Generals in the Startup Trenches: Leading Defense Tech from Frontlines to Frontiers | The Pair Program Ep75

In this episode of The Pair Program, hosts Tim Winkler and Mike Gruen sit down with two retired Army generals turned tech executives, LTG Eric Wesley, former CEO of Parasanti Inc, and LTG Ross Coffman, President of Forward Edge AI. They discuss how military leadership translates into startup success, what it takes to build culture from scratch, and how dual-use innovation can strengthen both national defense and commercial sectors.

Key Topics Covered:

• Leading teams through transition and uncertainty
• Building culture in early-stage startups
• The realities of defense-tech bureaucracy
• How military experience informs innovation

About LTG Eric Wesley (USA, Ret): Eric is the former CEO of Parasanti Inc, an edge compute company serving the Department of Defense. He previously served as Deputy Commander of Army Futures Command and led the development of the Army’s Multi-Domain Operations concept.

About LTG Ross Coffman (USA, Ret): Ross is the President of Forward Edge AI and a Board Member of The Federal Savings Bank. He served over 35 years in the U.S. Army, culminating as Deputy Commander of Army Futures Command, and now advises multiple companies on innovation and leadership.

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