Why has Silicon Valley warmed to the Department of Defense? One reason is that the Pentagon is increasingly relying on Silicon Valley for technology development. For example, Google backed away from a Pentagon government contract because thousands of employees protested that its tech might be used for lethal drone targeting. However, today, Silicon Valley has far fewer qualms about developing tech for the U.S. Department of Defense. This is likely because the DOD has been very clear in stating that its technology will not be used to target civilians or violate human rights.
The slide present by the four investors at today’s startup event for military veterans told a story. Over the past few years, they said that they have seen an unprecedented interest among founders and entrepreneurs in national security broadly – something that Steve Bowsher, In-Q-Tel president and longtime participant in startup events for military veterans noted he has never seen before. Trae Stephens of Founders Fund, Bilal Zuberi of Lux Capital, Raj Shah of Shield Capital, and Steve Bowsher all highlighted some notable startups working on various aspects of national security such as Sentient Technologies (whose technology helps with filtering out Fake News) or Crowdstrike (a cyber security company). Each company is employing unique methods to help keep our nation safe from a wide range of threats – showing just how much there is to be done in this space.
The contention that Silicon Valley is unwilling to work with the Defense Department and intel community is often overblown. Across his 16 year with In-Q-Tel, which is the CIA’s venture fund, Bowsher has met with roughly 1,000 companies each year and just “five to 10 have turned us down, saying they weren’t interested in working with the customers we represent.” This indicates that there may be some genuine reasons for concern about how well aligned these two groups are and whether or not a strong collaboration will result. However, given Silicon Valley’s longstanding reputation as one of America’s leading innovation hubs this issue merits further examination before any definitive judgments can be made.
Sales pitches to the U.S. government can be complex and often involve justifying your product’s unique benefits to a diverse audience, including conservatives who are skeptical of big government, specialists in specific areas who are crucial for vetting your technology, and bureaucrats tasked with implementing regulations. In order for your product to be successful selling to the U.S., it is important that you understanding everything from how the government buys products and services to dealing with bureaucratic red tape
To avoid mission creep, a startup should keep track of its original goals and focus on commercial customers first. It should also be transparent about its dealings with the government, and always keep in mind the original purpose for starting the company.
For Trae Stephens, the founder of Anduril, this kind of gradual shift in objectives is “exactly what makes it hard to do both [cater to civilian enterprises and the government] at an early stage.” He believes that companies like Anduril need to focus on building autonomous weapons systems that meet the needs of both civilian entities andgovernmental agencies if they hope to have a long-term impact on the marketplace. While this may be difficult at first, it is ultimately essential for companies like Anduril to develop exciting products that appealto as many people as possible in order to create a widespread impact.
By doing this, founders can ensure that their product is specifically tailored to the Pentagon’s needs and will likely receive faster approval times. While it may be necessary to tack on some extra features or modifications in order to meet these standards, doing so ultimately saves time and ensures a smooth process from start to finish.
As Stephens put it, “There’s a lot of dogma in the military about what works and does not work.” According to Stephens, Anduril took a more scientific approach to its development. This allows the company to adapt rapidly to changing industry demands and stay ahead of the competition.
If the technology helps the NSA identify certain types of people who are making certain types of calls, and while there are commercial applications for this tech, the government doesn’t want it being released to adversaries, how does this technology get transferred from a proprietary company to the government?
There is no easy answer when it comes to dealing with a mental health emergency. If you are feeling distressed or suicidal, it is important to get the help you need as fast as possible. There are many resources available, including talk therapy and counseling services, 24-hour hotlines, and suicide prevention groups. It can be tough to find the right help
Zuberi’s cautionary tale provides an important reminder for entrepreneurs to always be aware of the implications of their company’s contracts andytantltowardfederalagencies. While such clauses can often come in handy, knowingly accepting them without checking with a more experienced advisor can lead to costly delays and headaches down the road.
AI has created a number of military applications that could improve our soldiers’ effectiveness on the battlefield. For instance, AI can help map an area faster and more accurately than a human, providing commanders with crucial intel in order to make better tactical decisions. Additionally, AI can help identify and respond to potential threats before they cause any real damage.
