ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Commercial tech that works can still take years to reach the warfighter. The bottleneck usually isn't the technology. It's everything in between.
Sarah Pearson, Director of Strategy at the Defense Innovation Unit, joins us to break down The Bridge, DIU's initiative to systematically tear down the barriers that stall commercial capabilities inside the department. Drawing on lessons from 600+ prototypes, she walks through the three big ones: getting companies cleared and into classified space, fixing the ATO and RMF accreditation process, and bringing test and evaluation left so products are buyable from day one.
Sarah also shares what success looks like within 12 months, and a direct call to action for the builders, policymakers, investors, and buyers who make it all move.
As always, please let us know what you think. And please reach out if you or anyone you know is building at the intersection of technology and national security. Explore Shield Capital's portfolio and thesis at: https://shieldcap.com/Follow Shield Capital and the Mission Matter Podcast on LinkedIn to catch every episode of Mission Matters: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mission-matters-podcast/
