Aeon

Should you build for defense? This is one of the best defense tech conversations you'll hear, with a founder, investor, and a DOD buyer discussing everything a company needs to consider when taking on the DOD as a customer. 8VC's Alex Moore, Aeon Industrial founder Naweed Tahmas, and our own Dr. Casey Perley sat with Allen Control Systems' Steven Simoni for a live recording of The Drone Ultimatum during Capital Factory House. Capital Factory | The Drone Ultimatum 8VC Allen Control Systems Aeon #CapitalFactory #DroneUltimatum #AustinTX #DefenseInnovation https://hubs.la/Q03cWGG30

?? NEW POD IS LIVE ?? This one is huge. We recorded in front of a live audience with three powerhouse guests breaking down the defense tech boom from every angle—government, founder, and investor. Featuring: ? Casey Perley, Ph.D. – Executive Director, Army Applications Laboratory (back for round two) ? Naweed Tahmas – Founder & CEO, Aeon ? Alex Moore – Partner, 8VC & first employee at Palantir If you're involved in defense tech, you need to hear this. Watch on YouTube or Spotify, or listen on Apple Podcasts. Links in the comments. Capital Factory Army Applications Laboratory 8VC Aeon Steven Simoni

Lieutenant General Brown and Abdul Subhani, Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army, are driving forces for defense innovation. Grateful for their support to deliver advanced new tactical capabilities to the warfighter ????

Great conversation with zero fluff, diving deep into what really matters. Thank you to Dr. Casey Perley, Alex Moore, Steven Simoni, and the Army Applications Laboratory team for a great event!

Cease fire. Target destroyed. Steven Simoni delivered one of the best conversations ever to happen at Capital Factory House with Naweed Tahmas (founder), Alex Moore (funder), and Dr. Casey Perley (buyer). It's can't-miss material for anyone looking to work in the defense tech space. We'll let you know when it's live on the The Drone Ultimatum Host: Steven Simoni – Co-Founder & CEO, Allen Control Systems Dr. Casey Perley – Director, Army Applications Laboratory Alex Moore – Partner, 8VC Naweed Tahmas – Founder & CEO, Aeon Capital Factory | The Drone Ultimatum 8VC Allen Control Systems Aeon #CapitalFactory #DroneUltimatum #SXSW #AustinTX #DefenseInnovation

HUGE NEWS: Tomorrow, we're recording our first-ever podcast with a live audience! This episode features three incredible guests: - Dr. Casey Perley, Executive Director of the Army Applications Laboratory (returning for her second appearance) - Naweed Tahmas, the brilliant founder & CEO of Aeon - Alex Moore, Partner at 8VC & first employee at Palantir The episode will release next week on our YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts!

The defense industry has been controlled by the same few companies for decades. That’s starting to shift. Naweed Tahmas is building Aeon, a company focused on producing advanced tactical missile systems at scale. He’s moving fast, hiring top talent, and proving that smaller companies can compete where it counts. Before Aeon, Naweed worked at Umbra and served in the White House, coordinating defense and technology policy across multiple agencies. His work has shaped national security decisions at the highest levels. Aeon is scaling quickly and hiring aggressively. This is what competition in defense looks like. The primes don’t own the future—companies like Aeon are taking their share. Come to his event: https://lnkd.in/gm4PFh58

Congratulations to Firefly Aerospace and our very own head of engineering Bill Parodi who served as a chief engineer on the mission! An incredible and inspiring accomplishment that will go down in history ??

This is going to be fun. I remember when we first started Aeon and walked down the street into AAL’s office with our original prototype. They have been an incredible partner since day one. Excited to share more about our journey. Hope to see you there!

Private capital is reshaping the defense-first startup landscape—but for how long? As venture investment surges, questions remain: What’s driving the momentum, and will the DOD do enough to sustain it? Join us March 8 at noon for the "The #1 Defense Tech Podcast in the Nation" live from the AAL stage. Together with AAL's Director, Casey Perley, they’ll break down the risks, opportunities, and strategies for companies operating exclusively in the military market. Host: Steven Simoni – Co-Founder & CEO, Allen Control Systems Dr. Casey Perley – Director, Army Applications Laboratory Alex Moore – Partner, 8VC Naweed Tahmas – Founder & CEO, Aeon Location: 8th Floor at Capital Factory Capital Factory | The Drone Ultimatum 8VC Allen Control Systems Aeon #CapitalFactory #DroneUltimatum #SXSW #AustinTX #DefenseInnovation