Veteran Ventures Capital

*Incredible Opportunity* full-tuition scholarship MBA here at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business for nonprofit or government leaders ?? Chicago Booth’s Civic Scholars Program offers full-tuition MBA scholarships to professionals who work in a 501(c) nonprofit or government organization. Interested applicants to the Evening/Weekend MBA Programs can sign up to attend a Civic Scholars Program virtual info session on Thursday, March 27 or Tuesday, April 29, from 5-6 p.m. CDT. If you have specific questions - feel free to reach out to Wai-Sinn Chan with The Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation Link to March 27 info session registration>>?https://lnkd.in/g7EbT2m7? Link to April 29 info session registration>>?https://lnkd.in/gu9cYRBK #BoothCivicScholarsProgram

The Future of National Security Lies at a Crossroads — Are We Moving Fast Enough ? ? ? Michael A. Brown's recent Forbes article, "Thriving Amid Chaos: Defense Tech Poised to Scale," makes it clear — the defense sector is undergoing a fundamental shift, and the companies that succeed will be those that can rapidly integrate cutting-edge technology into mission - critical operations. ? At Veteran Ventures Capital, we believe the future of defense innovation and national security will be won at the intersection of three critical forces: ? 1?? Warfighter-Driven Solutions – Real operational needs must drive tech development. As Admiral Paparo put it at POST, “Threats do not respect our acquisition timelines — we have to move faster.” Defense tech must align directly with COCOM priorities and warfighter requirements. ? 2?? The Right Team & Technology – Technology alone doesn’t win wars — teams do. The best defense innovators aren’t just engineers; they are mission-driven teams who understand how to turn cutting-edge capabilities into deployable solutions. ? 3?? Private Capital for Speed & Scale – The DoD’s traditional acquisition timelines are too slow to keep pace with modern threats. Venture-backed companies can move at the speed of combat — accelerating go-to-market and scaling innovations in partnership with DoD and commercial customers. ? Brown’s article highlights how policy tailwinds, increasing defense budgets ($100B–$150B proposed in new spending), and a shift toward autonomy, AI, cyber, and space capabilities are creating massive opportunities for those companies building in these spaces. Now is the time to move fast and deliver the solutions that will define the future of national security. ? At Veteran Ventures Capital, we’re backing the companies operating at this intersection — where real defense needs, cutting-edge capability, and private capital converge to drive true innovation. ? Thanks to Michael A. Brown for continuing to push this important conversation forward. #vvc #veteranventures #privatecapital #venturecapital #defensetech #nationalsecuritytech #dualusetech #innovation #change #veteranleaders #vetrepreneurs #mission https://lnkd.in/e5k6CJ98 Derren Burrell Joshua Weed Craig Jaques Steve Kiser Paul Woolard

Big Wins Across Our Veteran Ventures Capital's Portfolio to Kick-off the Week: ? ?? Phase Four Secures SpaceWERX TACFI Award for Advanced Propulsion Development: ? Exciting news from VVC's in-space propulsion company, Phase Four (Fund I)! They’ve been selected for a Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) award under SpaceWERX latest cycle, reinforcing their groundbreaking work in multi-mode propulsion systems for next-generation space mobility. This funding accelerates their mission to revolutionize in-space maneuverability and responsiveness, both of which are critical for national security and commercial space operations ??? . Congratulations to the other TACFI and STRATFI awardees! ? ?? More on SpaceWERX TACFI selections: https://lnkd.in/dDg98ESK ? ?? Cambium Strengthens Leadership with Board Addition: VVC's advanced materials innovation portfolio company, Cambium (Fund I), continues to expand its strategic vision with the appointment of Brett Schneider as an independent Board Director. With deep experience in advanced materials and industrial innovation, Brett will help guide Cambium’s next phase of growth as they scale their advanced manufacturing solutions ?? . ? ?? Read more on Cambium’s leadership expansion: https://lnkd.in/d4jJkVjt ? Our team takes pride in backing veteran-led and mission-driven companies pushing the boundaries of innovation in dual-use national security technologies. Congratulations to the teams at Phase Four and Cambium on these significant announcements! ? #veteranventures #vvc #spacetech #advancedmaterials #nationalsecuritytech #defensetech #dualusetech #veteranleadership Derren Burrell Joshua Weed Craig Jaques Steve Kiser Paul Woolard Jason Wallace M Umair Siddiqui Simon Waddington Stephan Herrera Nicholas Madren James Griffin Timothy Gardner

Great to see this hit the feed today. The melding of my two worlds is always a good day. I met Michael DeSa in the early days of Veteran Ventures Capital spinning up. We found a host of common connections from back ‘home’ in the midwest. Then met Brice Myers a year ago via the local veteran entrepreneur ecosystem. Brice has been a great addition to both rosters and has helped others learn from his experience at the Nashville Ag Club events. No suprise that he is leaning in to help his fellow veterans navigate the ag sector as well. Onward and Upward as we protect our country and feed the world!

Great addition to the Board at our portfolio company, Cambium. Continued progress toward a key focus area of the DoD now enabled further by another high-quality advisor.

Veteran Ventures Capital’s Managing Partner, Derren Burrell, is looking forward to participating in VIPC | Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation’s Fireside Chat tomorrow with fellow investors and host, Tate Beasley. We’re going to be discussing due diligence and sharing what our team looks for when evaluating companies. An important topic for startups seeking capital and a deeper understanding of institutional VC diligence. Registration link in comments and in VIPC | Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation’s post below. We hope you’ll join us there!

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s SBIR/STTR programs have been a catalyst for U.S. innovation for over forty years. These programs provide small businesses an opportunity to develop solutions for federal R&D capability requirements and bridge the gap to commercialization by providing non-dilutive funding that enables scalable growth in both defense and commercial markets ?? . SBIRs/STTRs are just the starting point. To truly scale and make an impact, companies must focus on transitioning from R&D projects to programs of record, securing commercial partnerships, and developing sustainable revenue models. The alignment between private capital and companies delivering mission-critical solutions for defense and commercial markets is critical to maintaining America’s technological edge. At Veteran Ventures Capital, we’ve seen how SBIR/STTR-backed startups can grow into industry leaders. The ones that truly succeed don’t stop there. They execute, deliver, and expand, ensuring their innovations strengthen our warfighters, our economy, and our national security for the long term. We appreciate David Rothzeid's testimony today, alongside others, to advocate the SBIR/STTR program and its continuous modernization ?? . Thank you for the post and bringing this testimony to the attention of a wider audience National Venture Capital Association. #sbir #sttr #venturecapital #nationalsecurity #defensetech #dualusetech #innovation #commercialization #vvc #venturecapital #privatecapital

?? Defense Innovation at the Speed of Combat ?? At the National Defense Industrial Association - (NDIA) Pacific Operational Science and Technology (POST) conference yesterday, Admiral Paparo delivered a clear message: threats don’t respect our acquisition timelines, and our institutional barriers are slowing down our ability to respond. The challenge isn’t technological, it’s bureaucratic. Our Takeaways for Defense Innovation: ?? Enhance the old, build the new – Integrate AI, autonomy, and unmanned systems into existing platforms to extend capability. ?? Streamline acquisition – Procurement at the speed of combat, not committees. Risk management has become the risk. ?? Leverage allied co-production – U.S. and partner manufacturing capacity is a strategic advantage we need to unlock. ?? Commercial innovation is leading defense – The 1950s were government-led; today, industry drives breakthrough technologies. ?? Legal risk aversion slows progress – Troops accept physical risk daily, but leaders hesitate on legal risk. This must change. The Triangle of Defense Tech Success ?? Our team at Veteran Ventures Capital believes the future of defense innovation and national security will be won at the intersection of three critical forces: 1?? Deep understanding of COCOM and warfighter requirements – real operational needs must drive tech development. 2?? Building the right team & technology – not just advanced engineering, but capability-focused solutions. 3?? Private capital to accelerate go-to-market & scalability – the DoD’s timelines are too slow. Venture-backed companies can move fast and deliver rapid impact - in partnership with DoD customers. Our team at Veteran Ventures Capital is investing in companies operating at this nexus — where dual-use technology, operational requirements, and private capital align to drive meaningful, scalable innovation. The demand signal from DoD is loud and clear: we need innovation at the speed of combat, not contracts. #natsec #dualusetech #defensetech #venturecapital #cocom #veteranleaders #vvc #veteranventurescapital

Hidden Level Inc. is growing! A big milestone as they welcome their 100th team member! A Veteran Ventures Capital portfolio company, Hidden Level is pushing the boundaries of non-kinetic counter-UAS technologies, providing real-time airspace awareness for national security and critical infrastructure. Interested in working with a fantastic technology, team, and mission? Explore open roles and be part of their journey: https://lnkd.in/gT36ghJ3 #hiddenlevel #counterUAS #dualusetech #vvc #nationalsecuritytech #hiring