DefTechPod

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DefTechLink podcasts are practical conversations about how defence markets actually work, starting with the United States and extending to the UK and allied systems. We speak with practitioners, operators, founders, and programme insiders about funding, experimentation, procurement, and why transitions stall or succeed. The focus is lived experience, not hype: what decisions matter, where risk sits, and how defence pathways behave in practice.

Episodes

  1. 6 HR AGO

    Battlefield Reality: What Ukraine Is Teaching Defence Innovators

    Justin Hedges | Executive Chairman & Co-Founder, Prevail Partners Justin Hedges, former Royal Marines officer and Executive Chairman of Prevail Partners, joins DefTechPod to discuss what modern conflict is teaching the defence technology community. Drawing on Prevail’s operational work in Ukraine, Justin explains why laboratory success rarely translates directly to battlefield relevance. He describes how the rapidly evolving electromagnetic environment on the front lines forces companies to iterate technology in weeks rather than years, and why systems that cannot adapt quickly become obsolete. The conversation explores what defence innovators often misunderstand about deploying new systems. Justin outlines the importance of modular design, frontline testing, and maintaining engineering teams close to operational units so technology can evolve at the pace of conflict. He also discusses how companies get technology trialled in Ukraine and the role of partnerships in moving equipment from development into real operational environments. Justin also highlights several lessons emerging from the war, including the tactical impact of low-cost FPV drones, the challenge of defeating Shahed-type attack drones, the growing role of AI-enabled loitering munitions, and the increasing use of unmanned ground vehicles for logistics and battlefield support. The episode concludes with reflections on leadership after military service, the realities of building a defence company from scratch, and advice for operators transitioning into the defence and security sector.

    29 min

  2. 26 FEB

    From Interest to Contract: Toby McCrindle on IP Protection, Primes and Knowing Your Value

    In this episode of DefTechPod, Erica Dill-Russell speaks with Toby McCrindle, Partner and Head of Defence & Deep Tech at Mishcon de Reya, about what really happens between early enthusiasm and an actual defence contract. Toby has worked across major aerospace and defence programmes, inside primes, within venture-backed start-ups, and now advises dual-use and defence tech companies navigating procurement, partnerships and funding. He brings a rare perspective from both sides of the table. The conversation explores: • Why interest from a senior officer or prime does not equal a contract• How start-ups should position themselves when engaging large primes• The most common IP mistakes founders make under time pressure• Why desperation to get on contract can quietly destroy long-term value• How to negotiate from confidence rather than supplication• What is changing in UK defence procurement for SMEs• When companies should involve legal support and when it is already too late A recurring theme is simple but critical: know the value of what you have and protect it. Whether negotiating development work, joining a consortium, raising venture capital or signing a supply agreement, founders must understand what rights they are giving away and why. The episode also addresses the structural gap many companies fall into. Positive conversations create momentum, but procurement requires sponsorship, budget alignment and formal pathways. Understanding that distinction changes how companies plan, fundraise and engage. This is a grounded, practical discussion for defence founders, dual-use companies, SME leaders and anyone navigating primes, MOD contracts or venture rounds in the sector. New episodes of DefTechPod drop every Thursday. If you work in defence or dual-use and have experience worth sharing, we welcome the conversation.

    33 min

  3. 19 FEB

    From Battlefield to Accelerator: Marcus Roberts on NATO DIANA, IoT Tribe and Creating a Seat at the Table

    In this episode of DefTechPod, we speak with Marcus Roberts - former British Army officer and now a key figure within Janus Allies and IoT Tribe - about what it really takes for dual-use technology to enter defence markets. Marcus shares how his operational experience in Afghanistan shaped the way he judges new technology, why innovation cycles are accelerating dramatically, and what founders often misunderstand about defence timing and realism. We explore: How NATO DIANA and UKDI accelerators actually work in practiceWhat Janus Allies delivers on behalf of the UK MoDHow IoT Tribe evolved from deep-tech accelerator to ecosystem builderWhy going through an accelerator is not the same as getting a “seat at the table”What an ecosystem activation agreement is and why it mattersThe role of primes in shaping real routes to marketWhy patience and timing are critical for dual-use foundersHow veterans act as “critical friends” to pressure-test innovationWhy failure in defence innovation is normal and necessary Marcus also discusses the difference between exciting technology and operationally safe technology, and why lived military experience changes how risk is interpreted. This conversation is essential listening for dual-use founders considering defence, innovators looking at NATO DIANA, and anyone trying to understand how ecosystems, primes, and accelerators actually fit together. Defence innovation is not just about great technology. It is about timing, sponsorship, realism, and building the right relationships around your capability. New episodes drop every Thursday.

    33 min

  4. 15 FEB

    Inside US Acquisition: PEOs, Pathways, and What Companies Misunderstand

    In this episode of the DefTechLink podcast, Tasha Josefsson is joined by David Rolen for a grounded discussion on how defence procurement actually works in practice. They unpack the role of Program Executive Offices (PEOs), how requirements move from interest to structure, and why procurement timelines, incentives, and decision authority are so often misunderstood by SMEs and non-traditional suppliers. The conversation covers where engagement helps, where it quietly stalls, and how companies misread signals from programmes and buyers. This episode is for anyone trying to make sense of defence acquisition beyond slide decks and acronyms.

    22 min

  5. 15 FEB

    Building Dual-Use Technology That Actually Transitions: The Eelume Journey

    In this episode, Tasha Josefsson speaks with Thomas Nygaard about the story behind Eelume, Norway’s approach to dual-use technology, and what meaningful collaboration actually looks like in practice. The conversation explores how Eelume bridges commercial and defence requirements, why subsea and maritime autonomy demand long-term trust rather than quick wins, and how Norwegian industry, academia, and government interact differently from larger defence markets. Thomas also reflects on partnerships, working across borders, and the realities of scaling advanced robotics into sensitive operational environments. Rather than focusing on hype or market optimism, this episode looks at the structural conditions that make dual-use technology succeed or stall, and what other SMEs can realistically learn from Norway’s ecosystem. A thoughtful discussion for anyone working in maritime, autonomy, dual-use technology, or trying to understand how smaller defence nations build credible, exportable capability without losing control of their technology.

    23 min

  6. 15 FEB

    Designing a Defence Ecosystem: The Story Behind DefTechLink

    In this episode of the DefTechLink podcast, Tasha Josefsson sits down with Erica Dill‑Russell to talk through how DefTechLink came into being and, more importantly, why. Erica shares the gap she kept seeing from both sides of the table. Capable companies with strong technology repeatedly misreading defence pathways, burning time and money, and mistaking interest for progress. Rather than building another listings platform, the conversation explores why DefTechLink was designed as a navigation layer. One focused on context, eligibility, sequencing, and helping organisations understand what defence signals actually mean. This episode is a candid look at the thinking behind the platform, the frustrations that shaped it, and the principles it is built around. It is especially relevant for SMEs, founders, and operators trying to decide whether defence is a market they should enter, and what it realistically takes if they do.

    17 min
  • 6 Episodes

About

DefTechLink podcasts are practical conversations about how defence markets actually work, starting with the United States and extending to the UK and allied systems. We speak with practitioners, operators, founders, and programme insiders about funding, experimentation, procurement, and why transitions stall or succeed. The focus is lived experience, not hype: what decisions matter, where risk sits, and how defence pathways behave in practice.

Information

  • Creator
    DefTechLink.com
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © DefTechLink.com
  • Show Website
    DefTechPod