Episodes

Beyond the Quantum Hype: Real Applications, Real Results | The Pair Program Ep99 What happens when traditional computing reaches its limits? In this episode of The Pair Program, we’re joined by Martin Sajon and Bill Collier to explore how quantum computing is moving from theory to real-world applications. They discuss where quantum is already delivering value, why it works best alongside AI rather than replacing it, and how organizations can begin preparing for the next wave of innovation. From ...

Built for Pressure: What a 15-Year-Old Professional Muay Thai Fighter Can Teach You About Performing When It Matters This special bonus episode explores a different kind of high-performance journey. Today’s guest is Elijah Hinzman, a 15-year-old professional Muay Thai fighter competing on some of Southeast Asia’s biggest stages. While his arena is the ring, the qualities behind his success are the same ones we often explore on this show: discipline, preparation, resilience, and performing under ...

Founder-Led Growth in the AI Era: Rethinking the CRM from First Touch to Close | The Pair Program Ep98 What happens when your sales stack becomes the bottleneck instead of the growth engine? In this episode of The Pair Program, we are joined by David Zhu, CEO of ReevoAI, and Lukas Haffer, CEO of Casca, to explore how AI-native platforms are reshaping modern sales. They discuss why traditional CRMs are failing founders, how AI can eliminate manual work instead of adding to it, and why connected s...

From Snapshots to Systems: Why 3D Earth Awareness Is Becoming Critical Infrastructure | The Pair Program Ep97

From Sidewalks to Scale: What It Actually Takes to Build Real-World Robotics | The Pair Program Ep96 What does it take to turn autonomous robotics from a demo into real-world infrastructure? In this episode of The Pair Program, Paige Craig, Managing Partner at Outlander VC, and Zach Rash, Co-founder & CEO at Coco, discuss scaling autonomous delivery, building operational moats through real-world data, navigating regulation and reliability, and what separates successful robotics companies from th...

Designing the Impossible: AI, Quantum Mechanics, and the Future of Materials | The Pair Program Ep95 In this episode of The Pair Program, we’re joined by Joseph Krause, Co-Founder and CEO of Radical AI, and Nathan Doctor, Founder and Managing Partner of Infinite Capital, for a conversation on the future of AI-driven scientific discovery and the rise of physical AI. From autonomous labs and materials science to robotics, semiconductors, and frontier tech investing, the discussion explores how bre...

From Services to Software: How Dual-Use AI Companies Actually Scale Inside Government | The Pair Program Ep94 In this episode of The Pair Program, we’re joined by Darren Kimura, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AI Squared, and Abir Ray, CEO of Expression, for a deep dive into what it really takes to scale AI in complex, high-stakes environments. From the “last mile” problem in AI adoption to the realities of deploying technology in government systems, this conversation explores where inno...

From Chip to Constellation: Building a New Global Network in Space | The Pair Program Ep93 In this episode of The Pair Program, we sit down with Jonathan Dyer, Co-Founder & CEO of Muon Space, and Alex Haro, Co-Founder & CEO of Hubble, to explore how space is evolving from exploration to infrastructure. From Bluetooth-powered satellites to scalable constellation manufacturing, this conversation dives into what it takes to build the next layer of global connectivity and why the future of space loo...

Mission Speed: How Commercial Innovation Is Reshaping Defense Acquisition | The Pair Program Ep92 In this episode of The Pair Program, we sit down with Darian Harris, Founding GP of Connected Capital and co-founder of Fuse Accelerator, and Drew Trojanowski, President and CEO of the Southwest Mission Acceleration Center (MAC), to unpack what it really takes to move innovation at mission speed. From navigating defense acquisition to scaling dual-use startups, they share how founders and operators ...

Contested Logistics Reimagined: The Case for Dual-Use Air Systems | The Pair Program Ep91 In this episode of The Pair Program, we’re joined by Arthur Dubois, CEO of Grid Aero, and Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Leonard Kosinski, Chief Strategy Officer at Air Space Intelligence. From autonomous aircraft to AI-powered logistics, they break down how supply chains are being rethought for a world where speed, scale, and resilience are critical. The conversation dives into what’s broken today, and how founders and o...

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 highligh...

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. F...

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, regula...

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 ...

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 ...

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 defe...

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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 governme...

Securing the Supply Web: From the Global Network to the Tactical Edge | The Pair Program Ep83 In Episode 83, Tim Winkler and Sean Leahy talk with Peter Goldsborough, Co-Founder and CTO of Rune Technologies, and Evan Smith, Co-Founder and CEO of Altana, about how AI and modern data systems are reshaping defense logistics. They explore the disconnect between global supply networks and frontline sustainment, the realities of operating in disconnected environments, and why visibility and trust are n...

Runtime Confidence Meets Real-World Adoption: How AI Is Transforming Traditional Industries | The Pair Program Ep82 In this episode, Tim Winkler and Mike Gruen sit down with Kevin McGrath, Co-Founder and CEO of Meibel, and Rob Murray, Founder and CEO of SpecBooks, to unpack what it actually takes to move AI from impressive prototypes to dependable, production-ready systems. They dig into the challenges of unstructured data, the real meaning of runtime confidence, and why human-in-the-loop workfl...

Supply Chain at Escape Velocity: How InnoFlight and Verigon Are Scaling Secure Space System for the SDA Era | The Pair Program Ep81 In this episode, Tim Winkler and co-host Mike Gruen sit down with Jeffrey Janicik of Innoflight and Greg Davis of Verigon to explore what it really takes to scale secure space systems fast—and without sacrificing quality. They dive into the rise of small-sat architectures, the push for higher-volume production, and why cybersecurity must be designed into hardware fr...

Building Space Together: Inside the U.S. Space Force’s Push for Commercial Collaboration | The Pair Program Ep80 In this episode of The Pair Program, host Tim Winkler is joined by Holly Bertrand, Founder and Chief Operating Officer of ExoAnalytic Solutions; Dan Ceperley, Chief Operating Officer and Founder of LeoLabs; and Lt. Col. Tim Trimailo, Director of the Commercial Space Office at Space Systems Command. Together, they unpack how the U.S. Space Force is partnering with leading commercial in...

AI at the Tactical Edge: Scaling Secure, Warfighter-Centric Tech in Denied Environments | The Pair Program Ep79 In this episode, host Tim Winkler sits down with Tyler Saltsman (Founder & CEO, EdgeRunner AI), Colton Malkerson (Co-Founder & COO, EdgeRunner AI), and TJ Rowe (Chief Revenue Officer, Second Front Systems)for a deep dive into how secure, on-device AI is transforming decision-making at the tactical edge. Together, they explore the rise of air-gapped, domain-specific AI and what it takes...

Sea Change: How Autonomy and Acquisition Will Shape the Future Fleet | The Pair Program Ep78 In this episode, hosts Tim Winkler and guest co-host Sean Leahy dive into the intersection of autonomy, AI, and defense acquisition with Austin Gray, Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer at Bluewater Autonomy, and Alex Campbell, former Chief of Staff at the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). Together, they explore how startups, private capital, and the Pentagon’s acquisition system collide in the race to mode...