Goat Rodeo

Goat Rodeo #27 – Russian Drones in Poland, $290M for Divergent, and Shutdown Watch

This Episode:

Garrett checks in from Taiwan, Simon’s flying the flag for Taiwanese punk, and the crew dives right into a string of escalations: more than 10 Russian drones were shot down over Poland, a provocation with massive implications for U.S. defense companies and foreign military sales.

On the home front, they break down why small companies get punished no matter how good they are, while the big players keep rolling. HIMARS comes up, Divergent announces a staggering $290M Series E, and the Army’s FUZE program raises big questions about spiral-style funding and whether the DoD is acting like a VC.

Rounding things out: a quick look at CMMC headaches, and Simon’s not-so-rosy prediction that the government is headed for a shutdown in just 12 days...one that could stretch months.

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:

Xi, Putin, Modi, and Kim hug it out in China. Was it a signal of realignment, or just optics? Garrett isn’t convinced, but Simon digs into why India’s presence matters.

Back in the Western Hemisphere, the crew unpacks U.S. strikes on narco targets. Are they legal? Are they moral? Are we poking a sleeping bear? And what does it mean for SOUTHCOM and NORTHCOM as resources start to flow their way?

In defense tech, Vector steps out of stealth with a $61 million raise, fueling debate over what “warfare as a service” really looks like. Meanwhile, Doug Beck departs DIU, Replicator calls its Switchblade rollout a success, and Simon re-christens DICE as the Defense Innovation Circus.

Finally, we tackle the bureaucratic rollercoaster inside the Pentagon. JCIDS may be dead, but its replacement looks awfully familiar. Plus, the rise of counter-UAS task forces and Project Flytrap’s push to let the Joes solve their own drone problems.

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

No full episode this week - just an update from Garrett!

This Episode:

We kick things off with the Putin-Trump summit in Alaska and ask what the B-2 flyover really meant. We also dig into Russia’s strike on the FLEX facility in Ukraine, where American employees were critically injured, and what this may mean for U.S. posture in INDOPACOM and beyond.

Back at home, the crew talks about the rise of DIY drones. With Oceanside PD and military labs building their own solutions, we ask why American drone vendors are failing to meet demand for affordable and capable systems.

Finally, we cover major changes coming inside the Department of Defense. Army Futures Command and Training Doctrine Command are considering a merge, PEOs are being reorganized, and acquisition timelines could accelerate. The big question is whether talent and authority inside the DoD can keep pace.

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:

For the first time ever, all three hosts are together in person at Reveal HQ in Bozeman, Montana. This week, they brought some heat. The team digs into the latest headlines including the rumored Trump / Putin meeting in Alaska, growing tensions around U.S. strategic posturing, and a wild new NVIDIA deal that gives the U.S. government a 15% revenue share on chip sales to China.

They also break down the “moat” surrounding defense contracting. Outsiders hate it, insiders love it, and it’s what makes the DoD both an irresistible and maddening customer. Simon offers a Capitol Hill update, and the group gets into a discussion about America’s mineral strategy and how critical the mining industry is to defense.

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:

Defense investing is taking off, literally and figuratively. This week, the crew is joined by Garrett Asta from Houlihan Lokey to break down the current boom in venture, private equity, and public markets across the defense and space sectors. With more VC-backed companies showing up than ever before, it's clear: the market is hot. But is it overheating?

We unpack the signals driving investor interest, why traditional defense value paradigms are shifting, and whether the bubble might be forming around defense tech. Garrett, Dave, and Simon compare venture-backed growth, public market momentum, and the expanding role of private equity. 

Meanwhile, rising tension with Chinese and Russian military exercises has the U.S. allegedly repositioning nuclear assets, and SpaceX finds itself caught in political headwinds. We also touch on why most defense software isn’t actually software-only, and what changes in DoD’s buying behavior might mean for capital markets in the years ahead.

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:

We break down the global battle for tech dominance—across space, compute, and policy. From the energy demands of AI infrastructure to whether a single company should control the commercial space race, the crew takes on the geopolitics of emerging tech.

Also in this episode: Reveal raises $30M in Series B, and Booz Allen adds $200M to its venture fund.

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

This Week:

We’re joined by Alex Martin, CEO of Clearspeed—a voice-based risk screening company that’s been quietly making waves in national security, intelligence, and defense. A fellow Marine and GWOT-era vet, Alex has seen firsthand how hard it is to stay on mission when DoD priorities shift and contracting obstacles pile up. 

We talk with Alex about the limitations of legacy tools like the polygraph, why trust and deterrence still matter, and how screening technology is evolving. The conversation also hits on the improving landscape for defense tech venture funding, the frustrating imbalance between commercial incentives and national priorities, and why it’s time more technical talent picked mission over margin.

The crew also digs into legacy primes falling behind, new questions on Army procurement power, and Simon’s latest from Capitol Hill. It’s a full house—and this time, it’s all Marines.

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=fd69212e4e3a42ba

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

YouTube: youtube.com/@GoatRodeoPodcast

This episode:

Meanwhile, Firestorm Labs closes a $47M Series A and earns big love from the team for what could be a breakthrough in distributed, mobile drone manufacturing—giving warfighters the tools to innovate in the field.

We also break down the Hegseth Drone Memo, which could push real tactical autonomy down to O-6s, enable drone training centers, and shift Blue UAS oversight from DIU to DCMA. Will this decentralize innovation or create a Franken-force? And most importantly—will these commanders actually have any money?

Simon gives a Capitol Hill rundown, breaks down the latest from the NDAA and SPEED Act, and makes the case for why defense startups need someone fluent in the language of Congress.

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: shorturl.at/spotify-gr

This episode:

Meanwhile, Middle East tensions simmer as signals of potential normalization emerge alongside continued Houthi attacks on shipping, and Ukraine’s arms flow is paused and restarted in the same breath. NATO member countries are ramping up defense venture activity in response to increased spending commitments, but it remains a fraction of U.S. defense budgets.

Also: Simon watched Independence Day, Dave survived the boat parade, and Garrett calls out the gap between policy hype and delivery reality. Just another week on Goat Rodeo.

Our Podcast:

Listen on other platforms: