From Sidewalks to Scale: What It Actually Takes to Build Real-World Robotics | The Pair Program Ep96

What does it take to turn autonomous robotics from a demo into real-world infrastructure? In this episode of The Pair Program, Paige Craig, Managing Partner at Outlander VC, and Zach Rash, Co-founder & CEO at Coco, discuss scaling autonomous delivery, building operational moats through real-world data, navigating regulation and reliability, and what separates successful robotics companies from the rest. They also explore the future of physical AI and the founder traits behind category-defining businesses.

What we cover in this episode:

• Why real-world deployment matters more than perfect demos
• Building operational moats in robotics and physical AI
• The economics and challenges of last-mile delivery
• How autonomous systems learn from real-world data
• Reliability as the key to scaling logistics networks
• The future impact of autonomy across industries
• Founder-market fit and what investors look for in exceptional founders

About Paige Craig: Paige is the Managing Partner of Outlander VC, where he invests in founders building category-defining companies. A former Marine Corps officer and entrepreneur, he successfully scaled a national security company before transitioning into venture capital, backing companies such as Lyft, SpaceX, and AngelList early in their growth.

About Zach Rash: Zach is the CEO and co-founder of Coco, an autonomous delivery company focused on transforming last-mile logistics. Since launching the company, he has helped expand autonomous delivery services across multiple cities while advancing sustainable, technology-driven solutions for urban transportation.

This episode is supported by Defense Unicorns

Defense Unicorns builds platform technologies that help deliver mission-critical capabilities faster and more reliably. Their open architecture approach enables secure, scalable systems without vendor lock, creating flexibility across the software ecosystem. Backed by a team of engineers, innovators, and veterans, they bring deep experience across defense and federal tech.

Get in touch at hello@defenseunicorns.com

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Designing the Impossible: AI, Quantum Mechanics, and the Future of Materials | The Pair Program Ep95

In this episode of The Pair Program, we’re joined by Joseph Krause, Co-Founder and CEO of Radical AI, and Nathan Doctor, Founder and Managing Partner of Infinite Capital, for a conversation on the future of AI-driven scientific discovery and the rise of physical AI. From autonomous labs and materials science to robotics, semiconductors, and frontier tech investing, the discussion explores how breakthroughs in the physical world could define the next era of innovation.

What the conversation explores:

• Why the traditional scientific process is too slow for modern innovation
• How self-driving labs could transform materials discovery
• The importance of failed experiments and “messy data” in AI systems
• Why materials science may unlock the next major technological breakthroughs
• The growing intersection of AI, robotics, hardware, and the physical world
• How founders and investors think about long-term, world-changing innovation

About Joseph Krause:

Joseph is the co-founder and CEO of Radical AI, a company building autonomous research systems to accelerate breakthroughs in materials science. His background includes military research, semiconductor innovation, and deep tech investing through roles at Army DEVCOM and AlleyCorp. Joseph is focused on using AI to reshape how scientific and industrial innovation happens at scale.

About Nathan Doctor:

Nathan is the Founder and Managing Partner of Infinite Capital, focused on investing in emerging technologies across AI, aerospace, autonomy, and decentralized systems. Before Infinite, he founded Codewars and Qualified, platforms centered on developer education and technical assessment.

This episode is supported by Defense Unicorns

Defense Unicorns builds platform technologies that help deliver mission-critical capabilities faster and more reliably. Their open architecture approach enables secure, scalable systems without vendor lock, creating flexibility across the software ecosystem. Backed by a team of engineers, innovators, and veterans, they bring deep experience across defense and federal tech.

Get in touch at hello@defenseunicorns.com

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From Services to Software: How Dual-Use AI Companies Actually Scale Inside Government | The Pair Program Ep94

In this episode of The Pair Program, we’re joined by Darren Kimura, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AI Squared, and Abir Ray, CEO of Expression, for a deep dive into what it really takes to scale AI in complex, high-stakes environments. From the “last mile” problem in AI adoption to the realities of deploying technology in government systems, this conversation explores where innovation meets execution, and what breaks along the way.

Inside the episode:

• Why embedding AI into real workflows is harder than building the models
• The “last mile” problem and what it takes to operationalize AI
• How cognitive overload impacts decision-making in AI-driven environments
• The shift from services to scalable software platforms
• Why human-in-the-loop systems are still critical
• What breaks when moving from pilot to production, and how to fix it

About Darren Kimura: Darren is a technology executive, entrepreneur, and venture investor with 30+ years of experience across AI, enterprise software, cybersecurity, and energy. He currently leads AI Squared, focused on secure enterprise and federal AI deployment.

About Abir Ray: Abir is the CEO of Expression, a defense technology firm specializing in AI/ML systems, cloud-native platforms, and cybersecurity. He also teaches at Cornell and is an expert in spectrum operations and trustworthy AI.

This episode is supported by Defense Unicorns

Defense Unicorns builds platform technologies that help deliver mission-critical capabilities faster and more reliably. Their open architecture approach enables secure, scalable systems without vendor lock, creating flexibility across the software ecosystem. Backed by a team of engineers, innovators, and veterans, they bring deep experience across defense and federal tech.

Get in touch at hello@defenseunicorns.com

Exploring your next tech role? Get insider job advice and the latest startup & govtech openings – delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe here: https://www.myhatchpad.com/newsletter/

From Chip to Constellation: Building a New Global Network in Space | The Pair Program Ep93

In this episode of The Pair Program, we sit down with Jonathan Dyer, Co-Founder & CEO of Muon Space, and Alex Haro, Co-Founder & CEO of Hubble, to explore how space is evolving from exploration to infrastructure. From Bluetooth-powered satellites to scalable constellation manufacturing, this conversation dives into what it takes to build the next layer of global connectivity and why the future of space looks a lot more like software than rockets.

What you’ll get from it:

• How Bluetooth is being used to connect devices directly to space
• Why traditional satellite models couldn’t scale and what’s replacing them
• The shift from bespoke spacecraft to repeatable, software-driven systems
• Real-world applications across supply chain, agriculture, and defense
• Why space is becoming invisible infrastructure for everyday technology

About Jonathan Dyer: Jonathan is the Co-Founder & CEO of Muon Space, building mission-optimized satellite constellations for commercial and national security use. He has led development of industry-shaping products across aerospace and geospatial tech at Skybox Imaging, Google, and Lyft. His work focuses on scaling space infrastructure to make it more accessible, repeatable, and impactful.

About Alex Haro: Alex Haro is the Co-Founder & CEO of Hubble, creating a satellite-powered Bluetooth network for global connectivity. He previously co-founded Life360, scaling it to over 90 million users and leading the company to IPO. Alex has been recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30 and holds multiple patents in location and PNT technologies.

This episode is supported by Defense Unicorns

Defense Unicorns builds platform technologies that help deliver mission-critical capabilities faster and more reliably. Their open architecture approach enables secure, scalable systems without vendor lock, creating flexibility across the software ecosystem. Backed by a team of engineers, innovators, and veterans, they bring deep experience across defense and federal tech.

Get in touch at hello@defenseunicorns.com

Exploring your next tech role? Get insider job advice and the latest startup & govtech openings – delivered straight to your inbox.

Subscribe here: https://www.myhatchpad.com/newsletter/

Mission Speed: How Commercial Innovation Is Reshaping Defense Acquisition | The Pair Program Ep92

In this episode of The Pair Program, we sit down with Darian Harris, Founding GP of Connected Capital and co-founder of Fuse Accelerator, and Drew Trojanowski, President and CEO of the Southwest Mission Acceleration Center (MAC), to unpack what it really takes to move innovation at mission speed. From navigating defense acquisition to scaling dual-use startups, they share how founders and operators can bridge the gap between commercial traction and government adoption.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Why “speed” in defense isn’t always about moving faster
• The real bottlenecks in DoD acquisition and innovation pipelines
• How dual-use startups can avoid the “valley of death”
• Building ecosystems that actually help technology reach the mission
• Why partnerships matter more than ever in scaling innovation

About Drew Trojanowski: Drew is President & CEO of the Southwest Mission Acceleration Center (MAC), where he leads mission-driven innovation across national security ecosystems. His background spans the White House, Capitol Hill, Arizona State University, and a decade in the U.S. Army as a scout/sniper.

About Darian Harris: Darian is Founding GP of Connected Capital and co-founder of Fuse Accelerator. A seasoned entrepreneur, he focuses on helping scale-stage startups grow across commercial and government markets, supporting founders in turning traction into long-term impact.

Exploring your next tech role? Get insider job advice and the latest startup & govtech openings – delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe here: https://www.myhatchpad.com/newsletter/

Contested Logistics Reimagined: The Case for Dual-Use Air Systems | The Pair Program Ep91

In this episode of The Pair Program, we’re joined by Arthur Dubois, CEO of Grid Aero, and Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Leonard Kosinski, Chief Strategy Officer at Air Space Intelligence. From autonomous aircraft to AI-powered logistics, they break down how supply chains are being rethought for a world where speed, scale, and resilience are critical. The conversation dives into what’s broken today, and how founders and operators are building systems that can actually keep up.

In this conversation, we get into:

• Why logistics is becoming the limiting factor in modern operations
• How contested logistics is changing the way systems are designed
• The trade-offs between building advanced tech vs. building at scale
• What autonomy actually looks like in aviation today
• How AI is helping teams make faster, better decisions

About Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Leonard Kosinski: Leonard is a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant general and Chief Strategy Officer at Air Space Intelligence. Over a 30+ year career, he led global logistics and multinational operations, including his final role on the Joint Staff shaping logistics for the Department of Defense. He also serves as a Senior Fellow at the National Defense University.

About Arthur Dubois: Arthur is the CEO of Grid Aero and an aerospace engineer focused on autonomous aircraft and next-generation flight systems. He has led aircraft programs from concept through flight and helped scale teams at companies like Joby Aviation. He previously led engineering at Xwing, working on advanced autonomy systems.

Exploring your next tech role? Get insider job advice and the latest startup & govtech openings – delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe here: https://www.myhatchpad.com/newsletter/

Building Tech For Tactical Decision Dominance | The Pair Program Ep90

In this episode of The Pair Program, we sit down with Garrett Smith, Founder & CEO of Reveal Technology, and Les Craig, General Partner at Next Frontier Capital. Together, they explore how new technologies are reshaping the tactical edge and what it takes to build and fund defense startups that deliver real capability for operators in the field. From battlefield insight to venture investment strategy, the conversation highlights how founders and investors are working together to bring advanced tools into modern defense environments.

Key topics include:

1. How drone-based 3D mapping is improving situational awareness in real time
2. What it takes to build a defense startup that actually gets adopted by operators
3. The realities of scaling a venture-backed company in the defense ecosystem
4. Why capital efficiency and disciplined growth matter in defense tech
5. How founders and investors evaluate opportunities in the evolving defense market

About Garrett Smith: Garrett is the Founder and CEO of Reveal Technology, a defense technology company building software that transforms drone video into real-time 3D maps for operational environments. A Marine Corps Force Recon veteran and active reservist, Garrett combines frontline experience with Silicon Valley innovation to develop tools designed to improve situational awareness for teams operating in complex terrain.

About Les Craig: Les is a General Partner at Next Frontier Capital, where he focuses on early-stage technology investments. Prior to joining the firm, Les co-founded cybersecurity company RedOwl Analytics, later acquired by Forcepoint. His background also includes roles at the CIA, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, and service as a U.S. Army officer supporting special operations missions.

Exploring your next tech role? Get insider job advice and the latest startup & govtech openings – delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe here: https://www.myhatchpad.com/newsletter/

Policy to Production: Fielding Faster, Governing Smarter | The Pair Program Ep89

In this episode, we sit down with Michael Weigand, Founder & CEO at Aventra, and Joshua Stiefel, Vice President for Government Relations at Second Front, to explore what it really takes to move defense technology from idea to execution. The conversation centers on the practical challenges of building, scaling, and adopting new capabilities inside government systems, where speed, policy, and production all collide. From acquisition realities to the future of cyber warfare, this episode offers a grounded look at how innovation actually reaches the field.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

1. Transitioning defense tech from prototype to production
2. Manufacturing readiness and scaling under real constraints
3. Acquisition pathways that enable faster adoption
4. The role of policy in shaping innovation outcomes
5. Cyber warfare, force structure, and what comes next

About Michael Weigand: Michael is Founder & CEO at Aventra, focused on deploying next-generation defense technologies. He previously founded Shift5, scaling it into a venture-backed defense software company. He now supports emerging national security startups as an Entrepreneur in Residence.

About Joshua Stiefel: Joshua is Vice President for Government Relations at Second Front, a public benefit software company serving national security missions. He previously worked on cyber and defense policy for the House Armed Services Committee. Josh also served in the executive branch and the U.S. Navy Reserve.

Exploring your next tech role? Get insider job advice and the latest startup & govtech openings – delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe here: https://www.myhatchpad.com/newsletter/