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Posts
Finding a needle in a stack of needles: the story of cyber
Author’s Note: Got my time zones wrong! Am currently in Dubai. Hooray spring break. Weekly Deep Dive We’re covering GreyNoise, a cybersecurity company that we covered in June 2022 when…
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Special Forces, don’t recreate the wheel (or the dashboard)
Author’s Note: Am traveling at the moment and will be making a stop in Tel Aviv for a few days. Any suggestions for who I should reach out to and…
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What DoD should take away from the SVB crisis
Author’s Note: Had another Marine reserves weekend - brutal. But no better way to continue existing in the weeds of defense and to understand the needs of the warfighter. My…
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To counter China, Eric Schmidt and the Marines agree; does Joe Biden?
Author’s Note: We used generative AI to do some of our digest-related work this week - what do you think? Can you notice any differences in quality? Also, I am…
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The company reinventing satellite imagery access as we know it
Author’s Note: We’re introducing our first company deep dive this week, courtesy of our contributor Shiva Khanna Yamamoto. Combined with Tina Wong’s ownership of the weekly digest, I’m excited for…
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Double down on the Defense Innovation Unit
Author’s Note: We’re starting to evolve this newsletter into a tool for companies, investors, and servicemembers to get actionable resources for contributing to defense innovation. In addition to our recommendations,…
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The innovation theater of the Marine Innovation Unit
Weekly Deep Dive In 2019, a call went out through the Marine Corps Reserves to find reservists with STEM degrees and put them on active duty orders. As a reservist…
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Float around and find out
Author’s Note: Chiral is gearing up to do individualized deep dives into startups in the defense ecosystem. Interested in being interviewed? Get in touch! Weekly Deep Dive I wanted very…
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Ask Sage, a DoD-tuned GPT-3 model, disappoints
Author’s Note: I’d excited to introduce Shiva Khanna Yamamoto, the latest team member to join Chiral! Shiva is an engineering physics student at Stanford. He’s spent most of his time…
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Vannevar vs BigBear vs Rebellion
Author’s Note: If you’ll be at the AFWERX Industry Days in San Antonio, TX, I hope to see you there! Shoot me a message via email or LinkedIn if you…
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Capella triples revenue, but is still weak; our analysis of balloons vs. satellites
Author’s Note: We’re officially just covering Five Eyes + Israel now. We’re making a trading away breadth for depth, and we’re hoping this is a better direction for our readers!…
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3 deals in tactical communications; drone management a trend for 2023
Author’s Note: Dealmaking is still slow in the New Year. We’re looking at paring back to just a US or Five-Eyes focused newsletter; Chinese fundraising is too opaque at the…
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Welcome to 2023 from Chiral
Author’s Note: Happy New Year! I’m soft-launching the free beta test for Dextral - please sign up on the site if you’re interested in helping us build our product! We’re…
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A very international-heavy Christmas issue
Author’s Note: Merry Christmas and happy holidays! This is a pretty quiet week for US companies but pretty lively for international companies. We’ll keep it straightforward and digest-like for this…
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Downrounds hit Shield AI and Snyk; Maxar acquired for $6.4B
Author’s Note: Starting this week, my startup will be recruiting folks for its beta test! I’ll release the URL next week in hopes everyone who is contracting with DoD will…
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Improbable out, SpaceX in; foreign companies expand autonomy gap
Author’s Note: Improbable, which developed synthetic environments and simulations for national security purposes, left the US defense space. In a statement from their current President & General Manager, the sudden…
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A skeptical take on the Office of Strategic Capital; Anduril gets $1.5B to compete with primes
Author’s Note: Chiral is going through some changes! We’re excited to welcome Tilak Bhatnagar to the team. Tilak is an active duty USAF 2dLt. He commissioned from Rutgers University with…
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Geospatial player Fraym.io raises Series B after first SBIR Ph 2 win
Author’s Note: Quiet week for US deals due to Thanksgiving. Hope everyone is gearing up for a good winter holiday coming up! Space - Fraym, a platform for customers to…
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Three raises for SecDevOps; despite FTX, Ethereum player raises $200M Series C
Author’s Note: Writing to you all from the charming island of Tahiti, following some of the worst travel luck I’ve had in a while. Hope everyone is having a relaxing…
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Cybersecurity deals surge while space tech slows
Author’s Note: At the famous Touchy Feely retreat for Stanford GSB this past weekend, so we’re keeping this week light and digest-mode. In keeping with the theme from last week…
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Computer vision remains a military gap; smaller, more numerous deals in cyber
Author’s Note: We’ve gotten too wide; I'm not adding much value by covering many fields and industries. To keep things sustainable and develop a more pointed POV, Chiral is narrowing…
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DoD should procure farmtech; Web3 cyber tools grab investors’ attention
Author’s Note: What infrastructure is still missing in the defense venture landscape? In partnership with the Gordian Knot Center at Stanford, we’re going to find out. If you have research…
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Rise of generative AI disastrous for information and cyber warfare
Author’s Note: We’re now affiliated with Stanford University’s Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation! Artificial intelligence 💡Generative AI can enhance existing information warfare capabilities. If you thought fake news…
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$7B in cyber acquisitions; Delta invests in Joby, a bright spot for passenger travel
Author’s Note: We have a new website! Check it out at www.chiraldefense.com. You can also find our LInkedIn at this link. Cybersecurity 💡Big acquisitions have continued in the cybersecurity space…
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Space industry sees consolidation; debt financing on the rise
Author’s Note: We have a new website! Check it out at www.chiraldefense.com. You can also find our LInkedIn at this link. Space 💡 We see a marked uptick in consolidation…
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ASVs are the drones of the sea; space deals bounce back
Author’s Note: We have a new website! Check it out at www.chiraldefense.com. You can also find our LInkedIn at this link. Autonomy 💡Autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) are the drones of…
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A new approach to rocket “launch”; growing food with satellites and robots
Author’s Note: Don't fret that the newsletter is longer this week! Coverage is better than ever because, in case you missed it last week, we've started working Grata into our…
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Cyber sees $10 billion in completed acquisitions; bringing Grata to Chiral
Author’s Note: I've always been concerned about the possibility of missing deals and raises due to methodological gaps in my research. I'm very open about how I conduct my research…
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Chinese space catching up to the US; DoD missing out on private authentication tech
Author’s Note: As yet another 9/11 passes by, I’m reminded of the importance that defense, security, and service play in our still imperfect union. Never forget. We’re now publishing the…
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Sustainability in space tech; defense-oriented drone makers pick up steam
Author’s Note: Happy Labor Day! Quiet week for the holiday. Two notes from me: 1) We’re publishing the newsletter on LinkedIn! Would love if you could follow our page and…
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AI comes to security; growth in firmware and distributed cybersecurity
Author’s Note: If you're part of a company that contracts with the military, I'm interested in interviewing you! Please grab some time on my Calendly. Artificial intelligence 💡Companies that employ…
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A glimpse of China’s defense tech market; massive $6.9 billion deal re-privatizes SailPoint
Author’s Note: If you're part of a company that contracts with the military, I'm interested in interviewing you! Please grab some time on my Calendly. 💡This week provided a glimpse…
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Is there a tech slowdown? Judging by the cybersecurity market, no.
Author’s Note: Why are we highlighting new industries? The reality is that the types of technology the DoD needs to adopt are resisting my efforts to box them into nice…
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Autonomy industry increases momentum; race to develop universal space software heats up
Author’s Note: The unsteady market, high inflation, and rising interest rates are putting pressure on investors and causing them to slow down the pace of their investments. This is the…
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Laser-based data transmission and miniature radar arrays get raises
Space 💡Research into space tech inevitably pushes the boundaries of science, including the promotion of optical laser links for transmitting data. - South Korea-based Contec raised a $47.23 million Series…
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Walmart full-steam ahead on Symbots; space stuck only relying on climate, defense
Author’s Note: Heads up that I'll be taking off for two weeks in July for my Marine reserves annual training. Expect some future radio silence (which I won't explain because…
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VMware sells for whopping $61 billion; asteroid mining to begin at end of decade
Author’s Note: Hope you had a restful and thoughtful Memorial Day. The holiday means a lot to anyone who has lost a veteran in their life, and we admire all…
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Chinese quantum and rocket launch providers are on the rise
Author’s Note: The recent market downturn is likely to significantly impact deep tech, hurting valuations (especially in space and quantum). The ensuing discipline may lead to greater interest in DoD…
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Cyber startups consolidate upon email; signs quantum payoff won’t come soon
Author’s Note: Do you know anyone who is a technical expert in text-based search? We’re looking for people with experience in keyword search or semantic search to be the technical…
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The VC that led a massive $250M Series A for a robotics company
Author’s Note: Pretty quiet week this week! Brainstorming anew the different directions I may take this newsletter as I inch my way to summer (and no classes). Have you ever…
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EO uses still stuck on defense, ESG; rocket propulsion goes hybrid
Author’s Note: Has anyone operated or heard of any syndicated venture capital models for defense investments? Please let me know! Have you ever been a part of defense contracting? If…
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How 3D printing is contributing to a circular space economy
Author’s Note: Have you ever been a part of defense contracting? Either from the private company side or the military side? I’d love to hear the good, the bad, and…
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Hypersonic space planes; foreign innovation in unmanned tech
Author’s Note: Have you ever been a part of defense contracting? If you’d like to share your frustrations with the DoD’s acquisition process and suggest solutions, I’d like to interview…
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Nearly $100M invested in autonomy; RaaS in construction tech
Author’s Note: I was in the field this past week with my Marine reserve unit, so this week will contain lighter commentary. I just gave a speech on the overmilitarization…
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How to get quantum talent? Acquire a smaller quantum company.
Author’s Note: Have you ever been a part of defense contracting? Either from the private company side or the military side? I’d love to hear the good, the bad, and…
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Firefly rumored up for SPAC; SandboxAQ debuts with 9-figure funds
Author’s Note: Have you ever been a part of defense contracting? Either from the private company side or the military side? I’d love to hear the good, the bad, and…
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Holy grail: Gates invests in always-on comms; Quadric makes an edge computing breakthrough
Author’s Note: Short list of updates this week, not much to draw conclusions about. Have you ever been a part of defense contracting? Either from the private company side or…
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Air Force investment gets funds to fuel Mach 5; highlights from Skyfi’s CEO
Author’s Note: In an exciting twist, I was elected a Co-President of the Venture Capital Club at Stanford GSB. I’d love to bring more deep tech investing to Stanford, so…
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Robotics-as-a-Service goes viral; China grows its quantum lead
Author’s Note: I hope everyone continues to stand with Ukraine. The below covers the past two weeks of updates. I’ve decided to keep coverage of cybersecurity, but I am actively…
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Support Ukraine
There's a time for speaking, and a time for listening. This is a time for the latter. To support the Ukraine effort, check out this site (https://www.standwithukraine.how/) that a team…
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Strykers will soon beat drones with directed energy; why a fractured satellite EO market is good for DoD
Author’s Note: Happy Presidents’ Day! At the half-year mark for Chiral, I’m strongly considering some changes. First, I’m thinking of dropping coverage of cybersecurity. Of all the fields I cover,…
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Can satellites be designed to be collision-proof? Also, another quantum unicorn SPACs
Author’s Note: Happy Super Bowl Weekend! Perhaps that’s why it’s been a quiet week. In other news, this is issue #25 for Chiral. It’s hard to believe I’ve been doing this…
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Cybereason IPOs; “always-on” features are tailwinds for ICEYE, Sateliot
Author’s Note: Thanks to Context Ventures for hosting a great Milvet Startup Conference this past weekend! Got to meet some really cool founders and understand how different VCs are maneuvering…
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Five Chinese space startups raise $100M+; D-Orbit SPACs; robots begin reinventing warehouses
Author’s Note: Beginning to look for a summer internship - any PE/VC firms willing to take on a Stanford MBA/Harvard BA from the Marine Corps? Another reminder that I’ll be…
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Move over, SaaS; “as-a-Service” players emerge in space, robotics, and quantum
Author’s Note: I’ll be attending the upcoming Military Veteran Start Up Conference hosted by Context Ventures at the Marines' Memorial Club in San Francisco, CA on Feb 4th. Be sure…
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Cybersecurity tackles phishing; life sciences drive quantum use cases.
Author’s Note: A big week for acquisitions - there were 8 acquisitions and 1 merger, primarily by leveraged buyout (LBO). This may indicate a broader consolidation or opportunity across government-servicing…
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One software to rule them [robots] all; Leidos amplifies Hawkeye’s radio.
Author’s Note: 2022 is looking sleepy for Chiral still, but it’s a good adjusting period as I acclimate to a new courseload and begin a climate-focused space venture with a…
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Hydrogen air freight a big win for logistics, energy; Planet Labs’ share price stays in the mud.
Author’s Note: Happy New Year! Lots of new offerings up for consideration for Chiral, including job listings, beat-specific authors, and long-form publications meant to help startups obtain revenue from the…
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ZeroFox SPACs; GoSecure acquires Covail; Treeswift pioneers drone imagery of forests
Author’s Note: Happy holidays and, for those who celebrate it like me, belated Merry Christmas! Cybersecurity - ZeroFox is going public via SPAC, acquiring IDX in the process and combining…
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Counter-UAS squares up against drones; space and energy tech make for excellent bedfellows.
Author’s Note: We’re almost to the end of the year! Next week will probably be a thin week for updates given the holiday. Chiral is still sourcing from folks who…
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Japan’s iQPS and Finland’s ICEYE lead SAR push; unlocking the subterranean dimension of war.
Author’s Note: It’s challenging to draw meaningful themes and conclusions solely from a week’s worth of deals and fundraises at a time. I’ll be looking at building a report that…
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IBM, Honeywell accelerate the timeline for quantum; Spire completes acquisition of exactEarth.
Author’s Note: The breadth and pace of cybersecurity means that I’ll be further reducing scope of cybersecurity coverage. It will now include just B2B, US-based cybersecurity companies - these are…
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Japan, India, and EU space startups keep up with the US; Voyager makes its 6th acquisition.
Author’s Note: Happy beginning of the end of 2021! Chiral is still sourcing folks interested in contributing to this newsletter! What are you not getting from your typical defense publications…
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Investors bet big on lowering the cost of space launch and recovery.
Author’s Note: Happy Thanksgiving week! Grateful for your readership and also your willingness to share this newsletter with folks around you. Space 💡Commercial space is aiming at replacing the ultimate…
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Non-map uses for satellite data; 10 new US cybersecurity deals in 1 week.
Author’s Note: For cybersecurity, autonomy, and AI, I will be restricting coverage to solely US-based companies going forward. For space and quantum, I will still look internationally because these fields…
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Ocean sensors are essential for EABO; plus, powerful AI tools come to market.
Author’s Note: Thanks to those that attended my talk at the Association of Marine Corps Logisticians! Let me know at klh1005@gmail.com if you’d like a copy of my presentation. I’m…
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Is real-time space data coming? Also, see how AI and quantum improve military installation defenses.
Author’s Note: What deep dives would readers want to see? Let me know at klh1005@gmail.com. Also, would people be interested if I did interviews? Stanford has brilliant professors, researchers, and…
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$100 million in cybersecurity fundraising within a single week.
Author’s Note: It’s a busy week up ahead as I record my presentation for the Association of Marine Corps Logisticians (AMCL) conference, where I am speaking alongside Commandant of the…
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The latest Series: 3 Cs, 3 Bs, and 3As – a big week for defense.
Author’s Note: If you want to help me cover more topics or news with Chiral, please reach out to me at klh1005@gmail.com! I'm looking to partner with up-and-coming defense thinkers and…
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Rigetti is public; Gretel, Rendered.ai, Kuva, & Muon raise
Author’s Note: I will begin grouping articles and insights by theme rather than just commenting on individual articles about big investments, fundraises, or acquisitions in defense. This will better align…
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IonQ goes public; Anduril acquires Copious Imagery.
Author's Note: The project of cataloguing VCs and PE firms that are investing in defense is still forthcoming; I may decide to present the results at the Association of Marine…
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Xona, Aurora, Karman’s acquisition of Systima, and KWESST.
Author’s Note: This week’s issue includes the latest on space company funding (surprise, surprise) and hypersonic missile M&A activity. We may soon do an analysis on the major VCs or…
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Chiral News – Sep 20 Issue
Author’s Note: Short, sweet, and targeted: this is what I want Chiral to be. So from here on, Chiral will focus just on investments in defense technology startups. Not only…
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Chiral News – Sep 13 Issue
Author's Note: In this issue, we discuss new solicitations from the Defense Innovation Unit for nuclear propulsion in space, gaping data problems exposed by the Afghanistan withdrawal, Israeli innovations in…
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