Are rules the biggest barrier to government procurement?
In this replay episode, Jonathan Mostowski, a trailblazer in government procurement and co-author of the TechFAR Handbook, unpacks the truth about “hacking” bureaucracy in government contracting and how agile acquisition, strategic contracting…
Defense Mavericks
by Ryan Connell | Tradewinds × CDAO
Welcome to Defense Mavericks, the podcast that uncovers the untapped potential of AI within the federal government. Join us as we dive into authentic and disruptive conversations with our nation’s brightest minds, offering a fresh perspective on how to gain an unfair advantage through the adoption of new, emerging technology. Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge, education, and best practices you need to shorten the learning curve toward government transformation. CDAO: https://www.ai.mil/ Tradewinds AI: https://www.tradewindai.com/
Latest Episodes
What if the biggest barrier to innovation in government contracting isn’t bureaucracy–but mindset?
In this replay episode, Ryan Connell sits down with Major General Alice Treviño, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting, to discuss how the Air Force is rethinking procurement with digital tools, l…
Military procurement is known for its slow, bureaucratic processes, but what if it didn’t have to be?
In this week’s episode, Ryan Connell sits down with Major General Edward Vaughan to talk about how the Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell (JRAC) redefines how warfighters get the tools they need—fast.
Wi…
Would you trust AI to review your proposals?
AI is now streamlining processes, improving efficiency, and reducing bureaucratic roadblocks. Yet, while 80% of industry professionals use AI to draft proposals, almost none are comfortable with AI evaluating them.
In this week’s episode of Defense Maveri…
Approximately 99.5% of available data is unclassified. Yet, intelligence agencies often focus on the 0.5% that is classified. How can the U.S. government bridge this intelligence gap?
In this week’s episode, Ryan Connell speaks with Sammy Semwangu, CEO of Bazze, about how his startup is transformin…
From Chaos to Control: Military Logistics’ New Cutting-Edge Solution with Mark Hammonds & Ryan Perez
Ever wonder why critical military resources get lost in the“fog of war”?
In this week’s episode of Defense Mavericks, Ryan Connell sits down with Beowulf’s founders, Mark Hammonds and Ryan Perez, to discuss how Bulldog—a logistic and planning tool—was developed to streamline military logistics.
Draw…
Balancing defense and commercial markets can be daunting, but today’s guest shares how the dual-use readiness model makes it easier for startups to thrive in both worlds.
In this week’s episode, Ryan Connell speaks with Gene Keselman, Director of Mission Innovation Experimentation at MIT.
Gene shar…
What if the DoD could be as agile as a tech startup?
In this week’s episode of Defense Mavericks, Ryan Connell chats with Warren Katz, chairman of the Alliance for Commercial Technology in Government, to explore the challenges and inefficiencies in the DoD’s acquisition processes.
They discuss promi…
The real challenge for the Department of Defense (DoD) isn’t coming up with innovations. The DoD has a long history of celebrated innovators and has invested billions of dollars in research and development. So, what’s holding back these innovations?
In this episode of Defense Mavericks, Ryan Connell…
Have you ever wondered how AI and robotics are transforming the military?
This week, Ryan Connell speaks with Cathleen Rush, Deputy of the Office of ARSOF Autonomy–a newly formed office within the U.S. Army Special Operations Forces–about the intersection of technology and military operations.
Cathl…
What does it take to build a thriving startup in defense technology?
In the world of startups, chaos is constant. But in the defense sector? It’s chaos with billion-dollar stakes.
In this week’s episode of Defense Mavericks, Matthew Steckman, Chief Revenue Officer at Anduril Industries, reveals how …
Are rigid acquisition processes slowing down your innovative solutions? Tradewinds is here to change that.
This week on Defense Mavericks, I’m joined by Stephanie Wilson, Kristina Botelho, and Tony Kwag at this year’s NCMA Conference to explore how Tradewinds is revolutionizing AI and digital soluti…
Did you know the right network could be the DoD’s most powerful tool?
In this week’s episode of Defense Mavericks, we’re joined by Jesse Levin, Executive Director of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum (DEF); Jay Long, COO and Founder of Parlay; and Brad Halsey, CEO of Building Momentum.
These innovator…
Imagine a Marine stranded on an island, needing a critical part to continue their mission. What if that essential part could be produced on the spot?
In this week’s episode of Defense Mavericks, we sit down with Matt Pine, Innovation Officer for the U.S. Marine Corps at Camp Lejeune, to explore how …
With deepfakes and misinformation on the rise, distinguishing truth from lies has never been more challenging.
A recent Harvard paper stated how generative AI, like ChatGPT, is increasingly showing up in academic journals, archives, and repositories. So, how can we fight back against this growing mi…
Can AI help you bid on more government contracts?
In this week’s episode, Ryan Connell sits down with Alex Cohen, an AI expert and founder of GovPro AI.
Alex is on a mission to help small and medium-sized contractors streamline their proposal process. He walks us through how AI tools are transformin…
This week, Ryan Connell is joined by Keith Scheffler from Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to discuss the role that blockchain plays in their manufacturing division. Keith dives into the evolution and broader applications of blockchain technology beyond cryptocurrency, AFRL's approach to address…
This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Therman Trotman, a.k.a. "Mr. SharePoint," to talk about the powerful ways SharePoint can transform workflows and enhance team efficiency. Therman shares his journey from the Bronx to becoming an expert in SharePoint, diving into his unique take on branding, con…
This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Scott Sanders, Chief Growth Officer of Forterra, to talk about the advancements and challenges of integrating autonomous systems in defense and industrial sectors. Scott shares his insights on the deployment of full stack and ground autonomy, balancing human an…
This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Lori Wade, Chief Data Officer for the Intelligence Community, to talk about the pivotal role of quality data in driving AI and emerging technologies in the IC. Lori shares her insights on data interoperability, public-private collaboration, and the complexities…