Rephonic
Artwork for The Startup Defense

The Startup Defense

Callye Keen
Artificial Intelligence
Defense
Counter UAS
Manufacturing Transparency
WAR Inc.
Additive Manufacturing
Mission Cultivate
Project Oni
Department Of Defense
Authentise
Dark Corner Solutions
Networking and Teambuilding
Government Contracting / Sam.gov
Decision Dominance
Defense Startups
Thermal Camouflage / Antithermal Mitigation Camouflage
Munition Development
Manufacturing Proximity / Industrial Parks
Grist Mill Exchange
Dcode

The Startup Defense explores the intersection of commercial technology and defense innovation. Callye Keen (Kform) talks with expert guests about the latest needs and trends in the defense industry and how startup companies are driving innovation and change. From concept to field, The Startup Defense covers artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, mission computing, autonomous systems, and the manu... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes73Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EntrepreneurshipBusinessTechnology

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Startup Defense

Latest Episodes

Why good companies drift from their founding purpose and how leaders can build organizations that resist corruption

Guest: Eric Ries - Author of Incorruptible, creator of The Lean Startup, and founder of the Long-Term Stock Exchange

Eric Ries retur... more

How operator-led startups, rapid acquisition pathways, and relationship-driven execution are reshaping defense innovation

Guest: Noam Oz - Co-Founder & Managing Partner, MIM Ventures; Former Director for Innovation Operations, NavalX

Defense acquis... more

How robotic manufacturing, AI, and flexible factories could reshape American industrial power

Guest: Edward Mehr - Machina Labs

Edward Mehr joins The Startup Defense to discuss why America does not have a design problem, it has a factory problem. C... more

How founders can use grants, contracts, teaming, and acquisition pathways to fund hard tech without giving up equity too early

Guest: Mollie Jahner - Mission Cultivate, formerly Spring and Forge

Non-dilutive funding can be a major advantage for def... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Crossing the Valley
Crossing the ValleyFrontdoor Defense
Sourcery
SourcerySourcery with Molly O'Shea
The a16z Show
The a16z ShowAndreessen Horowitz

Recent Guests

Eric Ries
Author of Lean Startup; advocate for mission-driven organizations
Independent/Author
Episode: Mission Integrity, Financial Gravity, and Lean to Incorruptible with Eric Ries
Noam Oz
Defense-acquisition expert with experience at NavalX and in shaping reform initiatives
NavalX; defense acquisition reform advocate
Episode: Defense Acquisition Reform, Building Relationships, and MIM Ventures with Noam Oz
Edward Mehr
Founder/CEO of Machina Labs, expert in reconfigurable, software-defined manufacturing for metal structures
Machina Labs
Episode: Software-Defined Manufacturing, Reindustrialization, and Machina Labs with Edward Mehr
Mollie Jahner
Advisor/Executive with deep defense funding experience; previously founder of Spring and Forge, acquired by Mission Cultivate
Mission Cultivate (and formerly Spring and Forge)
Episode: Non-Dilutive Funding, Defense Tech Fundraising, Mission Cultivate with Mollie Jahner
Mack Ohlinger
Co-founder of a startup building a swarm of agents for accelerated decision-making in defense
Startup focused on AI-driven decision support for the DoD
Episode: Accelerate Decisions, Dominate Operations, and Dunedain with Mack Ohlinger
Justin MacLaurin
Founder/CEO, Defense Force Technologies
Defense Force Technologies
Episode: Sensor Fusion, Startup Scaling, Digital Force Technologies with Justin MacLaurin
Meagan Metzger
Representative from Dcode
Dcode
Episode: Rapid Acquisition, Venture Speed, and DCODE with Meagan Metzger
Jen Obernier
CEO of Grist Mill Exchange
Grist Mill Exchange
Episode: Data at Mission Speed, Resilient Pipelines, and Grist Mill Exchange with Jen Obernier
Jon Williams
Founder/CEO of WAR Inc.
WAR Inc.
Episode: Next-Generation Munitions, Defense Manufacturing, and WAR Inc. with Jon Williams

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Collaborative Innovation, Dark Corners, and Mission Cultivate with Robert Fehlen
Q: What inspired Mission Cultivate and how is it being operationalized?
The guest explains that Mission Cultivate grew from recognizing duplication of effort within government programs, the need to centralize data, and the value of human networks. The platform is designed to connect defense communities, surface opportunities, and support end-to-end collaboration while prioritizing security and quality over quantity during onboarding.
Collaborative Innovation, Dark Corners, and Mission Cultivate with Robert Fehlen
Q: What are you passionate about right now?
Robert describes a deep, personal connection to military service and to enabling the people who serve by building platforms that connect them with the right partners and technologies, with Mission Cultivate as a vehicle for meaningful collaboration and impact.
Sensor Fusion, Startup Scaling, Digital Force Technologies with Justin MacLaurin
Q: What are you passionate about right now?
Justin describes a passion for the confluence of technology and military operations, emphasizing how tech deployed in operational contexts can fundamentally transform battlefield capabilities.
Distributed Space Edge Computing, On-orbit Autonomy, and Aethero with Edward Ge
Q: Any words of wisdom for founders exploring space or hard-tech ventures?
Ed Ge shares a candid take: many founders should not drop out of school, but if they do, they might succeed by chance; the core message is to follow your intuition and seek directness in pursuing funding and partnerships.
Distributed Space Edge Computing, On-orbit Autonomy, and Aethero with Edward Ge
Q: What are you excited about for the next year in terms of satellites and defense-related compute in space?
Two satellites are launching within 12 months to enable defense-focused missions and demonstrate novel in-space computing technologies, including distributed computing in space and real-time edge AI for mission-critical software.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Startup Defense

What is The Startup Defense about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The discussions center on how commercial technology intersects with defense innovation, frequently highlighting funding pathways, procurement reform, and rapid capability delivery. Across episodes, guests share practical lessons on non-dilutive funding, fast-tracking acquisitions, and building scalable defense tech—from AI decision aids and sensor fusion to data ecosystems and manufacturing transparency. Notable themes include government programs (SBIRs, rapid acquisition cells), the role of data and open data strategies, and the challenges of fielding complex systems in contested environments. A standout aspect is the recurring emphasis on ecosystems, partnerships, and humane, mission-driven cultures that align startups with warfighters wh... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Startup Defense?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Startup Defense. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Startup Defense and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Startup Defense get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Startup Defense, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Startup Defense?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Startup Defense, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Startup Defense have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Startup Defense has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Startup Defense?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Startup Defense:

1. Crossing the Valley
2. All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
3. Sourcery
4. Mission Matters Podcast
5. The a16z Show

How many episodes of The Startup Defense are there?

The Startup Defense launched 3 years ago and published 73 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Startup Defense?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Startup Defense?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Startup Defense from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Startup Defense?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Startup Defense. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Startup Defense?

Recent guests on The Startup Defense include:

1. Eric Ries
2. Noam Oz
3. Edward Mehr
4. Mollie Jahner
5. Mack Ohlinger
6. Justin MacLaurin
7. Meagan Metzger
8. Jen Obernier

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days