From Civilian to Defence Use

Saleel Awsare, the CEO & President of Lantronix shares why drones need AI processing on board rather than in the cloud and how the company's new “Spotter” board addresses this need. You will also learn how Lantronix, a company with no defense background got into the market in mere two years. Today's guest describes growing defense revenue from zero to $12.6M with over 30 customers, starting from a single drone customer. Further, we will talk about defence trade shows, ecosystem partnerships, lobbying, supply chain security, and competing against fast-moving products from competitors.What will you learn from this episode?Why do fixed algorithms fail in battle scenarios?How a board smaller than a phone is meant to replace the “glued together from Chinese parts” prototype approach?Supply chain security: NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) and TAA (Trade Agreements Act) compliance & Blue UAS certification.What is the modern battlefield dynamic, and the leading cause of deaths?How swarming addresses the shortage of pilots?How to enter defense as a civilian company?

Sensors and weapons from different manufacturers, services, and nations often can't share data, creating "silos" that an attacker can exploit. Today's gust, Niall Greenwood from Neuron Innovations explains his company's "coordination layer," which sits alongside existing C2 systems and feeds data into them rather than replacing them, allowing any sensor to connect to any effector after a single integration. We will also hear about layered air defence against cheap drones, the problem of vendor lock-in with big defence primes and operating in jammed or communications-denied environments. You will also hear about practical business advice for startups in defence!In this podcast, you will learn:1) How to choose the right OPEX (operational experiment) and get the most of it?2) How to get the most from the NATO DIANA accelerator and why applying to it is worth it, even if you're an experienced founder?3) Why interoperability is a major weakness in defence?4) Why interoperability doesn't require replacing existing systems?5) Why cheap drones demand cost-effective defence, and what is currently done wrong. 6) How all technology can eventually be jammed and what's the solution?7) What to do to accelerate sales of your company? 8) How some governments are making more room for defence procurement?

In this episode of Winning with Defense Tech, Chase, a co-founder of CET specializing in advanced composite materials and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), shares how his experience building sailboats led to developing next-generation underwater technology for the U.S. Navy and NATO allies.Chase shares how carbon fiber can make underwater vehicles lighter, more energy-efficient, cheaper to manufacture, and easier to deploy at scale. He also explains the engineering challenges of operating at extreme depths, the military applications of underwater logistics and persistent surveillance, and the advantages of building vehicles that can be flat-packed and rapidly assembled, just like in IKEA:)In this episode you will learn:1. Why carbon fiber is a game-changer for underwater vehicles. 2. Why testing to failure can be better than relying on simulations alone. 3. How autonomous underwater vehicles can transform military logistics. 4. Why deployment speed and affordability can matter more than technical specifications alone. 5. How to turn government R&D contracts into a scalable business. 6. How to navigate NATO and international defense procurement. 7. How to make military exercises generate business opportunities. 8. Why persistence and strategic focus are essential in defense tech.

Establishing trust in the defence industry is key, but it requires being in it for the right reason, says Fredrik Bruhn, CTO of BruhnBruhn Innovations. Anyone doing it for the money risks producing the wrong kind of technology and struggling with sales. Fredrik shares insights on customer relationships within the industry and learning from the NATO Diana program even as an experienced business owner. He also shares insights on satellite-based real-time intelligence and developing the technology in real-world conditions.In this podcast, you will also learn:• How can next-generation satellites deliver real-time intelligence?• How satellite networks can work together as one system?• Why is interoperability a major challenge for European defence?• How to sell successfully into the defence industry?• How can defence startups get their first customers?• Why must military technology be tested under real-world conditions?• How can startups leverage NATO DIANA to accelerate adoption?• Why does Europe's defence future depend on collaboration and a new mindset?

Why in NATO DIANA the most effective defence accelerator out there? What does it really offer and why should you apply? In this podcast episode, Jyoti Hirani-Driver, the Managing Director of DIANA provides insight into these questions and explains how the program is structured, to provide startups with a “fast track” towards technology adoption. In this podcast you will learn:How defence procurement can be accelerated: weeks instead of months or yearsWhy getting into the right defence innovation programme matters: the value lies in access to important stakeholders, which DIANA offersHow to move from “interesting technology” to “needed capability”: understanding the actual military problem iscritical Why real-world testing matters so much in defence: a pitch deck won’t gain end-users trust or interestHow OPEX can create commercial opportunities: operational exercises can put innovators directlyin front of military users, industry and investorsWhat a defence-focused accelerator actually provides: funding, mentoring, defence education, customerintroductions, technical validation and access to exercisesWhy defence startups need patience and persistence: the timeline in defence technology adoption differsfrom other industriesWhere the defence-tech ecosystem is heading: NATO DIANA combines acceleration, operational testing, procurement pathways, investment connections and ongoing support to help technologies move towards technology adoption

As military operations' reliance on AI increased, the protection of data centres, which keep it functional, became a critical matter. Data centres concentrated in one geographical area pose significant challenges to the security of missions, as such sites can be easily destroyed concurrently. Conversely, distributing them allows them to continue operating even when one „node” is down. Gregory Brook from Bastogne AI explains how using ships plays a crucial role in achieving the above goal and how AI evolves in the defence sector. In this podcast, you will also learn: 1.    Why an ordinary MacBook can outperform decades-old military platforms in raw computing capability. 2.    Why AI cannot simply live in a distant data centre. 3.    What “edge AI” really means in a military context. 4.    Why and how distributed computing can make military systems more resilient. 5.   Why military AI hardware has different requirements from commercial AI hardware.6.    How AI could change the scale of drone operations. 7.    Why Ukraine's experience is so important for defence innovation.

What is being done to make a conference not suck?How does the Resilience Conference and London Defence Tech Week address it?Why should you go to London Defence Tech Week?

Kyrylo Martyniuk and Rasmus Basilier discuss the realities of drone warfare in Ukraine, based on his recent time on the front lines and work in defense technology.They explore how Ukrainian forces use video interceptors to see the same feed as Russian drone pilots, the practical tactics for surviving FPV and fiber optic drone attacks while driving, and the trade-offs between shotguns and rifles for anti-drone defense. Kyrylo shares what actually works in the field — from high-speed evasion to knowing when to abandon a vehicle.The conversation also covers broader developments in the Ukrainian army: recent reforms, the growing role of unmanned ground vehicles, AI-assisted targeting and interception systems, and the push toward greater robotization of combat tasks.Kyrylo explains the current limitations and future potential of fiber optic drones, why they remain difficult to counter, and the engineering challenges involved in making them more reliable. He discusses how Ukrainian units are developing their own solutions on the brigade level and what lessons could be applied elsewhere.They talk about the value of practical experience accumulated over years of adaptation, training programs for drone operators, and how European forces might better integrate real-world knowledge from Ukraine.A grounded, detailed look at modern warfare, technology, and the human decisions shaping the conflict.Listen to understand the tactical and technical realities that define the fighting in Ukraine today.Kyrylo's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyrylo-martyniuk-5b223a2a5/Rasmus' Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rasmusbasilier/

He is a senior officer in the Swiss army’s drone and robotic division, red teaming specialist, and founder of a company focused on transformation capabilities and wargaming in defense tech.Gregory explains how he stress-tests military technology by asking one core question: “How can the enemy defeat this?”Drawing on lessons from the war in Ukraine and modern drone warfare, he discusses why many defense startups and traditional forces face challenges when new technology meets real battlefield conditions. He outlines a practical methodology for red teaming and wargaming, the kill chain framework, and how to identify vulnerabilities in your product before deployment.You’ll learn:Why brute force thinking often falls short and the importance of considering the opponent’s perspectiveHow to role-play as the enemy using OSINT and structured scenariosThe difference between focused red teaming and large-scale wargamingWhy elements like camouflage and counter-UAS systems are increasingly criticalKey realities about how current conflicts are unfoldingThis conversation offers a clear framework for evaluating defense technology with intellectual honesty and strategic depth. Whether you work in defense tech, strategy, or are interested in the future of warfare, it provides useful insights into building more resilient solutions.Gregory shares practical experience from someone actively working in the field.

Persistent surveillance is no longer a future capability. It is becoming an operational necessity.In our latest podcast conversation with the team at Marble, we explored one of the biggest gaps in maritime and Arctic security: the lack of continuous situational awareness across critical infrastructure, sea lanes, and remote operating environments.Traditional systems can provide snapshots. Satellites pass overhead. Aircraft can be deployed when something happens. But neither creates true persistence.Marble is approaching the problem differently.By combining autonomous high speed drones with localized hangar infrastructure, their system is designed to deliver continuous coverage across vast maritime areas. The result is the ability to monitor up to 15,000 square kilometers per day while maintaining rapid response and autonomous redeployment.This is not just about drones. It is about rethinking how nations, operators, and organizations protect cables, coastlines, shipping routes, and critical assets in an increasingly contested environment.A fascinating discussion on defence innovation, autonomous systems, and the future of maritime surveillance.