Building the Base Episode 23: Brian Schimpf

Instagram Podcast 2.8.23

Blurb:

In this week’s episode of Building the Base, Hondo and Lauren join Brian Schimpf, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Anduril Industries, to discuss the future of the defense industrial network. 

Brian’s educational background as an industrial engineer, pioneer in automation and AI, and formative professional experiences at Palantir Technologies pushed him to co-found his own start-up in Silicon Valley. He thinks that the academic, commercial, and public sectors all have ways they can contribute and improve to create a stronger defense industry. Nonetheless, he shares an enthusiasm and optimism for the DoD’s acquisition and procurement potential and the how the defense industry, especially tech companies, can help create a resilient and commercial future industrial network.

Hondo, Lauren, and Brian go on to discuss a variety of topics, including:

  • The state of Silicon Valley and technology sector
  • Future industrial network
  • DoD acquisition and procurement
  • Emerging technologies
  • Academia in the sciences and the industrial base

Biography: (taken from the Anduril Industries website)

Brian Schimpf is Co-Founder and CEO of Anduril Industries where he drives the strategic direction and product roadmap of the defense technology company.

Prior to Anduril, Brian was Director of Engineering at Palantir Technologies, where he led a large engineering organization developing and deploying data integration and analysis products. He served numerous domestic and international government organizations across the intelligence, defense, and law enforcement sectors.

Previously, Brian was the Founder and Lead of Cornell University’s autonomous vehicle research program where his teams competed in DARPA’s Grand Challenge and Urban Challenge. Brian graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering.

Podcast Transcript

Quotes:

  1. “The Defense Department more than any other organization has reinvented itself over its history.”
  2. “The government buys solutions and capabilities, they do not buy technology”
  3. “Anything we’re going to show up with, we want to stand and actually be able to modify and get it dialed in for mission needs.”
  4. “It is hard not to be infected by that degree of passion and drive for the mission than those who stay in defense, love defense.”
  5. “Our belief was we could get to technology out there faster.”
  6. “If you want the DoD as a market segment, you have you got to drive it from their mission problems — deeply understand that.”

More Podcasts:

Building The Base Website Graphic Episode 42 V2

Building the Base Episode 42: Jim Hake

In this episode of “Building the Base,” hosts Lauren Bedula and Hondo Geurts welcome Jim Hake, the founder of Spirit of America, a unique nonprofit organization. The podcast delves into…

Building The Base Website Graphic Episode 41 V1

Building the Base Episode 41: Dana Deasy

In this episode of “Building the Base,” hosts Lauren Bedula and Hondo Geurts welcome special guest Dana Deasy, former DOD Chief Information Officer with extensive experience in both the private…

Building The Base Website Graphic Episode 40 V1

Building the Base Episode 40: Shelly O’Neill Stoneman

In this episode of Building the Base, Lauren Bedula and Hondo Geurts welcome Shelly O’Neill Stoneman, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at Lockheed Martin. In the discussion, Shelly shares…