The Pair Program

hatch I.T.
  • 4.9 (33)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED DAILY

The Pair Program is a podcast from hatch I.T. that brings you inside candid, unfiltered conversations with the innovators building mission-driven technology. Hosted by Tim Winkler, Founder & CEO of hatch I.T., the show pairs two guests per episode from across startups, venture capital, government, and industry to explore how ideas turn into products, how partnerships actually form, and how talent powers innovation in high-stakes environments. The show features a rotating co-host format designed to match the conversation to the mission: • Mike Gruen joins Tim for episodes centered on commercial product startups, product strategy, engineering leadership, and scaling modern software companies. • Sean Leahy joins Tim for episodes focused on defense, national security, and critical infrastructure. Across defense, healthcare, cybersecurity, energy, manufacturing, space, and emerging tech, The Pair Program is built around one simple idea: Two perspectives. One mission. Rather than surface-level takes, each episode digs into real decisions, real tradeoffs, and real stories behind scaling technology in complex environments, from dual-use startups and venture investment to government adoption and talent strategy. Whether you are a founder, operator, investor, or technologist working on problems that matter, The Pair Program gives you a front-row seat to the conversations shaping the future. New episodes drop regularly. Follow along wherever you listen to podcasts and on LinkedIn for clips, insights, and updates. 🚀 Sign-Up for our weekly Newsletter: https://www.myhatchpad.com/newsletter/ 🤖 Check Out our community: http://myhatchpad.com/ Follow us on Social Media!! LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hatchpadcommunity/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/my_hatchpad YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@hatchpad1444

  1. 1D AGO

    Building Tech For Tactical Decision Dominance | The Pair Program Ep90

    Building Tech For Tactical Decision Dominance | The Pair Program Ep90 In this episode of The Pair Program, we sit down with Garrett Smith, Founder & CEO of Reveal Technology, and Les Craig, General Partner at Next Frontier Capital. Together, they explore how new technologies are reshaping the tactical edge and what it takes to build and fund defense startups that deliver real capability for operators in the field. From battlefield insight to venture investment strategy, the conversation highlights how founders and investors are working together to bring advanced tools into modern defense environments. Key topics include: How drone-based 3D mapping is improving situational awareness in real timeWhat it takes to build a defense startup that actually gets adopted by operatorsThe realities of scaling a venture-backed company in the defense ecosystemWhy capital efficiency and disciplined growth matter in defense techHow founders and investors evaluate opportunities in the evolving defense market About Garrett Smith: Garrett is the Founder and CEO of Reveal Technology, a defense technology company building software that transforms drone video into real-time 3D maps for operational environments. A Marine Corps Force Recon veteran and active reservist, Garrett combines frontline experience with Silicon Valley innovation to develop tools designed to improve situational awareness for teams operating in complex terrain. About Les Craig: Les is a General Partner at Next Frontier Capital, where he focuses on early-stage technology investments. Prior to joining the firm, Les co-founded cybersecurity company RedOwl Analytics, later acquired by Forcepoint. His background also includes roles at the CIA, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, and service as a U.S. Army officer supporting special operations missions. 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/

    56 min

  2. FEB 24

    Policy to Production: Fielding Faster, Governing Smarter | The Pair Program Ep89

    Policy to Production: Fielding Faster, Governing Smarter | The Pair Program Ep89 In this episode, we sit down with Michael Weigand, Founder & CEO at Aventra, and Joshua Stiefel, Vice President for Government Relations at Second Front, to explore what it really takes to move defense technology from idea to execution. The conversation centers on the practical challenges of building, scaling, and adopting new capabilities inside government systems, where speed, policy, and production all collide. From acquisition realities to the future of cyber warfare, this episode offers a grounded look at how innovation actually reaches the field. What you’ll hear in this episode: Transitioning defense tech from prototype to productionManufacturing readiness and scaling under real constraintsAcquisition pathways that enable faster adoptionThe role of policy in shaping innovation outcomesCyber warfare, force structure, and what comes next About Michael Weigand: Michael is Founder & CEO at Aventra, focused on deploying next-generation defense technologies. He previously founded Shift5, scaling it into a venture-backed defense software company. He now supports emerging national security startups as an Entrepreneur in Residence. About Joshua Stiefel: Joshua is Vice President for Government Relations at Second Front, a public benefit software company serving national security missions. He previously worked on cyber and defense policy for the House Armed Services Committee. Josh also served in the executive branch and the U.S. Navy Reserve. 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/

    1h 19m

  3. FEB 9

    Insurtech at Speed: Engineering the Future of Specialty Insurance | The Pair Program Ep88

    Insurtech at Speed: Engineering the Future of Specialty Insurance | The Pair Program Ep88 In today’s episode, we’re joined by Nathan Hall, Chief Technology Officer at Ledgebrook, and Mike Mansell, investor at American Family Ventures, for a deep dive into how modern technology is reshaping specialty insurance. The conversation explores how speed, automation, and broker-first design are redefining underwriting, where AI truly adds value, and why human judgment still matters in high-stakes, regulated industries. From infrastructure decisions to investor signals, this episode unpacks what it really takes to modernize insurance from the inside out. Here’s what we get into: Why legacy insurance workflows struggle to keep up with modern riskBuilding for speed without sacrificing trust or complianceHow AI augments underwriters instead of replacing themWhat investors look for in the next wave of insurtech platformsDesigning technology around real broker behavior, not ideal workflows About Nathan Hall: Nathan is the CTO at Ledgebrook, where he leads platform architecture and engineering. With a background spanning SaaS, fintech, and healthcare, he specializes in scaling teams and building systems that prioritize speed, reliability, and real-world usability. About Mike Mansell: Mike is an investor at American Family Ventures, an early-stage insurtech VC firm. He works closely with founders building the future of insurance, bringing an operator-focused perspective on product-market fit, traction, and long-term defensibility. 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/

    52 min

  4. JAN 27

    From Tickets to Autonomy: Reinventing IT with AI Agents | The Pair Program Ep87

    From Tickets to Autonomy: Reinventing IT with AI Agents | The Pair Program Ep87 On today’s episode of The Pair Program, we’re joined by Jake Stauch, Founder & CEO of Serval, and Patrick Chase, Managing Director at Redpoint Ventures, for a deep dive into the future of IT service management. The conversation explores why legacy ITSM tools are breaking under modern demands, how AI-native automation is changing the way work actually gets done, and what it takes to build and back a category-defining infrastructure company. What we cover: Why ITSM remains painfully manual, and where automation truly breaks throughBuilding AI agents that don’t just assist, but take actionCode generation as the next platform shift in enterprise softwareWhat investors look for in next-gen infrastructure startupsHow timing, models, and product vision intersect in AI adoption About Patrick Chase: Patrick is a Managing Director at Redpoint Ventures, where he focuses on infrastructure, SaaS, and AI. He has been at Redpoint for over seven years and works closely with companies including Modal, Serval, LiveKit, Hex, Attio, MotherDuck, and Zed. About Jake Stauch: Jake is the Founder and CEO of Serval, an AI-driven IT automation and service management platform. Before founding Serval, he spent more than five years at Verkada, leading products from early concept through launch and scaling efforts across hardware and software, operating at the intersection of product, operations, and AI-powered infrastructure. 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/

    1h 1m

  5. JAN 13

    Mission Modernized: How AI is Reshaping Intelligence from the Inside Out | The Pair Program Ep86

    Mission Modernized: How AI is Reshaping Intelligence from the Inside Out | The Pair Program Ep86 On today’s episode of The Pair Program, we’re joined by Sheetal Patel, former CIA Assistant Director for the Transnational and Technology Mission Center, and Bruce Frost, Vice President of Intelligence at Rhombus Power, to discuss how AI is reshaping modern intelligence. With decades of experience across government and industry, they break down what it really takes to modernize analysis, move faster in high-stakes environments, and build trust in emerging technologies. What we cover in this episode: How AI is transforming open-source intelligencePredictive models and threat forecastingBias and transparency in AI systemsPublic-to-private sector career transitionsInnovation inside national security missions About Sheetal Patel: Sheetal is a former CIA senior executive with 28 years of service across national security and intelligence. She served as Assistant Director for the Transnational and Technology Mission Center, where she built and led a new team focused on emerging technologies. She also previously held the role of Assistant Director for CIA for Counterintelligence. About Bruce Frost: Bruce joined Rhombus Power in September 2022, where he serves as Vice President of Intelligence. Prior to joining Rhombus Power, Bruce was a senior executive at CIA where he held a variety of leadership roles including Associate Deputy Director of CIA for Operations. 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/

    54 min

  6. JAN 6

    Feeding the Beam: Powering Directed Energy & Counter-UAS | The Pair Program Ep85

    Feeding the Beam: Powering Directed Energy & Counter-UAS | The Pair Program Ep85 In today’s episode, we’re joined by Adam Warmoth, Founder & CEO of Chariot Defense, and Michael LaFramboise, CEO & Co-Founder of Aurelius Systems, for a deep dive into one of the most overlooked constraints in modern warfare: power. Together, they explore how energy, autonomy, and cost collide at the tactical edge, and why rethinking power systems is critical for counter-UAS, directed energy weapons, and future defense stacks. The conversation blends real-world demos, lessons from commercial tech, and candid insights on what it actually takes to deploy hardware that works beyond day one. We dive into: Why power, not software, is the real bottleneck at the edgeThe economics of lasers vs. missiles for counter-drone defenseBatteries as power, not just energy storageLessons defense can borrow from EVs, automotive, and industrial techScaling hardware from demo to sustained deployment About Adam Warmoth: Adam is Founder & CEO of Chariot Defense, building edge-deployable power systems for modern battlefields. Former engineering leader at Anduril Industries, with experience spanning counter-UAS, robotics, AI, and sensor fusion. Previously worked on advanced electric power systems at Archer Aviation, Uber Elevate, and Kitty Hawk. Stanford-trained engineer focused on bringing commercial-grade power tech into defense. About Michael LaFramboise: Michael is CEO & Co-Founder of Aurelius Systems, developing autonomous laser platforms to defeat drones at radically lower cost. Brings a rare mix of experience across automotive manufacturing, high-power laser systems, and defense sales. His team’s flagship system, Archimedes, combines AI, sensors, and directed energy to neutralize drones in seconds—turning electricity into ammunition. 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/

    59 min

  7. 12/23/2025

    How We Hatched: Luigi Lenguito, Founder & CEO of BforeAI

    How We Hatched: Luigi Lenguito, Founder & CEO of BforeAI In this How We Hatched episode, we sit down with Luigi Lenguito, Founder & CEO of BforeAI, to explore the thinking behind predictive cybersecurity. Luigi shares what convinced him the industry was too focused on reacting to attacks—and why stopping threats before they happen is the real challenge ahead. We talk about building a company around a contrarian idea, lessons from scaling inside big tech, and the mindset shift required to rethink security from the ground up. What you’ll hear in this episode: Why “detect and respond” isn’t enough anymoreHow predictive security changes the cyber playbookFounder lessons that don’t translate from big techThe growing impact of fraud and impersonation attacks About Luigi Lenguito: Luigi is the Founder & CEO of BforeAI, where he leads the company’s vision and strategy around predictive cybersecurity. With over 30 years of experience across IT operations, M&A, and cybersecurity, Luigi founded BforeAI after recognizing the need to move from reactive defense to preemptive security. Today, he is focused on advancing behavioral predictive analytics to help organizations stay ahead of cyber threats—before they happen. 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/

    48 min

  8. 12/16/2025

    From Open Source to Open Skies: Why Sapphire Ventures Backed Defense Unicorns | The Pair Program Ep84

    From Open Source to Open Skies: Why Sapphire Ventures Backed Defense Unicorns | The Pair Program Ep84 In this episode of The Pair Program, we sit down with Rob Slaughter, CEO of Defense Unicorns, and Jai Das, President, Partner, and Co-Founder at Sapphire Ventures, for a deep dive into what it takes to modernize defense software—and why a leading enterprise VC made its first-ever bet in defense tech. The conversation explores how open source is reshaping national security, what scalable government software really requires, and why contrarian investment decisions often lead to the biggest breakthroughs. Key topics include: Rebuilding the U.S. military’s software backboneOpen source as a strategic advantage in defenseBootstrapping to scale before taking venture capitalWhy Sapphire Ventures invested in defense for the first timeThe future of defense tech and government software innovation About Rob Slaughter: Rob made a name for himself in the defense tech community leading a variety of software development teams within the Department of the Air Force and Department of Defense, including as director of the DOD’s DevSecOps platform team, Platform One. Now, since leaving the military, he’s CEO of Defense Unicorns, a company that delivers that same secure software development for mission-focused organizations. About Jai Das: Jai is President, Partner, and Co-Founder at Sapphire Ventures, investing in growth-stage startups building category-defining enterprise technology. With 15+ years of experience, he has backed companies like Glean, Cohesity, ThoughtSpot, CircleCI, and Defense Unicorns, with 15+ IPOs and 20+ acquisitions across his portfolio. He is a recognized voice in AI and enterprise tech, frequently featured in top media and speaking at major industry conferences. His focus areas include AI/ML, data, security, DevOps, open source, and crypto. 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/

    1h 16m
See All (144)

4.9
out of 5
33 Ratings

About

The Pair Program is a podcast from hatch I.T. that brings you inside candid, unfiltered conversations with the innovators building mission-driven technology. Hosted by Tim Winkler, Founder & CEO of hatch I.T., the show pairs two guests per episode from across startups, venture capital, government, and industry to explore how ideas turn into products, how partnerships actually form, and how talent powers innovation in high-stakes environments. The show features a rotating co-host format designed to match the conversation to the mission: • Mike Gruen joins Tim for episodes centered on commercial product startups, product strategy, engineering leadership, and scaling modern software companies. • Sean Leahy joins Tim for episodes focused on defense, national security, and critical infrastructure. Across defense, healthcare, cybersecurity, energy, manufacturing, space, and emerging tech, The Pair Program is built around one simple idea: Two perspectives. One mission. Rather than surface-level takes, each episode digs into real decisions, real tradeoffs, and real stories behind scaling technology in complex environments, from dual-use startups and venture investment to government adoption and talent strategy. Whether you are a founder, operator, investor, or technologist working on problems that matter, The Pair Program gives you a front-row seat to the conversations shaping the future. New episodes drop regularly. Follow along wherever you listen to podcasts and on LinkedIn for clips, insights, and updates. 🚀 Sign-Up for our weekly Newsletter: https://www.myhatchpad.com/newsletter/ 🤖 Check Out our community: http://myhatchpad.com/ Follow us on Social Media!! LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hatchpadcommunity/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/my_hatchpad YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@hatchpad1444

Information

  • Creator
    hatch I.T.
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    144
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Pair Program