technology
Hosted by Frontdoor Defense · technology · EN
Few companies make it from pilot to production in the defense market. Those who do often change the industry in the process. How do they do it? What lessons can startups take from their trials, successes, and failures? Crossing the Valley tells the stories of the trailblazers who are forging a new path for America's defense. www.valleycrossers.com
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Contact path
Public web form
Booking probability
31%
Guest openness
Selective
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Signup to Generate a PitchFew companies make it from pilot to production in the defense market. Those who do often change the industry in the process. How do they do it? What lessons can startups take from their trials, successes, and failures? Crossing the Valley tells the stories of the trailblazers who are forging a new path for America's defense.
Crossing the Valley is hosted by Frontdoor Defense. The show has published 99 episodes to date.
Recent episodes include "Ep. 82 - Machina Labs" (27 May 2026, 47 minutes), "Ep. 81 - Revolutionizing Thermal Imaging with Obsidian Sensors" (13 May 2026, 26 minutes), and "Ep. 80 - Persistent Systems (very first podcast!)" (6 May 2026, 44 minutes).
Crossing the Valley publishes roughly weekly, with episodes averaging 38 minutes across 99 episodes.
Booking probability for Crossing the Valley is 31%, and the host is rated Selective on guests. Crossing the Valley requires a Pod Score of 80 or higher. Crossing the Valley's contact route on record: public web form.
The strongest fits for Crossing the Valley are Scientific Research & Development and IT Services & Software Development. Crossing the Valley has a technology audience.
Frontdoor Defense hosts Crossing the Valley, a technology podcast with 99 episodes published.
Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.
Episode #82
<p>How Machina Labs Compressed 4-Year Lead Times Into 1 Week</p><p>About Ed Mehr</p><p>Ed Mehr is the CEO and co-founder of Machina Labs. A builder since childhood (he attended a school that emphasized welding...
<p>Rebuilding America’s Thermal Imaging Supply Chain</p><p>About John Hong and Tallis Chang</p><p>John Hong is CEO and Tallis Chang is COO of Obsidian Sensors. The two have worked together for over 40 years, with...
<p>About Brian Spurlock</p><p>Brian Spurlock is VP of Growth and Strategy at Persistent Systems, and a self-described “boomerang” employee, meaning he’s had two separate tenures at the company. He came up as a Special...
Episode #79
<p>Building the Physical AI Platform for the Industrial Base</p><p>ABOUT ARIYAN KABIR</p><p>Ariyan Kabir is the co-founder and CEO of GrayMatter Robotics. He started the company in early 2020 alongside two co-founders...
<p>About Ben</p><p>Ben Cipperley spent 26 years in the Navy. The first 18 he served as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal office, with three tours across the Indo-Pacific, three years between Iraq and Afghanistan, and...
Episode #77
<p>About Luke Fischer</p><p>Luke Fischer is the CEO and co-founder of SkyFi. He is a former U.S. Army helicopter pilot and Special Operations veteran who transitioned through DIU (Defense Innovation Unit), Uber Elevate...
Episode #76
<p>About Todd Stiefler</p><p>Todd Stiefler is VP of Enterprise at WHOOP, overseeing the company’s B2B and B2G business lines. He brings an unusually cross-functional background to the role: a decade as a Senate defense...
Episode #75
<p>About Byron Boots</p><p>Byron Boots is the co-founder and CEO of Overland AI. Prior to starting the company, he was an associate professor in computer science at the University of Washington, where his research...
<p>What happens when a Friday morning coffee turns into a term sheet by Sunday night?</p><p>In this episode, Forterra CEO Josh Araujo is joined by Ari Schuler, a returning CTV guest, to take us inside Forterra’s...
<p>About Dino Mavrookas</p><p>Dino Mavrookas is the CEO and co-founder of Saronic. He served 11 years in the U.S. Navy SEALs (2004–2015), with his final five years on SEAL Team Six. After leaving the military, he...
<p>How Wirescreen is Turning Investigative Journalism Into a National Security Intelligence Tool</p><p>About our Guests</p><p>David Barboza is the CEO and Co-Founder of Wirescreen. Before founding the company, David...
<p>About Our Guests</p><p>AJ Piplica is the CEO and co-founder of Hermeus, a defense technology company developing hypersonic aircraft powered by air-breathing engines. His technical background centers on aerodynamics...
Episode #70
<p>About Ian </p><p>Ian Cinnamon is the co-founder and CEO of Apex Space, which he launched to solve a fundamental bottleneck in the space industry: the lack of available, high-quality satellite platforms. Prior to...
<p>ABOUT BEN</p><p>Ben Van Roo is the CEO and Founder of Legion Intelligence. He comes from a military family (his brother is currently on active duty), giving him both personal connection to and deep understanding of...
Episode #68
<p>About Ben Nicholson</p><p>Ben is the Chief Business Officer at Ursa Major, bringing over 22 years of government service to the defense tech startup. His career includes 10 years in the Coast Guard, legislative...
<p>Gecko Robotics — From College Project to Critical Infrastructure</p><p>ABOUT TROY DEMMER</p><p>Troy is the co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Gecko Robotics. He started the company 12+ years ago as a college...
Episode #66
<p>ABOUT DAN SMOOT</p><p>Dan Smoot is the CEO of Vantor, formerly Maxar Intelligence. He comes from a background in high-tech companies and has led major business transformations before. Since taking the helm, Dan has...
Crossing the Valley
<p>About Nick LaRovere</p><p>Nick is the CEO and Co-founder of Pryzm. As a software engineer at Palantir Technologies, Nick worked on both Gotham and Foundry platforms, gaining firsthand exposure to building federal...
Crossing the Valley
<p>Friends,</p><p>This week, we are spotlighting a new podcast in the defense community, Rebuilding the Fleet.</p><p>This new pod covers all things Maritime Autonomy and shipbuilding, featuring repeat guest Austin...
Episode #64
<p>Case Study: Crossing the Valley of Death in Digital Manufacturing</p><p>About Nathan Diller</p><p>Nathan Diller brings a rare combination of operational military experience, government innovation leadership, and...
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