This Episode:

The Goat Rodeo crew breaks down the recent U.S. raid targeting Venezuelan leadership and what it signals about American power and priorities in the Western Hemisphere. They discuss why these actions matter beyond Venezuela, how they fit into broader great-power competition, and what they suggest about future U.S. posture closer to home.

The conversation then shifts to defense acquisition reform. The guys unpack how changes inside the Army and DoD could reshape requirements, funding authority, and timelines, and what that means for companies trying to sell real capabilities instead of slide decks.

They also touch on the state of the defense market, recent capital flows, and how policy, operations, and acquisition are increasingly colliding in ways that will define the next few years for the defense ecosystem.

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare.

Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2mTJ1oJEgB3rCbQouCL7XD?si=9b2647b843144469

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/goat-rodeo/id1801310605

YouTube: youtube.com/@GoatRodeoPodcast

This Episode:

Garrett and Simon break down a busy week across defense, geopolitics, and venture capital. They cover the continued surge of mega-rounds in defense tech, why the market feels unusually frothy heading into 2026, and what these investment patterns signal for startups, primes, and buyers.

On the geopolitical front, they discuss the recent U.S. strikes against Venezuelan cartel targets and what it may indicate about future policy posture in the Western Hemisphere. They also touch on shifting dynamics in Europe and how great-power competition continues to shape U.S. defense priorities.

The episode wraps with a look at how government behavior, market cycles, and emerging threats are all converging to create one of the most complex operating environments the defense sector has seen in years.

00:00- Christmas Banter, Rip Its, and Holiday Chaos

03:00- The Battle Lab & Why Real-World Testing Matters

06:00- Venezuela Strikes, A Warning Shot or Something Bigger?

12:30- China, Taiwan, and What “Deterrence” Really Means

18:30- Frothy Venture Markets & 2025’s Mega-Rounds

25:30- Can Defense Startups Scale? Primes vs. New Primes

32:00- SBIR Reauthorization Delays & What It Means for Startups

37:00- NDAA, Full-Year CR Risks & Closing Thoughts

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare.

Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2mTJ1oJEgB3rCbQouCL7XD?si=9b2647b843144469

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/goat-rodeo/id1801310605

YouTube: youtube.com/@GoatRodeoPodcast

This Episode:

The Goat Rodeo crew is joined by Garrett Asta from Houlihan Lokey. The guys break down Steve Witkoff’s Ukraine peace plan, why Simon still sees no path to near-term peace, and a surprising cultural moment involving Limp Bizkit and Estonia. Then it’s onto the big stuff: major venture raises, billion-dollar outfits gearing up for IPOs, and what an incoming M&A wave could mean for valuations across the sector.

And yes, they get into Anduril’s rough week, the limits of “fail forward,” and why unfinished prototypes can become real risks for warfighters.

Chapters:

00:00–03:00 Chit chat and light banter

03:00–06:00 Introducing guest Garrett Asta

06:00–10:00 Ukraine “peace plan” reactions

10:00–13:00 Limp Bizkit cancelled in Estonia

13:00–17:00 Why Simon sees no peace coming soon

17:00–22:00 Big venture deals and billion-dollar raises

22:00–27:00 Defense market trends and M&A wave expectations

27:00–31:00 IPO prep and valuation concerns

31:00–35:00 Programs of record vs capabilities of record

35:00–38:00 Breaking news about two National Guardsmen

38:00–43:00 Selling prototypes, IRAD spending, DoD barriers

43:00–47:00 TRL, IRL, MRL and investor misconceptions

47:00–51:00 The risks of scaling defense manufacturing

51:00–55:00 Anduril hype cycles and product failure discussion

55:00–58:00 CCA, Fury test failure, and DoD risk tolerance

58:00–1:00:44 Thanksgiving food talk and closing thoughts

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare.

Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2mTJ1oJEgB3rCbQouCL7XD?si=9b2647b843144469

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/goat-rodeo/id1801310605

YouTube: youtube.com/@GoatRodeoPodcast