SXSW 2023

A New Era of Venture Capital Backed Defense

Description:

The invention of GPS. The internet. Radios. Jet engines. Silicon Valley’s first IPO. All transformative moments that have changed society, invented by the military.
Many of the technologies that underpin our daily lives have their roots in government grants, research, or contracts. But the same could not be said of today’s inventions. When did the paths of innovation and establishment diverge? What can be done to bring them back together? This session will explore the so-called “valley of death” that has emerged – where companies can’t sustain the years-long time between R&D and government contract – and how venture capital is stepping up to bridge that critical gap. With industry, investors, and government working together, can re-gain the spirit of innovation in aerospace and defense?

Other Resources / Information

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2022/1/26/silicon-valley-takes-on-the-valley-of-death

Takeaways

  1. An understanding Silicon Valley’s historical relationship with – and origins in – defense
  2. Why venture capital has traditionally shied away from capital-intensive, longer-term projects – and how this perspective is shifting
  3. How to instill this entrepreneurial ethos into other traditional industries ripe for innovation

Speakers

  • Bo Marr, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Epirus
  • Joe Lonsdale, Managing Partner, 8VC

Organizer

Sarah Lawson, Communications Manager, Epirus

Meta Information:

  • Event: SXSW
  • Format: Panel
  • Track: Startups
  • Track 2
  • Level: Intermediate
Show me another idea

Add Comments

comments powered by Disqus

SXSW reserves the right to restrict access to or availability of comments related to PanelPicker proposals that it considers objectionable.