Silicon Valley Defense Group

The Silicon Valley Defense Group (SVDG) is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Keating as its new Executive Director. Mike brings a wealth of experience across venture-backed technology startups, strategy consulting, and national security, making him an exceptional leader to drive SVDG’s mission forward. Mike joins SVDG from Deep Labs AI, where he led the company’s public sector business practice, applying advanced behavioral analysis and anomaly detection to critical government use cases. “I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Mike into the SVDG family,” said Jacqueline Tame, who has been serving as Acting Executive Director since January 2024, in addition to her role on the Executive Board. “Mike is coming into the organization at one of the most exciting times in recent history for the startup and private capital communities - particularly those serving in and catalyzing the evolution and expansion of the national security innovation base. His broad experience across government, finance, geopolitical risk and advisory services, and tech startups make him an exceptionally well-positioned leader to drive us forward.” Chris Donaghey, Chairman of the SVDG Board, echoed the enthusiasm for Mike’s leadership. “Mike’s deep expertise at the intersection of national security, technology, and investment uniquely positions him to advance SVDG’s mission. As we continue to foster stronger partnerships between Silicon Valley and the defense sector, we are confident that his leadership will accelerate our impact and further strengthen our community.” Mike shared his excitement about stepping into the role: “American national security suffers not from an innovation problem, but from an innovation adoption problem. As the national security enterprise navigates today's global inflection point, SVDG is uniquely positioned to break down innovation adoption barriers and better facilitate capital allocation to game-changing emerging technology for national defense. I'm consequently thrilled for my good fortune of being asked to join the talented SVDG team. The SVDG mission is critical, and I'm excited to scale SVDG's known impact for founders, funders, and public servants.” The announcement comes as SVDG continues to expand its engagement with industry, government, and investment leaders dedicated to strengthening the national security innovation ecosystem. Mike will officially assume the role of Executive Director effective immediately. For media inquiries, please contact: [email protected] Read the full release here: https://lnkd.in/gM37bRrV

SVDG Lunch & Learn: M&A in Defense Tech SVDG recently hosted a Lunch and Learn with Pillsbury's Marques Peterson and Steve Ryan, CFA, diving into key legal and financial strategies for M&A in the defense and technology sectors. They shared expert insights on navigating regulatory frameworks, compliance challenges, and best practices for successful transactions. This discussion is part of our broader effort to strengthen collaboration across the Defense Industrial Base and equip our network with actionable knowledge. ?? Watch the full session here ?? https://lnkd.in/eyW9kjvR #DefenseTech #MergersAndAcquisitions #NationalSecurity #SVDG

Today we had the absolute privilege of helping to support the re-launch of the #HouseDefenseModernizationCaucus with founding co-chairs, Representative Rob Wittman and Representative Patrick Ryan, for the 119th Congress. In a room on Capitol Hill packed with leaders from industry, the private capital community and the government we talked about everything from the intent of the Caucus and the Members' ambitious goals for the 119th; to blowing up the contracting system in furtherance of systemic acquisition reform; to the signals that VCs need to continue to underwrite dual-use capability development at scale; to Ford v. Ferrari (IYKYK); and the future of JCIDS. Special thanks to our incredible partners in Reps Wittman's and Ryan's offices - notably MVPs Hallie Coyne and Olivia Mullaney - and to our 'Reaction Panel' special guests Colin Carroll, Liz Young McNally, Dan T. and Michael Brown.

We’re excited to share a major milestone for SVDG: the launch of our open-source?Industry Collaboration Toolkit! ?? Check out the Toolkit on our website: https://lnkd.in/eRF3MBf3 This Toolkit includes three sets of educational documents tailored for negotiations between “Primes” and “Defense Innovation Companies”: Non-Disclosure Agreement Memorandum of Understanding Financial Rider Each agreement includes an accessible explanation of the language and companion documents highlighting possible considerations during a negotiation. Additionally, you will find two accompanying videos explaining the initiative’s background and some tips from our industry partners on how to best employ the educational documents. Developed with input from our community and in collaboration with lawyers at Fenwick & West, these documents will empower the defense ecosystem by simplifying complex negotiations and fostering stronger, more effective partnerships among companies of all sizes and growth potentials. Special thanks go to the industry partners featured in our educational videos for their time and effort: Patrick Grilli (Fenwick) Katie Norton (Microsoft) John Dulin (Modern Intelligence) JC Sullivan (Vannevar Labs)

SVDG is proud to announce our inaugural Industry Council! ?? The Council convenes members of the Defense Industrial Base and private capital to build a strong foundation of talent, which our organization can draw on for expertise and insight into the state of the Ecosystem. We strive to connect the people, ideas, and capital that power national security innovation and keep the U.S. and our Allies safe. To accomplish our mission, we want to best understand and represent the vision of all members of the Emerging Technology Readiness Ecosystem. The Industry Council will help us achieve this goal by providing industry input on SVDG programming and governance, shaping the organization’s long-term vision, and facilitating cross-industry cooperation. Additionally, we look forward to members of the Industry Council championing SVDG’s mission through their work and networks! Paul Kadzielski, CSA Remy Hammes Brian MacCarthy Jonathan Price Patrick Grilli Theodore M Estwan Rob Watson Matthew Jeppson Ben Goodwin Connor Love Chris Moran Leigh Madden David "Dave" Goulet Stephanie Bonk Martin Slosarik Mark Brunner Veronica Daigle Daniel Ateya Michael Hauser Jason Schmid Maureen Gannon Rapha?l N.

We are excited to be headed to #DisruptorsInTheDesert in February! Let’s drive innovation, foster collaboration, and disrupt the status quo—together. ?? Hope to see you there! ??

Congratulations to Overland AI on their $32M Series A funding! Overland AI develops autonomous ground systems that aim to protect military personnel in contested environments. With this investment, they plan to enhance their technology to be more user-friendly, quicker to implement, and better integrated with defense infrastructure.

?? Join Us for the Next SVDG Talks! ?? Date: January 10, 2025 | 12pm-1:15pmET ?? Location: Streamed on LinkedIn ?? Topic: Moving to a Threat-Based Approach in the Acquisition System For decades, the Department of Defense has operated under a?capability-based acquisition system—focusing on optimizing the production and procurement of traditional means of military power. But in today’s rapidly evolving technological, industrial, and operational landscape,?adapting to a threat-based approach?is critical to maintaining strategic advantage. Together, we’ll explore contracting’s role in enabling this critical shift and discuss: ?? Defining requirements based on?operational effects and outcomes. ?? Adopting a?more flexible budgeting process?that allows for reprogramming in real time. ?? Leveraging?agile acquisition pathways and?contracting vehicles?to quickly procure capabilities in tranches—treating them more like munitions that will be attrited over time and replenished. Don’t miss this timely conversation moderated by Ben McNally with insights from: ? Nathan Diller (Divergent) ? Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Cameron Holt (Exiger) ? Matt MacGregor (Anduril) Together, they’ll explore the state of defense acquisitions and the potential pathways of transitioning to a model that enables rapid adoption of lower-cost, software-defined, hardware-enabled, commercially derived technologies. ?? Register now and tune in LIVE on LinkedIn! #DefenseInnovation #ThreatBasedApproach #NationalSecurity #SVDGTalks

??Ready to rethink defense acquisition? Join us this Friday for an engaging discussion on how a threat-based approach can help continue to transform the Department of Defense —featuring insights from an all-star panel of industry leaders. Don’t miss it—register now and join the conversation live on LinkedIn!

?? Join Us for the Next SVDG Talks! ?? Date: January 10, 2025 | 12pm-1:15pmET ?? Location: Streamed on LinkedIn ?? Topic: Moving to a Threat-Based Approach in the Acquisition System For decades, the Department of Defense has operated under a?capability-based acquisition system—focusing on optimizing the production and procurement of traditional means of military power. But in today’s rapidly evolving technological, industrial, and operational landscape,?adapting to a threat-based approach?is critical to maintaining strategic advantage. Together, we’ll explore contracting’s role in enabling this critical shift and discuss: ?? Defining requirements based on?operational effects and outcomes. ?? Adopting a?more flexible budgeting process?that allows for reprogramming in real time. ?? Leveraging?agile acquisition pathways and?contracting vehicles?to quickly procure capabilities in tranches—treating them more like munitions that will be attrited over time and replenished. Don’t miss this timely conversation moderated by Ben McNally with insights from: ? Nathan P. Diller (Divergent) ? Bonnie Evangelista (Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office) ? Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Cameron Holt (Exiger) ? Matt MacGregor (Anduril) Together, they’ll explore the state of defense acquisitions and the potential pathways of transitioning to a model that enables rapid adoption of lower-cost, software-defined, hardware-enabled, commercially derived technologies. ?? Register now and tune in LIVE on LinkedIn! #DefenseInnovation #ThreatBasedApproach #NationalSecurity #SVDGTalks