autonomous systems

🎙️ Ep 23 - Techquisition: The $1.5 Trillion Budget Request Explained

Listen now | Decoding the President’s Budget Request, POM, and J-Books for Defense Tech Startups

May 7 • Maggie Gray

46:25

How Startups, AI, and Drones Shaped the Iran War: Lessons from Operation Epic Fury

How the U.S. military is using UAVs, USVs, UUVs, AI, commercial space, and more in Iran

Apr 30 • Maggie Gray

🎙️ Ep 22 - Armada: Building American Edge AI Dominance

In the latest episode of the Mission Matters Podcast, Akhil and I sat down with Dan Wright and Pradeep Nair, co-founders of Armada, which is building…

Apr 20 • Maggie Gray and Akhil Iyer

50:40

2026 National Security Hackathon | Registration Now Open

$50,000+ in cash prizes! Build technology for real DoW stakeholders! Opportunity for follow on contracts!

Apr 15 • Maggie Gray

Beyond SaaS: New Business Models in Defense Tech

Tech-enabled services, M&A driven conglomerates, factory-as-product, holding companies, and more!

Mar 31 • Maggie Gray

🎙️ Ep 19 - Vector Defense: Building American Drone Dominance

Drones are re-defining modern warfare – and the U.S.

Feb 18 • Maggie Gray and David Rothzeid

42:41

🎙️ Ep 15 - Geopolitical Briefing: Venezuela with LTG H.R. McMaster (ret.)

Listen now | This episode of the Mission Matters podcast features a conversation between Shield Capital Managing Partner Philip Bilden and Lt.

Jan 13 • Maggie Gray, Philip Bilden, and H.R. McMaster

57:26

How Accurate Were My 2025 NatSec Tech Predictions? A Year-End Review

More unicorns than expected, less robotics and AI spending, more acquisition reform

Dec 15, 2025 • Maggie Gray

🎙️ Ep 13 - Techquisition: What the 2026 NDAA Means for Startups

Welcome to the Techquisition Edition of the Mission Matters Podcast!

Dec 11, 2025 • Maggie Gray and David Rothzeid

37:08

🎙️ Ep 12 - L3Harris: Inside the Trusted Disruptor Strategy with CTO Andrew Puryear

How startups and defense primes can unite to bring innovation to the mission

Dec 5, 2025 • Maggie Gray, Akhil Iyer, and Andrew Puryear

58:59

🎙️ Ep 10 - How Missile Defense Actually Works

Former MDA head explains Golden Dome, command and control, startups, and more

Nov 4, 2025 • Maggie Gray, Matt Kaplan, and Pat O'Reilly

1:01:59

My Reading List

My favorite books, newsletters, and podcasts on technology, national security, and investing

Oct 31, 2025 • Maggie Gray

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