Dan Hermansen is the founder of MyDefence, an European drone defence company that's become a global leader in soldier-borne counter-unmanned aerial systems.

In this episode of Rockets and Radars, Dan shares his remarkable journey from Danish Air Force reserve officer to building an European defence tech with 150% annual growth. He reveals how they pivoted from roadside bomb protection to drone defence, securing their first contract with Danish Defence in 2013 with just €1 million while working full-time jobs. He explains My Defence's innovative approach to portable drone detection, the unprecedented NATO framework agreement they recently secured, and his passionate vision for saving lives through technology that's become battle-proven in Ukraine's front lines.

Want to get hired in MyDefence? https://tally.so/r/wkpL1J

Want to invest in MyDefence? https://tally.so/r/wvpR1d

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Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:47) Developing Anti-IED Tech from Scratch

(05:42) How to Get MoD Funding for Your Defence Startup

(10:20) Setting a 3-Year Product Development Deadline

(14:38) First Hires: Building a Technical Defence Team

(17:32) The Counter-Drone Pivot That Changed Everything

(27:16) Building Multiple Product Lines with Limited Resources

(33:37) Cracking the US Defence Market: Pentagon to Contracts

(43:37) Product Evolution: From Detection to Protection Systems

(52:47) How Ukraine Validated the Counter-Drone Market

(55:58) The Bridgepoint Deal: Sale to a Major Investor

(01:01:14) Securing NATO Contracts and Future Plans

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Takeaways:

1) Start with a meaningful problem - MyDefence began with a powerful mission: protecting soldiers from roadside bombs after meeting an injured soldier who said "If I just had something on me that could protect me against these bombs, then I wouldn't have been in a wheelchair."

2) Begin part-time if necessary - Dan and his co-founders developed their concept for four years while keeping their full-time jobs: "We had full-time jobs. So this was just on the sideline."

3) Secure proper permission - Before working on their side project, they approached their employer: "We made an agreement with my employer that it was okay." Protect yourself legally before pursuing your startup idea.

4) Leverage existing networks - Their breakthrough with Danish Defence came through co-founder Christian's military connections: "He was a former F-16 pilot and still had active reserve duties. So he could open the doors."

5) Set clear product timelines - "We need a product to build a company within three years. If we don't succeed, then we'll be a project company which is not scalable."

6) Stay adaptable to market demands - Their pivot to drone defence came organically when police and prison services expressed interest: "Drones were smuggling stuff into prisons. And the police had problems with drones flying over crowds."

7) Test early with actual users - "You have to give a very early prototype. You're almost embarrassed to give this away... Go test it out. Tell me what works and what doesn't work."

8) Recognize when to pivot resources - When MyDefence couldn't complete their 3D radar development: "We looked at the bank account and said, out of money. So we needed to focus." Know when to shelve promising ideas to survive.

9) Pursue international opportunities aggressively - After meeting a US general at a conference who gave him a business card, Dan immediately arranged a Pentagon meeting: "Just after we've finalized the MITRE challenge, I'll be in Washington, DC."10) Use professional advisors for major transitions - For their acquisition by Bridgepoint, Dan emphasized expert guidance: "We had a team of three people full-time working for nine months on this case." At critical growth stages, professional help is essential.

José Mariano Lopez-Urdiales is the founder of Zero2Infinity, an European space balloon company that's been challenging conventional approaches to space access for over 15 years.

In this episode of Rockets and Radars, José shares his remarkable journey starting with just €90,000 and a vision for space balloon technology that could revolutionize how we access space. He discusses nearly securing a groundbreaking €5M deal with Vodafone to send Will.i.am to perform the first-ever concert from space, the corporate politics that derailed it, and his unwavering determination despite numerous setbacks. José explains Zero2Infinity's innovative approach to space access through balloon technology, why traditional rockets aren't always the answer, and his passionate vision for a European space industry that leads rather than follows.

Want to get in touch with José? https://tally.so/r/w7e479

Want to invest in Zero to Infinity? https://tally.so/r/mBg8JA

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(00:00) - Introduction

(01:44) - What is Zero2Infinity

(05:14) - The Genesis of Zero2Infinity

(07:08) - Balloons vs. Traditional Rockets

(15:43) - Funding Journey: From €200K to €1.5M

(24:41) - The Vodafone Partnership That Almost Changed Everything

(28:32) - Product Evolution: Elevate, Bloon, and Bloostar

(35:03) - Funding Challenges and Strategic Pivots

(43:43) - Current Status and Future Vision

(53:50) - Rapid Fire Q&A

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Takeaways:

1) Start with your unique insight - Jose identified a market gap: "If we can offer a ride that requires less training, less G forces, less risk... Wouldn't that be wonderful?" Find overlooked opportunities where you have genuine conviction.

2) Begin with limited resources - Jose started with just €90,000, strategically using it for "a team, a patent, a website, and a business plan." Get creative with compensation - he offered future flight tickets to attract talent

3) Look beyond your industry's bubble - Rather than pitching at space conferences, Jose presented at luxury travel fairs. "The market for space tourism is adventure travelers, not space nerds." Go where your actual customers are, not where your peers gather.

4) Secure strategic first investors - Getting Ultramagic (a balloon manufacturer) onboard provided technical validation: "They know the path to get all the permits, the insurance, the certification." Your first investors should bring expertise and credibility to unlock your next steps.

5) Persevere through rejection - "No doesn't mean a no in these situations necessarily." The Ultramagic investment came after multiple rejections. Persistence matters more than perfect pitches.

6) Build demonstration capability before scaling - Zero2Infinity proved their concept with a half-scale prototype before attempting full-scale human flight. Create tangible proof that "we've shown that we float, we can fly this" to convince skeptics.

7) Fundraising is about relationships, not spreadsheets - "When I tried to do a roadshow and pitch to people with a spreadsheet, none of that ever worked." Instead, focus on "increasing the surface of contact with serendipity" through constant networking.

8) Use individual investors to attract VCs - Jose found that venture capital firms followed after their limited partners had already personally invested: "We made it embarrassing for the VCs not to follow their LPs."

9) Find investors who need you - "Go to somebody that needs you more than you need them." Standard VCs have endless options, but partners with strategic interests in your specific solution will fight harder to make you succeed.

10) Corporate partnerships require holistic thinking - The OHB collaboration failed because "I was just trying to win... I wasn't thinking how do I make other stakeholders within OHB need my project." Success requires making partners feel valued, not just proving technical superiority.

Stanislas Maximin is the founder and Executive Chairman of Latitude, a company valued over €100 million that's putting France back in the orbital launch business after almost 50 years.

In this episode of Rockets and Radars, Stanislas shares his journey from being a self-described "terrible student" with a passion for rockets to building a space company. He discusses the challenges of starting with just €25,000, battling established players, rebranding multiple times, and creating a culture of rapid iteration and risk-taking. Stanislas explains Latitude's approach to rocket development, his philosophy on team building, and his bold vision for a European space industry that can compete globally.

Want to join Latitude? https://tally.so/r/nrg1B5

Want to invest in Latitude? https://tally.so/r/3EAE5q

Interested in the joining Stanislas' New Space conference? https://lesassisesdunewspace.org/discover-the-ans-2025/(8-9 July '25, Paris)

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Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(03:23) - "I was a terrible student" - Stan's background

(05:01) - Why rockets are just really cool

(12:42) - Starting from zero in the space world

(16:34) - The European space market opportunity

(21:13) - Surviving on €25K: The funding journey begins

(24:42) - The messy rebranding story

(30:25) - Almost running out of money before Series A

(35:19) - The drama with Ariane Group and engine testing

(40:14) - Leveling up: From Series A to Series B funding

(44:24) - Fighting against slow European processes

(50:58) - How rocket development actually works

(56:24) - Creating a faster company culture

(01:05:41) - Making micro-launchers profitable

(01:11:15) - The engine test bet

(01:16:52) - Can Europe compete in space again?

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Takeaways:

1) You don't need a fancy degree

- Stan sucked at school but loved rockets enough to start a company anyway. Passion beats credentials every time.

2) Just start somewhere

- Stan had "no experience, no knowledge, no skills, no nothing except a vision and a passion." That was enough to begin.

3) Your first company name will probably suck

- Latitude went through multiple "s*it" names before finding the right one. Don't stress about perfect branding at the start.

4) Incubators actually help

- Stan joined an incubator and called it "a game changer" for learning startup basics when he had no business experience.

5) The first €25K is the hardest

- They started with just enough to hire some interns and couldn't even pay themselves for almost two years.

6) Move super fast as you grow

- "Your ability to build a great product is linked to your ability to improve, to iterate on every part very fast." This becomes even more important as you scale.

7) Build your own test facilities

- When suppliers and partners slow you down, get control of your testing. "We opened a massive test zone" to move at their own pace.

8) Fight against getting corporate

- As they grew, processes got "heavier and heavier." Stan had to actively reshape the culture to stay nimble.

9) Crazy incentives actually work

- Stan bet his team they couldn't test an engine in two weeks, now he needs a tattoo because they delivered faster than expected.

10) Know when your role needs to change

- Stan recognized when to step back as CEO to focus on vision and strategy where he adds more value to the company.

11) Europe needs to dream again

- "Europe has stopped believing that tomorrow is going to be better than yesterday" and space companies need to help change that.