From Chip to Constellation: Building a New Global Network in Space | The Pair Program Ep93

In this episode of The Pair Program, we sit down with Jonathan Dyer, Co-Founder & CEO of Muon Space, and Alex Haro, Co-Founder & CEO of Hubble, to explore how space is evolving from exploration to infrastructure. From Bluetooth-powered satellites to scalable constellation manufacturing, this conversation dives into what it takes to build the next layer of global connectivity and why the future of space looks a lot more like software than rockets.

What you’ll get from it:

• How Bluetooth is being used to connect devices directly to space
• Why traditional satellite models couldn’t scale and what’s replacing them
• The shift from bespoke spacecraft to repeatable, software-driven systems
• Real-world applications across supply chain, agriculture, and defense
• Why space is becoming invisible infrastructure for everyday technology

About Jonathan Dyer: Jonathan is the Co-Founder & CEO of Muon Space, building mission-optimized satellite constellations for commercial and national security use. He has led development of industry-shaping products across aerospace and geospatial tech at Skybox Imaging, Google, and Lyft. His work focuses on scaling space infrastructure to make it more accessible, repeatable, and impactful.

About Alex Haro: Alex Haro is the Co-Founder & CEO of Hubble, creating a satellite-powered Bluetooth network for global connectivity. He previously co-founded Life360, scaling it to over 90 million users and leading the company to IPO. Alex has been recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30 and holds multiple patents in location and PNT technologies.

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Mission Speed: How Commercial Innovation Is Reshaping Defense Acquisition | The Pair Program Ep92

In this episode of The Pair Program, we sit down with Darian Harris, Founding GP of Connected Capital and co-founder of Fuse Accelerator, and Drew Trojanowski, President and CEO of the Southwest Mission Acceleration Center (MAC), to unpack what it really takes to move innovation at mission speed. From navigating defense acquisition to scaling dual-use startups, they share how founders and operators can bridge the gap between commercial traction and government adoption.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Why “speed” in defense isn’t always about moving faster
• The real bottlenecks in DoD acquisition and innovation pipelines
• How dual-use startups can avoid the “valley of death”
• Building ecosystems that actually help technology reach the mission
• Why partnerships matter more than ever in scaling innovation

About Drew Trojanowski: Drew is President & CEO of the Southwest Mission Acceleration Center (MAC), where he leads mission-driven innovation across national security ecosystems. His background spans the White House, Capitol Hill, Arizona State University, and a decade in the U.S. Army as a scout/sniper.

About Darian Harris: Darian is Founding GP of Connected Capital and co-founder of Fuse Accelerator. A seasoned entrepreneur, he focuses on helping scale-stage startups grow across commercial and government markets, supporting founders in turning traction into long-term impact.

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Contested Logistics Reimagined: The Case for Dual-Use Air Systems | The Pair Program Ep91

In this episode of The Pair Program, we’re joined by Arthur Dubois, CEO of Grid Aero, and Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Leonard Kosinski, Chief Strategy Officer at Air Space Intelligence. From autonomous aircraft to AI-powered logistics, they break down how supply chains are being rethought for a world where speed, scale, and resilience are critical. The conversation dives into what’s broken today, and how founders and operators are building systems that can actually keep up.

In this conversation, we get into:

• Why logistics is becoming the limiting factor in modern operations
• How contested logistics is changing the way systems are designed
• The trade-offs between building advanced tech vs. building at scale
• What autonomy actually looks like in aviation today
• How AI is helping teams make faster, better decisions

About Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Leonard Kosinski: Leonard is a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant general and Chief Strategy Officer at Air Space Intelligence. Over a 30+ year career, he led global logistics and multinational operations, including his final role on the Joint Staff shaping logistics for the Department of Defense. He also serves as a Senior Fellow at the National Defense University.

About Arthur Dubois: Arthur is the CEO of Grid Aero and an aerospace engineer focused on autonomous aircraft and next-generation flight systems. He has led aircraft programs from concept through flight and helped scale teams at companies like Joby Aviation. He previously led engineering at Xwing, working on advanced autonomy systems.

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Building Tech For Tactical Decision Dominance | The Pair Program Ep90

In this episode of The Pair Program, we sit down with Garrett Smith, Founder & CEO of Reveal Technology, and Les Craig, General Partner at Next Frontier Capital. Together, they explore how new technologies are reshaping the tactical edge and what it takes to build and fund defense startups that deliver real capability for operators in the field. From battlefield insight to venture investment strategy, the conversation highlights how founders and investors are working together to bring advanced tools into modern defense environments.

Key topics include:

1. How drone-based 3D mapping is improving situational awareness in real time
2. What it takes to build a defense startup that actually gets adopted by operators
3. The realities of scaling a venture-backed company in the defense ecosystem
4. Why capital efficiency and disciplined growth matter in defense tech
5. How founders and investors evaluate opportunities in the evolving defense market

About Garrett Smith: Garrett is the Founder and CEO of Reveal Technology, a defense technology company building software that transforms drone video into real-time 3D maps for operational environments. A Marine Corps Force Recon veteran and active reservist, Garrett combines frontline experience with Silicon Valley innovation to develop tools designed to improve situational awareness for teams operating in complex terrain.

About Les Craig: Les is a General Partner at Next Frontier Capital, where he focuses on early-stage technology investments. Prior to joining the firm, Les co-founded cybersecurity company RedOwl Analytics, later acquired by Forcepoint. His background also includes roles at the CIA, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, and service as a U.S. Army officer supporting special operations missions.

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Policy to Production: Fielding Faster, Governing Smarter | The Pair Program Ep89

In this episode, we sit down with Michael Weigand, Founder & CEO at Aventra, and Joshua Stiefel, Vice President for Government Relations at Second Front, to explore what it really takes to move defense technology from idea to execution. The conversation centers on the practical challenges of building, scaling, and adopting new capabilities inside government systems, where speed, policy, and production all collide. From acquisition realities to the future of cyber warfare, this episode offers a grounded look at how innovation actually reaches the field.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

1. Transitioning defense tech from prototype to production
2. Manufacturing readiness and scaling under real constraints
3. Acquisition pathways that enable faster adoption
4. The role of policy in shaping innovation outcomes
5. Cyber warfare, force structure, and what comes next

About Michael Weigand: Michael is Founder & CEO at Aventra, focused on deploying next-generation defense technologies. He previously founded Shift5, scaling it into a venture-backed defense software company. He now supports emerging national security startups as an Entrepreneur in Residence.

About Joshua Stiefel: Joshua is Vice President for Government Relations at Second Front, a public benefit software company serving national security missions. He previously worked on cyber and defense policy for the House Armed Services Committee. Josh also served in the executive branch and the U.S. Navy Reserve.

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Insurtech at Speed: Engineering the Future of Specialty Insurance | The Pair Program Ep88

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Nathan Hall, Chief Technology Officer at Ledgebrook, and Mike Mansell, investor at American Family Ventures, for a deep dive into how modern technology is reshaping specialty insurance. The conversation explores how speed, automation, and broker-first design are redefining underwriting, where AI truly adds value, and why human judgment still matters in high-stakes, regulated industries. From infrastructure decisions to investor signals, this episode unpacks what it really takes to modernize insurance from the inside out.

Here’s what we get into:

1. Why legacy insurance workflows struggle to keep up with modern risk
2. Building for speed without sacrificing trust or compliance
3. How AI augments underwriters instead of replacing them
4. What investors look for in the next wave of insurtech platforms
5. Designing technology around real broker behavior, not ideal workflows

About Nathan Hall: Nathan is the CTO at Ledgebrook, where he leads platform architecture and engineering. With a background spanning SaaS, fintech, and healthcare, he specializes in scaling teams and building systems that prioritize speed, reliability, and real-world usability.

About Mike Mansell: Mike is an investor at American Family Ventures, an early-stage insurtech VC firm. He works closely with founders building the future of insurance, bringing an operator-focused perspective on product-market fit, traction, and long-term defensibility.

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From Tickets to Autonomy: Reinventing IT with AI Agents | The Pair Program Ep87

On today’s episode of The Pair Program, we’re joined by Jake Stauch, Founder & CEO of Serval, and Patrick Chase, Managing Director at Redpoint Ventures, for a deep dive into the future of IT service management. The conversation explores why legacy ITSM tools are breaking under modern demands, how AI-native automation is changing the way work actually gets done, and what it takes to build and back a category-defining infrastructure company.

What we cover:

1. Why ITSM remains painfully manual, and where automation truly breaks through
2. Building AI agents that don’t just assist, but take action
3. Code generation as the next platform shift in enterprise software
4. What investors look for in next-gen infrastructure startups
5. How timing, models, and product vision intersect in AI adoption

About Patrick Chase: Patrick is a Managing Director at Redpoint Ventures, where he focuses on infrastructure, SaaS, and AI. He has been at Redpoint for over seven years and works closely with companies including Modal, Serval, LiveKit, Hex, Attio, MotherDuck, and Zed.

About Jake Stauch: Jake is the Founder and CEO of Serval, an AI-driven IT automation and service management platform. Before founding Serval, he spent more than five years at Verkada, leading products from early concept through launch and scaling efforts across hardware and software, operating at the intersection of product, operations, and AI-powered infrastructure.

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Mission Modernized: How AI is Reshaping Intelligence from the Inside Out | The Pair Program Ep86

On today’s episode of The Pair Program, we’re joined by Sheetal Patel, former CIA Assistant Director for the Transnational and Technology Mission Center, and Bruce Frost, Vice President of Intelligence at Rhombus Power, to discuss how AI is reshaping modern intelligence. With decades of experience across government and industry, they break down what it really takes to modernize analysis, move faster in high-stakes environments, and build trust in emerging technologies.

What we cover in this episode:

1. How AI is transforming open-source intelligence
2. Predictive models and threat forecasting
3. Bias and transparency in AI systems
4. Public-to-private sector career transitions
5. Innovation inside national security missions

About Sheetal Patel: Sheetal is a former CIA senior executive with 28 years of service across national security and intelligence. She served as Assistant Director for the Transnational and Technology Mission Center, where she built and led a new team focused on emerging technologies. She also previously held the role of Assistant Director for CIA for Counterintelligence.

About Bruce Frost: Bruce joined Rhombus Power in September 2022, where he serves as Vice President of Intelligence. Prior to joining Rhombus Power, Bruce was a senior executive at CIA where he held a variety of leadership roles including Associate Deputy Director of CIA for Operations.

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