The Skapa Podcast: Creating the Future

For the Season Two finale of Creating the Future, Michael Brasseur joins Mary Mattingly to reflect on the conversations, people, and ideas that shaped the past two seasons. From visionary founders and defence innovators to lessons in leadership, trust, and creativity, this episode explores how the future is imagined, built, tested, and scaled. A look back at the journey, and a look ahead at what's next.

In this episode of The Skapa Podcast: Creating the Future, host Michael Brasseur is joined by August Cole—co-author of Ghost Fleet and co-founder of Useful Fiction—for a thought-provoking conversation on the power of narrative in shaping the future.

August explores how storytelling is not just a creative exercise, but a strategic tool used to understand risk, anticipate conflict, and drive real-world decision-making. From military planning to emerging technologies, the discussion highlights how the stories we tell influence what we build—and how we prepare for what comes next.

Together, they examine the gap between imagination and execution, the risks of getting the story wrong, and why organizations must think differently about the future if they want to stay ahead.

Saab UK’s Schuyler “Sky” Moore joins Michael Brasseur for a candid conversation about innovation, autonomy, and what it really takes to deliver capability to the edge.

Recorded prior to the current conflict in the Middle East, this episode explores the lessons Sky carried from Task Force 59 and U.S. Central Command into her role as VP of Innovation at Saab UK and Managing Director of BlueBear. From rapid prototyping and swarm technology to the hard realities of manufacturing at scale, Sky unpacks why process innovation often matters more than the technology itself.

This episode is a deep dive into the tension between experimentation and execution, rebels and servants, and the future of defence manufacturing in an era of constant adaptation.

Saab's Michael Brasseur is joined by Brennan Grignon, a longtime defence and industrial-policy leader, for a wide-ranging conversation about resilience, scale, and the unglamorous realities that shape national security outcomes.

Recorded as Brennan comes out of stealth as CEO & Co-Founder of Vantive, the discussion traces her journey from the Pentagon and COVID-era supply chain response efforts to a broader reflection on what the future of defence and security really depends on.

In this episode of the Skapa Podcast: Creating the Future, Michael Brasseur is joined by Michael Robbins, CEO of AUVSI, to explore how autonomy, robotics, and trusted human-machine teams are reshaping modern warfare.

The conversation digs into why the future fight will be defined by scale, speed, and trust in autonomy, not just exquisite platforms or legacy thinking.

In this special extended episode of The Skapa Podcast: Creating the Future, host Michael Brasseur sits down with Amir Husain, serial entrepreneur, inventor and bestselling author, for a sweeping conversation about innovation, first principles, and the future of human–machine collaboration.

Amir offers a powerful, unflinching view of the future: the rise of intelligent machines, the evolution of warfare, and the responsibility we all share in building a society elevated by technology rather than constrained by it.

This time, host Michael Brasseur speaks with Jenny McArdle, Managing Director of Helsing US, about how technology, trust, and organizational change are reshaping modern defense.

From modeling and simulation to cyber operations and human–machine teaming, Jenny shares insights from her unique journey across government, academia, and industry. She discusses how autonomy, AI, and supply-chain resilience are transforming warfare and why true innovation depends as much on people and process as it does on technology.

The Skapa Podcast invites visionary leaders across industries to share their ideal future, unbound by current constraints. Together, we explore what it would take to turn these visions into reality—discussing the necessary innovations, strategic shifts, and collaborative efforts to bring about transformative change in defense and security.

In our first episode of Season 2 of The Skapa Podcast: Creating the Future, host Michael Brasseur is joined by Tyler Sweatt, CEO of Second Front Systems. A former U.S. Army officer turned tech leader, Tyler is pioneering how software, AI, and autonomy are transforming defense.

From his time at West Point to leading one of America’s most innovative defense startups, Tyler shares his insights on the future of warfare, the role of ethics in autonomous systems, and how the next generation can redefine what it means to serve.

The Skapa Podcast invites visionary leaders across industries to share their ideal future, unbound by current constraints. Together, we explore what it would take to turn these visions into reality—discussing the necessary innovations, strategic shifts, and collaborative efforts to bring about transformative change in defense and security.

In this episode, Erik Smith, President and CEO of Saab Inc., reflects on his career journey to leading one of the fastest-growing defense companies in the U.S. He discusses Saab’s transformation into a unified, vertically integrated organization, and shares how the company balances innovation and execution.

This time, Michael Brasseur is joined by Whitney McNamara, Senior Vice President at Beacon Global Strategies and a leading voice in defense innovation. Whitney shares her incredible journey, lessons on leadership, and a compelling vision for the future of warfare. Tune in to hear insights on software-defined warfare, empowering risk-takers, and how to turn big ideas into real-world impact.

The Skapa Podcast invites visionary leaders across industries to share their ideal future, unbound by current constraints. Together, we explore what it would take to turn these visions into reality—discussing the necessary innovations, strategic shifts, and collaborative efforts to bring about transformative change in defense and security.