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Mission Matters Podcast

Shield Capital
SBIR
Iran
Defense Innovation Unit
Ukraine
United States
Artificial Intelligence
Defense Acquisition Reform
United States Navy
Defense Budget
Artificial Intelligence In Dod
Software Defined Warfare
Department Of Defense
Space Force
Dod Budgeting and Procurement
Maritime Autonomy
Uforce
China
Commercial Technology
Golden Dome
Missile Defense

The Mission Matters podcast from Shield Capital explores the intersection of technology, national security, and startups through in-depth conversations with early-stage founders and government technologists. Each episode reveals the opportunities, technical challenges, and innovations shaping the future of national security, offering insights from those on the front lines of technological evolutio... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes26Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Technology

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Artwork for Mission Matters Podcast

Latest Episodes

In this Techquisition Edition of The Mission Matters Podcast, Maggie Gray and David Rothzeid break down Secretary Hegseth's new memo establishing a Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager (DRPM) for unmanned and autonomous systems.

David unpacks what a ... more

The Magura family of USVs, built by UFORCE, sank 14 Russian warships. UFORCE air systems have flown over 220,000 combat missions and downed two Su-30 fighter jets — all in under three years of operation.

In this episode, CEO Oleg Rogynskyy joins Da... more

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AI made writing code cheap. Verifying it is the new bottleneck.

Peter Morales, CEO and co-founder of Code Metal, joins Maggie Gray and Pat O'Reilly to talk about modernizing the legacy code running US national security — and why formal verification ... more

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Decoding the President’s Budget Request, POM, and DoD J-Books for Defense Tech Startups.

In this Techquisition Edition episode of The Mission Matters Podcast, Maggie and David explain why the President’s Budget Request, the Pentagon POM process, and... more

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In this episode, Shield Capital's Maggie and Akhil sit down with Dan Wright (Co-Founder & CEO) and Pradeep Nair (Founding CTO) of Armada — the company building distributed AI infrastructure for the world's most remote and mission-critical environment... more

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After a 6 month lapse, the SBIR program is officially back following Congressional reauthorization.

In this episode of the Mission Matters podcast, we sit down with Chris Benson, the CTO of Istari Digital and an Air Force acquisition pioneer who was... more

Former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen David Goldfein (Ret.) and former CIA Middle East expert Norm Roule break down recent U.S.-Israeli military operations in Iran

Drones are re-defining modern warfare – and the U.S. is behind. On the latest Mission Matters episode, we sat down with Andy Yakulis, CEO & Co-Founder of Vector Defense, to discuss what it will actually take to achieve American Drone Dominance.

Vect... more

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Recent Guests

Oleg Rogynskyy
CEO of Uforce, Ukraine's first defense tech unicorn
Uforce
Episode: UFORCE: Ukraine's First Defense Tech Unicorn
Peter Morales
CEO and co-founder of Code Metal AI
Code Metal AI
Episode: Code Metal: Rewriting the Code Behind National Security
Matt McGregor
Co-founder of Creative Defense; co-author of Defense Tech and Acquisition Newsletter
Creative Defense
Episode: Techquisition: $1.5 Trillion Defense Budget Request Explained
Dan Wright
Founding CEO of Armada AI
Armada AI
Episode: Armada: Building American Edge AI Dominance
Pradeep Nair
CTO of Armada AI
Armada AI
Episode: Armada: Building American Edge AI Dominance
Chris Benson
CTO of Istari Digital, former AFWERX/DIU insider who helped modernize SBIR
Istari Digital
Episode: Techquisition: SBIR Reauthorization Explained — What the New Bill Means for Startups
David Goldfein
Former Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
US Air Force / Advisory Board member
Episode: Geopolitical Briefing: U.S-Israel Military Strikes on Iran w/Gen. David Goldfein and Norm Roule
Norm Roule
Thirty-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency
Senior Advisor, Balfour Center; Kennedy School; GMU National Security Institute
Episode: Geopolitical Briefing: U.S-Israel Military Strikes on Iran w/Gen. David Goldfein and Norm Roule
Andy Yakulis
CEO and co-founder of Vector Defense
Vector Defense
Episode: Vector Defense: Building American Drone Dominance

Hosts

Maggie Gray
Host of Mission Matters Podcast
David Rotside
Host of Mission Matters Podcast
Pat O'Reilly
Shield Capital Operating Partner; former three-star general

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Eye On A.I.Craig S. Smith

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

UFORCE: Ukraine's First Defense Tech Unicorn
Q: How does Uforce view autonomy versus remote operation, and what will it take to move toward greater autonomy in warfare?
Autonomy is limited by the lack of abundant targets in some theaters; currently, systems rely on remote operation with selective autonomy like terminal guidance. Greater autonomy will develop where operational context and mission density justify sophisticated autonomous decision-making, especially in long-range or denied environments, while maintaining safe, controllable integration with human operators.
UFORCE: Ukraine's First Defense Tech Unicorn
Q: What have been the biggest technical and operational challenges in hardening these systems for real battlefield deployments?
The key challenges include rapid iteration in a dynamic war environment, lack of long certification cycles, ensuring modular and field-deployable systems, and strong OPSEC requirements that shift focus from perimeter defense to preventing lateral movement and ensuring compatibility with real-time battlefield data and unit feedback.
UFORCE: Ukraine's First Defense Tech Unicorn
Q: Oleg, what are the actual combat effects that Uforce has had in Ukraine to date?
The company has sunk several Russian warships with USV platforms, shot down fighter jets, and destroyed hundreds of Russian vehicles and armor through tens of thousands of drone missions, highlighting a broad, battle-proven impact across maritime, air, and land domains.
Building the Software Defined Navy
Q: What advice would you give startups aiming to work with the DoD and Navy on hard national-security problems?
Know your problem and the end user intimately, start with edge-level operators, pursue commercial off-the-shelf solutions where possible, and expect a long, patient cycle with a focus on outcomes and measurable improvements.
Building the Software Defined Navy
Q: How do you envision the future of fielding software-defined capabilities in the Navy without replacing everything at once?
We need a hybrid force where traditional manned platforms operate with unmanned systems, and where open, modular interfaces allow rapid swapping of components and software to improve capability without discarding legacy investments.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Mission Matters Podcast

What is Mission Matters Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on technology, national security, and startup disruption, hosting founders, operators, and government technologists who translate dual-use innovations into practical defense capabilities. Across episodes, listeners get tactical breakdowns of defense budgets, procurement signals, SBIR reforms, and edge AI deployments, with practical takeaways for founders seeking government contracts or partnerships with primes. Notable throughlines include the shift toward faster, more open and market-aligned defense programs, the importance of sovereign and secure computing near the point of use, and real-world lessons from startups navigating the DoD ecosystem. The format tends toward careful, expert analysis and concrete, actionable guid... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Mission Matters Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Mission Matters Podcast:

1. School of War
2. All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
3. The Journal.
4. The a16z Show
5. NatSec Matters

How many episodes of Mission Matters Podcast are there?

Mission Matters Podcast launched a year ago and published 26 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Mission Matters Podcast?

Recent guests on Mission Matters Podcast include:

1. Oleg Rogynskyy
2. Peter Morales
3. Matt McGregor
4. Dan Wright
5. Pradeep Nair
6. Chris Benson
7. David Goldfein
8. Norm Roule

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