The Pair Program

Securing the Industrial Frontier with Frenos | The Pair Program Ep76

In this episode, hosts Tim Winkler and Mike Gruen chat with Harry Thomas, CTO of Frenos, and Colin Murphy, Chief Hacking Officer at Frenos, two cybersecurity experts redefining how we protect critical infrastructure. They unpack what it takes to defend operational technology (OT) environments that keep power grids, water systems, and manufacturing lines running safely.

We dive into:

• The origin of Frenos and its AI-powered “digital twin” for OT defense
• Bridging IT and OT security mindsets
• How their new tool, Optica, boosts visibility and resilience
• The rise of OT security posture management
• Balancing commercial growth with national-security applications

About Harry Thomas: Harry is an expert offensive penetration tester specializing in industrial and healthcare cybersecurity, with over a decade of experience. As CTO of Frenos, he leads innovation in protecting critical infrastructures. He has taught “Hacking PLCs” at DefCon and BSIDES Orlando, spoken at BSIDES NH, and been featured on the Secure Insights Podcast. Previously, he directed Product R&D at Dragos and led AI/ML-driven UBA development at AWS.

About Colin Murphy: Colin is a technology innovator and security practitioner with a passion for building and breaking systems to drive meaningful change. As a former CIO and ethical hacker, he focuses on offensive security and digital strategy to stay ahead in an evolving threat landscape. His mission: help organizations simulate and stop cyberattacks before they happen.

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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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Critical Tech, Critical Time | The Pair Program Ep74

In this episode, hosts Tim Winkler and Mike Gruen explore how startups and strategic investors are strengthening America’s innovation infrastructure. Nicholas Myers of Phoenix Tailings and Dr. Yan Zheng of In-Q-Tel discuss the urgency of building resilient supply chains and re-imagining manufacturing for a new era of national security.

They dive into:

• How Phoenix Tailings turns toxic mining waste into rare-earth metals
• Why critical materials are the “new oil” of the modern economy
• In-Q-Tel’s model for aligning startups and national priorities
• Lessons on dual-use innovation and public-private collaboration

About Nicholas Myers: Nicholas is the CEO and Co-Founder of Phoenix Tailings. Before co-founding the company, he held executive roles at a genomics firm and an EV charging startup. He holds a B.S. in Physics from Saint Michael’s College and an MBA from Northeastern University.

About Dr. Yan Zheng: Dr. Yan is Chief of Staff at In-Q-Tel, where he aligns leadership priorities and oversees strategic investments in microelectronics, semiconductors, and quantum tech. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

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How We Hatched: Nick Skytland, Director of Gloo Developer

In this How We Hatched episode, we sit down with Nick Skytland, Director of Gloo Developer, to explore how values-aligned AI can shape a future where technology drives human flourishing. Drawing from his career at NASA and his leadership at Gloo, Nick shares insights on building open, transparent AI systems and the importance of grounding innovation in shared human values. From defining human flourishing to reimagining the role of hackathons, Nick offers a forward-looking perspective on how technologists can build with purpose.

Inside This Episode:

• Defining “human flourishing” in the age of AI
• The Flourishing AI Benchmark and why it matters
• Building values-aligned, open-source AI tools
• The role of trust, transparency, and shared values in tech
• How hackathons fuel innovation and community

About Nick Skytland: Nick is Director of Gloo Developer, leading initiatives to shape open, values-aligned AI that supports human flourishing. Before joining Gloo, he spent over two decades at NASA as Chief Technologist, advancing early-stage technologies and building some of the largest open innovation communities in history. He is also co-author of What Comes Next? Shaping the Future in an Ever-Changing World.

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Capital Region Catalysts: How Synergos is Powering Deep-Tech in the DMV and Backing a Nuclear Pioneer | The Pair Program Ep73

On this episode of The Pair Program, hosts Tim Winkler and Mike Gruen sit down with Michelle Urben, Managing & General Partner at Synergos, and Edward McGinnis, CEO of Curio, to explore how deep tech innovation is reshaping energy and resilience. From the DMV to global markets, they discuss what it takes to build solutions for some of the world’s toughest challenges.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How local capital in the DMV is fueling global deep tech impact
• Reinventing nuclear through recycling and new reactor design
• The role of policy and perception in scaling nuclear innovation
• Investing in durable, mission-driven companies tackling energy, food, and health

About Michelle Urben: Michelle Urben is Managing and General Partner at the Synergos Fund, investing in transformative companies addressing critical challenges in energy, food, and health. Based in Washington D.C., she brings decades of experience as a founder, investor, and advisor, while also serving on boards that champion innovation and community development.

About Edward McGinnis: Ed McGinnis is CEO of Curio and a former senior U.S. government executive with 30+ years in nuclear energy, security, and policy. He previously led nuclear energy programs at the Department of Energy and the White House before taking on the challenge of reinventing nuclear innovation in the private sector.

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Mission Critical: Building a Startup for America’s Next Fight | The Pair Program Ep72

In this episode of The Pair Program, host Tim Winkler is joined by co-host Sean Leahy for a conversation with Andy Yakulis, CEO & Co-founder of Vector, and Larsen Jensen, Founder & General Partner at Harpoon Ventures and Co-Founder of Vector. Together, they dive into what it means to build mission-driven startups at the intersection of defense, technology, and national security.

They dive into:

• The founding story of Vector and its “modern warfare as a service” model
• Building a warfighter-led company culture in Utah’s Silicon Slopes
• Balancing special operations DNA with tech innovation and venture capital
• Core values: Relentless, Ethical, Professional, that shape the team
• Why timing and geopolitics matter in defense innovation

About Andy Yakulis: Andy Yakulis is the CEO and Co-founder of Vector, a modern warfare-as-a-service company. With 18 years of experience as an Army Officer and Special Operations Commander, he brings deep expertise at the intersection of defense, technology, and innovation, building solutions that serve U.S. national security.

About Larsen Jensen: Larsen Jensen is Founder & Managing General Partner at Harpoon Ventures, a $300M venture capital firm backing early-stage technology companies. He is also Co-Founder of defense-tech company Vector, focused on modern warfare-as-a-service solutions. A former U.S. Navy SEAL and two-time Olympic medalist, Larsen brings leadership, resilience, and mission-driven focus to his work with founders.

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How We Hatched: Jennifer Sample, Chief Technology Officer at Empower AI

In this episode of How We Hatched, we sit down with Jennifer Sample, Chief Technology Officer at Empower AI, to explore her journey from chemistry to cutting-edge AI leadership. Jennifer shares lessons from Johns Hopkins APL, Accenture Federal Services, and now her mission-driven role at Empower AI.

Key topics covered:

• From nanotechnology and space missions to AI innovation
• Balancing visionary research with mission-driven outcomes
• Transforming government through digital modernization
• Challenges and opportunities of deploying AI in federal agencies
• The role of relationships in driving innovation

About Jennifer Sample: Jennifer is CTO at Empower AI, leading technology vision, strategy, and execution for federal government customers. With 20+ years in AI, robotics, and advanced computing, she previously directed AI strategy at Accenture Federal Services and held leadership roles at Johns Hopkins APL, contributing to initiatives like Project Maven. She holds 10 patents, a B.S. from Penn State, a Ph.D. from UCLA, and an MBA from MIT.

Orbit to Operations: Bridging Government and Industry in Defense Innovation | The Pair Program Ep71

On this week’s Pair Program, hosts Tim Winkler and Mike Gruen sit down with Topher Haddad, Co-founder/CEO of Albedo, and Arthur Grijalva, Director of SpaceWERX. They discuss how startups and the U.S. Space Force are working together to advance space innovation, touching on Albedo’s Clarity-1 satellite launch and the role of SpaceWERX’s STRATFI program in bridging commercial and defense priorities.

Key topics covered:

• How the STRATFI program accelerates dual-use innovation
• Albedo’s Clarity-1 launch and VLEO breakthroughs
• Challenges of securing government funding and partnerships
• The role of commercial viability in defense innovation
• Advice for founders entering the defense-tech ecosystem

About Topher Haddad: Topher is the Co-founder/CEO of Albedo, a company pioneering very low Earth orbit (VLEO) satellites. Albedo’s first satellite, Clarity-1, demonstrates imagery resolution once reserved for aircraft or billion-dollar government systems. Previously, Topher was an engineer at Lockheed Martin working on national security space programs.

About Arthur F. Grijalva: Arthur is the Director of SpaceWERX, where he leads strategy and innovation programs for the U.S. Space Force. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, he has held leadership roles in program management and test/evaluation across space control, satellite systems, responsive space, and advanced technology initiatives.

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Dual-Use, Double Impact: Privateer’s Path in Geospatial Intelligence | The Pair Program Ep70

In this episode of The Pair Program, we sit down with Mollie Martin, Director of GTM Strategy at Privateer, and Declan Lynch, Chief Revenue Officer and General Manager at Privateer, to explore what it takes to scale a dual-use business at the intersection of government and commercial markets. They share insights from Privateer’s journey, from Earth observation and space domain awareness to building a geospatial analytics platform that bridges mission-driven and market-driven needs.

Key Topics Covered:

• Navigating the dual-use challenge: government vs. commercial strategies
• Product roadmap design and pricing trade-offs
• Privateer’s acquisition of Orbital Insight and cultural integration
• Trends shaping the geospatial analytics market
• The “small batch” approach to testing commercial pilots
• Advice for founders breaking into dual-use tech

About Mollie Martin: Mollie leads go-to-market strategy at Privateer, helping to shape product positioning, pricing, and adoption across commercial markets. She previously built out Deloitte’s spacetech capability and advised governments and global enterprises on New Space opportunities.

About Declan Lynch: Declan is Chief Revenue Officer and General Manager at Privateer. With experience at Deloitte, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Anduril, he drives the company’s geospatial analytics strategy and growth, forging key partnerships across defense and commercial sectors.

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Into the Drone Zone: Countering Aerial Threats to Critical Infrastructure | The Pair Program Ep69

Today’s episode features Yaniv Mendelson, Director of Business Development at Echodyne, and Tom Adams, Director of Public Safety at DroneShield. Together, they explore the fast-evolving counter-UAS landscape and the growing threats drones pose to critical infrastructure.

We Dive Into:

• The shift from drones as novelty tech to national security threats
• Real-world incidents involving energy grids, airports, and military bases
• Radar and multi-sensor detection strategies for airspace awareness
• Public-private collaboration and the need for updated legislation
• How Echodyne and DroneShield are partnering to safeguard the skies

About Yaniv Mendelson: Yaniv is the Director of Business Development at Echodyne, a leader in advanced radar technologies. With over 20 years of experience in business development, sales, and system integration, he has driven the adoption of cutting-edge sensing solutions across critical industries.

About Tom Adams: Tom is the Director of Public Safety at DroneShield. He retired from the FBI after 20 years of service, including 14 as a Special Agent Bomb Technician and leader of the Bureau’s Counter-UAS program. Tom has supported counter-terrorism efforts worldwide and served on the FAA UAS Detection and Mitigation Committee.

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