacencykills #wholeofnation #educate

We like to say informal networks are a #weaponsystem for good. Col. Kris Saling has been doing foundational work to shift how the army thinks about talent engagement and retention. Like other force's for good to include Scott Mann she has honed in on the criticality of #storytelling While #DEF did not facilitate the introduction, the team she ended up engaging with was connected to DEF thanks to the work of Jed Weiner and the #CornerStone program we use to run years ago, and will be bringing back. John Deschner, part of the Maximum Effort team has lent advice and mentorship to the DEF community in the past through Cornerstone and re-emerged, yet again, to assist other elements of our National Security community. The point: DEF represents a deep, highly capable and highly trusted network of vary diversified experts that we, as a collective community, have been cultivating for over ten years. Between all of us, we are usually 1/2 a degree separated from whomever we need to get to, and people are usually willing, responsive and respectful of the call for assistance when one DEF member reaches out to another. This speaks directly to the caliber of individuals we have within the community supporting one another and doing the work. For that.... We are endlessly humbled and grateful. 🏴☠️ At it's core and essence that is what DEF is - a weird, hard wired scarily capable family of #NatSec ninjas and a willing coalition of supporters, facilitators and doers. 👀We have eyes, ears and boots on the ground in most places, both domestically and abroad from the Midwest corn fields to front lines. Whatever the task, from storytelling to #contestedlogistics the DEF community - that’s you, can usually assist in covering down and executing to the last mile. Continue to #build. Continue to act with integrity and to invest in meaningful ways when called upon. As we continue to strengthen our numbers and our bonds, we will continue to become more capable and more effective at positive disruption and execution when tasked. Jay Long Kris Saling Nick Kesler Adam Hesch Justin Fanelli Alexis B. Evanna Hu Nicholas Vandre Brad Halsey Jon Margolick Joshua Marcuse Jim Perkins Benjamin Kohlmann Michael Madrid Jen Sovada Matt Pine Nicholas Krohley, Ph.D. Joe Byerly Clint Hinote John Cogbill Lauren Hansen-Armendariz Kaj Larsen Gregory Sapp Heath Murray Meagan Metzger Dr. Marina Theodotou Alex McLeod, MBA Ted Delicath W. Ethan Eagle🔴🟡 Brett Velicovich Trish Martinelli Jer McKoy David S. Prescott Paulin Kristin Sargent Nate Gilman #Build #TrustedNetworks #Integrity #InformalNetworks #VirtuousInsurgency

If someone were to come to #DEF and ask us what was the number one thing to do to best learn about, and prepare for the evolving demands of the national security challenges of the day, the answer would be: Building Momentum There are very few places to go that can impart the hard and soft skills, informed by real time ground truth realties and experience. Brad Halsey Cheyanne Dwyer, Albert Vega, PhD and the #BuildMo team have the credentials and experience required to prepare you, your unit or organization to thrive at the edge. Honored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 2021 as the Best Veteran owned business in America, Building Momentum is a truly remarkable #SDVOSB and what we consider to be one of the most valuable national security players in the arena today. They are, and have been actioning real time solutions to the most complex and pressing problem sets of the day. Through hands on training, they instill expeditionary mind and skillsets throughout our force from acquisition specialists to door kicking secret squirrels and logisticians. Whether corporate, schools, government or #DoD, their #trainingsolutions are applicable. The team just announced their schedule for Q1 2025 with a new 3-Day CAD + 3D Printing training course. 🧠 Other workshops include: #CAD + #3DPrinting #Build + #Pilot #Drone #Training #Photography for #Operators #SoftwareDefinedRadios #CUASTraining The renowned #InnovationBootcamp Slots are limited, so act with requisite urgency, and secure your preferred course before you slide back into the #2024 habit you are kicking in #2025 of indecision and inaction. 🎯 For Dates and How to Register Visit their website at https://www.buildmo.com/ 👉 Reach out to them directly at training@buildmo.com for additional details. 🏴☠️ This message was brought to you by the blood sweat and tears of the Virtuous Insurgents plying their trade in far flung reaches of the world that want to ensure our ranks remain capable, trained and in the fight. There is no financial arrangement or deal with #DEF and #Buildmo other than the fact that we truly believe the outfit to be a cornerstone of our national security capacity and the penultimate option for rapid innovation and readiness training solutions for whole of society and whole of force. #LiveToLearn #LearntoServe #Leanin #MakeReady #JustSolderIt #BitsandBullets

Thanks to our DC #DrinkandThink Agora lead Kristin Sargent for organizing yet another killer gathering last night in Arlington. From the Midwest Mafia: Gregory Sapp and Wilson Rodden to some old school #DEF folks: Joe Byerly, Roger Misso, Raphael Hernandez, Adam Hesch Dr. Marina Theodotou Trish Martinelli and Nick Kesler to representation from the NYC crew, Eric Kanagy - it was wonderful to spend time with the community at the close out of the year. We love to see new faces in the mix and enjoyed learning about The PenFed Foundation initiatives from Joaquin P. Goquiolay and hearing about the latest "Typhoon" adventures from Nino Marcantonio. Nothing gets us going like getting the community together in person. We are grateful for the cast of delightful characters that make up the ranks of #DEF and are gearing up for what will be a wild year for the organization. Thank you for what you are all doing and for keeping the fires of the org alive. #community #strengthinnumbers #VirtuousInsurgence Raj Sharma Alex McLeod, MBA Rod Loges Josephine B. Tientcheu Sehej Singh Jackie Giunta

We love to see all the inertia with the DEF Agora NYC. Grant Fox, Devin Nathan and Eric Kanagy are making moves in the region. A major recent focus has been around advocacy to ensure small business has a voice in regards to ways to improve critical contracting tools like SBIR / STTR. Even the mention of those abbreviations makes the hair on the back of our necks stand-up. Were glad the #VirtuousInsurgency is making their voices heard here with change agents like Patrick Ryan lending an ear. #OneTeam #OneFight #DEF

Nothing short circuits the path to progress and effective direct action like pulling the right people together into the room for face to face collaboration. 👨🎨 The art of the deal is knowing who to court and having the trust and confidence of the network so when the call goes out they will respond. Nicholas Vandre, Jesse Jur, Brennan Townley and RTI International just gathered a powerful cohort of doers and facilitated a sprint design session around what it might look like to reimagine and construct a more forward leaning national security innovation ecosystem in North Carolina. 🏴☠️ With no shortage of hitters and a powerful production base in the State, the cohort was dead set on repositioning NC to maximize on its potential. What was different about this approach was it was not a top down tone-deaf edict, but a vulnerable open and empathetic approach to co-creation, thought generation and collective design enguiniety. 🤝 This was an exceptional example of the impact potential of when State / Gov. agencies truly collaborate with, empower, and provide top cover to entrepreneurial doers. 🎉 Shout out to the Collaboration.Ai and theDifference teams for facilitating, The North Carolina Department of Commerce for stepping up, Nicholas Vandre for being a critical node and connector and Gene Ebersole for demonstrating what can be done when one knows how the game is played and who to call on and out when the time is right. Its early in the game, but this is a movement to keep tabs on. This first round was like a mini #DEF reunion! Lauren Hansen-Armendariz Daniel Gomez Gene Ebersole Jesse Levin Joseph Kobsar David Rolen, MBA, PMP Tyler Johnson Will Yeatts J.R. Mullis #Community #GonniesNeverSayDie #DEF #NatSec

As we work to modernize and enhance force readiness and resilience, we can not underestimate the criticality and impact potential of informal networks and unconventional resource communities to our national security. DEF community members, Jay Long of Parlay Finance, Brad Halsey of Building Momentum and Jesse Levin, DEF’s Executive Director, share their thoughts on the Tradewinds Podcast, Defense Mavericks, with host Ryan Connell on the topic. The discussion covered economic inclusion as a stability factor to impact in humanitarian emergencies and conflict environments from the #AfghanistanEvac to a contested logistics project with Joe De Sena owner of Spartan in #Ukraine. 👉Watch the Full Episode: https://lnkd.in/e63XTtA7 Bonnie Evangelista Nicholas Vandre Joseph Kobsar Lauren Hansen-Armendariz Daniel Gomez Gene Ebersole #networklikeourlivesdependonit #HumansFirst #HumansFirst