The Pair Program

From Navy Ops to AI Solutions: Modernizing Federal Service | The Pair Program Ep68

This episode of The Pair Program dives into how cutting-edge tools like AI can make federal service a more exciting, impactful career path. Dr. Jim Liew, Founder & President of SoKat, and Michael Frank, Deputy Chief Technology Officer for the Department of the Navy, discuss strategies to attract top tech talent, drive innovation, and break down barriers to change.

Here’s what we dive into:

• Using AI to boost public sector performance
• Inspiring the next wave of technologists
• Tackling culture and process challenges
• Building collaboration across agencies
• Harnessing digital twins and upskilling programs

About Dr. Jim Liew: Dr. Jim is Founder & President of SoKat, an AI solutions firm serving federal agencies and top financial clients. Associate Professor of Finance at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.

About Michael Frank: Michael is Deputy Chief Technology Officer for the Department of the Navy, leading efforts to identify and assess emerging technology. Officer in the Marine Reserves, overseeing the Cybersecurity portfolio for the Marine Innovation Unit.

 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/

Rebuilding the Arsenal: How Startups & Shipyards are Scaling the Future of Maritime Autonomy | The Pair Program Ep67

Today on The Pair Program, we’re joined by Paul Lwin, CEO and co-founder of HavocAI, and Daniel Brunk, CEO of PacMar Technologies. These two leaders are teaming up to rethink how autonomous vessels are designed, built, and deployed at scale. From startup speed to shipyard expertise, they share how their partnership is accelerating the future of maritime innovation.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why building thousands of autonomous boats is a software challenge
• How they’re tapping into commercial boatbuilder networks to scale quickly
• The limitations of simulation vs. real-world testing
• The economics of “precision mass” in defense and surveillance
• Mission profiles for autonomous vessels, from ISR to logistics

About Paul Lwin: Paul is CEO and co-founder of HavocAI. A former naval flight officer and test pilot, Paul launched HavocAI to deliver fast, scalable autonomous vessel technology for defense and commercial use. His mission is shaped by his experience as a refugee and his drive to give back through innovation.

About Daniel Brunk: Daniel is CEO of PacMar Technologies. After a 30-year career in the U.S. Navy. including roles at DARPA and commanding the USS Helena, he now leads PacMar in building next-gen vessels ready for autonomy at sea. He brings deep experience in naval engineering, operations, and rapid prototyping.

 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/

How We Hatched: Ryan Holmes, Founder & CEO of GreenT Climate Software

In this bonus How We Hatched episode, we’re joined by Ryan Holmes, Founder & CEO of GreenT Climate Software, to explore how AI is reshaping sustainability in multifamily real estate. Ryan shares how GreenT is building smart, scalable solutions that help properties meet environmental goals, without sacrificing financial performance.

Key topics covered:

• How agentic AI simplifies complex sustainability workflows
• Using AI to extend startup runway and scale lean
• Lessons from user-led product development
• Why real estate is overdue for tech disruption
• Building with AI from day one, not retrofitting later
• Empowering ESG teams with smart copilots

About Ryan Holmes: Ryan is the Founder & CEO of GreenT Climate Software, an AI-powered platform that delivers property performance insights and retrofit recommendations for multifamily real estate portfolios. Prior to GreenT, he served as SVP of Sales at SmartRent and has held leadership roles across proptech and medtech industries.

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/

Beyond Burnout: Rehumanizing Cybersecurity with AI | The Pair Program Ep66

In this episode of The Pair Program, we dive deep into the real challenges facing cybersecurity teams today. Our guests: William Macmillan, Chief Product Officer at Andesite, and Lucas Moody, SVP & CISO at Alteryx, bring sharp insight and a human-first perspective to one of tech’s most pressing issues: burnout. They explore the urgent need to protect not just systems, but the people protecting them.

Topics we cover:

• Why burnout is skyrocketing in SOC teams, and how to reverse it
• How AI can support analysts instead of replacing them
• The role of curiosity and creativity in modern cybersecurity
• Why junior analyst roles are more essential than ever
• The shift toward decision-layer tech built around the human
• What’s next for cybersecurity talent and team building

Whether you’re a cybersecurity pro, tech leader, or just curious about how AI is reshaping critical infrastructure, this one’s worth a listen.

About William Macmillan: William is the Chief Product Officer at Andesite, where he sets the vision for building human-centric security tools. Previously, he served as SVP of Information Security at Salesforce and as CISO at the CIA, where he led a major transformation of the agency’s cybersecurity operations. A U.S. Air Force veteran, William brings experience across intelligence, counterintelligence, and supply chain risk.

About Lucas Moody: Lucas is SVP & CISO at Alteryx, where he leads global information security strategy and operations. With a track record of building and scaling cybersecurity programs, he has held senior security leadership roles at Twitter, Rubrik, and Palo Alto Networks. Lucas brings deep expertise in security engineering, threat intelligence, and incident response, and has led global security teams across North America, Europe, and Asia.

How We Hatched: Trong Bui, Founder & CEO of Vidoori

In this How We Hatched segment, we sit down with Trong Bui, Founder & CEO of Vidoori, to unpack his journey from immigrant engineer to tech leader. He shares insights on building a mission-driven company that prioritizes delivery, ethics, and long-term impact.

Key takeaways from our one-on-one:

• The unexpected path from Lockheed Martin to entrepreneurship
• Building a consulting firm focused on delivery over scale
• Ethical R&D and investing in internal product development
• Creating culture through in-person connection
• His outlook on AI and tech in government contracting

About Trong Khuong Bui: Trong is a pioneering Asian American entrepreneur and the Founder & CEO of Vidoori, Inc., a company delivering cutting-edge tech solutions to government and commercial clients. With a background in engineering, he’s known for his excellence in strategic planning and risk management, and for championing people-first leadership.

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/

The Next Frontier: Collaborative Autonomy in Defense Tech | The Pair Program Ep65

Autonomous systems are no longer science fiction, they’re reshaping national security. But while technology moves fast, policy, infrastructure, and trust lag behind. In this episode, we dive into what it really takes to build resilient, distributed autonomy for contested environments. Joining us are Emma Bates, Founder & CEO of Cachai, and Dr. Kimberly Sablon, CTO at Riverside Research, who bring experience from startups and government.

Here’s what we cover:

• The myth of the “common operating picture”
• Why centralized autonomy breaks in contested environments
• Building resilient, distributed systems at the edge
• What startups need to succeed in defense
• Rethinking collaboration between humans and machines

About Emma Bates: Emma is the Founder & CEO of Cachai, a software company enabling collaborative autonomy for edge systems. She’s a former defense strategist with experience at the Department of Defense, Army Futures Command, CSIS, and a Texas-based supercomputing startup.

About Dr. Kimberly Sablon: Dr. Kimberly is Chief Technology Officer at Riverside Research. She previously served as Principal Director for Trusted AI & Autonomy at the DoD and has led Army-wide science and technology initiatives. She holds a PhD in Applied Physics and has authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications.

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/

How We Hatched: Dr. Jay Rozzi, Vice President, Principal Engineer, and Partner at Creare

In this bonus How We Hatched episode, we sit down with Dr. Jay Rozzi, Vice President, Principal Engineer, and Partner at Creare. With deep expertise in advanced manufacturing, cryogenics, and tech commercialization, Jay shares how his team develops breakthrough technologies that move from R&D to real-world deployment across defense, aerospace, and biomedical sectors.

Here’s what we get into:

• The fastener tool used in modern fighter jet production
• Creare’s model: small teams solving complex engineering problems
• How SBIR-funded research becomes commercial-ready tech
• The role of soft skills in technical careers
• What’s next in cryogenics, space systems, and beyond

About Dr. Jay Rozzi: Jay is Vice President and Principal Engineer & Partner at Creare LLC, and Vice President of Edare LLC, Creare’s product-focused affiliate. He leads Creare’s Advanced Manufacturing group and works in machining, laser processing, cryogenics, and biomedical systems, focusing on turning government-funded innovations into practical solutions.

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/

Data Solutions in Regulated Environments: Scaling Innovation in Defense and Aerospace | The Pair Program Ep64

On this week’s episode of The Pair Program, we’re diving deep into defense innovation, mission-first data strategy, and the future of aerospace tech with Jake Dyal and Scott Dieckhaus, two leaders with decades of experience navigating high-stakes environments. Jake, a former military intelligence officer turned startup founder, and Scott, a longtime aerospace leader now at AWS, share hard-won lessons from both the front lines and the cloud.

We dive into:

• Building mission-ready AI for disconnected environments
• Why “data value is in the eye of the beholder”
• The challenge of connecting siloed defense and aerospace data
• The truth about compliance: when it helps and when it slows you down
• How early-stage defense startups can scale responsibly
• What the future of edge tech, drones, and predictive logistics might look like

About Jake Dyal: Jake is the CEO and Co-Founder of Certus Core, where he’s building AI and data tools tailored for the defense sector. He brings over 25 years of experience from special ops missions to Pentagon programs, now focused on enabling smarter, faster decisions in disconnected environments.

About Scott Dieckhaus: Scott leads Aerospace Solutions at AWS, helping defense and aerospace organizations modernize with cloud and edge technologies. He spent two decades at Boeing in program and analytics leadership and now applies that expertise to some of today’s most complex logistics and data challenges.

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/

Delivering Defense-Tech Ground Autonomy with DIU and Forterra | The Pair Program Ep63

What does the future of defense look like when the vehicles drive themselves? In this episode, we sit down with Paul Benfield (Head of Strategy at Forterra) and David Michelson (Director of Autonomy at DIU) to talk about the real-world deployment of autonomous ground systems and why it’s no longer science fiction.

Tune in for:

• How DIU and Forterra are building driverless combat vehicles (today, not someday)
• The inside story of the Ground Vehicle Autonomous Pathways (GVAP) program
• Why off-road autonomy might be harder than robo-taxis, and why it’s worth it
• What “dual-use” really means when your tech serves ports and platoons
• How trust, safety, and certification are being redefined in autonomous warfare

About David Michelson: David leads DIU’s autonomy portfolio, bringing over 15 years of experience in special operations, program management, and emerging tech. He’s behind key programs like Blue UAS and GVAP, and holds an MPP from Harvard and a B.S. from West Point.

About Paul Benfield: Paul is Head of Strategy at Forterra and a 20+ year Army veteran. He’s worked at the highest levels of the Pentagon and now helps bridge the gap between tech startups and national defense priorities.

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 Service to Startup: Empowering Veteran-Led Innovation in Defense Tech | The Pair Program Ep62

What happens when veterans take the lead in shaping the future of defense tech? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Casey Perley from the Army Applications Lab and Guy Filippelli of Squadra Ventures, two powerhouses driving change from within and beyond the DoD. They share stories from the frontlines of innovation, lessons learned in building startups, and advice for veterans stepping into tech.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• How military leaders are building the next wave of defense startups
• Why dual-use tech isn’t one-size-fits-all
• The hidden challenges of navigating DoD procurement
• What makes a great founder (it’s not what you think)
• The impact of community and mission after active duty

About Dr. Casey Perley: Dr. Casey leads the Army Applications Lab, helping the Army tap into the best of commercial innovation. With a PhD in genetics, experience designing DNA vaccines, and a secret life as a Grammy-nominated harpist, Casey blends science, strategy, and creativity like few others.

About Guy Filippelli: Guy is a former Army intel officer turned startup founder turned venture capitalist. He’s now Managing Partner at Squadra Ventures, backing early-stage companies in cyber and national security. From Baghdad to boardrooms, Guy’s journey is all about mission, impact, and building the next generation of leaders.

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/