Alexander Harstrick is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of J2 Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in advanced computing, biomedical engineering, cybersecurity, and infrastructure. He previously served as a US Army intelligence officer and worked with the Defense Innovation Unit and AFWERX, helping deploy nearly $2 billion in defense funding to US startups. Alexander holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor's degree from Columbia University.

Jonathan Bronson is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of J2 Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in advanced computing, biomedical engineering, cybersecurity, and infrastructure. He previously worked at Boston Consulting Group, served as COO of Backpack Health, and worked at D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments. Jonathan holds a PhD from Columbia University, where he developed AI tools to analyze biochemistry experiments.

Dual-use investing becomes compelling when a technology can succeed in the commercial market while also solving meaningful government or national security needs. But that broader potential only matters if the business has strong product-market fit and a viable path to scale. What separates a compelling dual-use company from one that simply has a defense application?

Alexander Harstrick, a former Army intelligence officer and seasoned venture investor, argues that the strongest dual-use companies are built around genuine commercial demand rather than government contracts alone. He emphasizes that military relevance should expand a company's opportunity, not substitute for product-market fit. Jonathan Bronson, a PhD-trained scientist with experience across consulting, startups, and investing, adds that helping founders navigate government procurement can create a meaningful advantage when the underlying business is already strong. Their perspective shows why strong business fundamentals, repeatable demand, and commercial product-market fit are essential to making dual-use investing work.

In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Alexander Harstrick and Jonathan Bronson, Co-founders and Managing Partners at J2 Ventures, to discuss the dual-use investing edge. They explore commercial product-market fit, military procurement, and technologies that serve both consumer and government markets. They also share lessons from fundraising, portfolio companies, and missed investments.