Why Start a Substack?

Decades are happening in weeks... let's untangle it together

Why now?

Just a few weeks ago, I got very excited writing about the autonomous systems market - so excited I wrote a big ambitious piece that wasn’t right for any website or magazine. The piece started while I was mapping the drone market to pitch VCs, and then it got more legs.

I sent it to friends and colleagues and had great discussions. But then that was it.

So I’m starting this substack to hold that piece. And the next.

What will I write about?

These days, I spend all my waking hours building Blue Water Autonomy, a company I co-founded to advance uncrewed naval technology. We’re in deep stealth, but I’m learning about the intersection of technology and geo-politics 24 hours a day. Most days, I’m with the team in Boston developing our tech. Other days, I’m with customers in Hawaii or on Capitol Hill talking budgets with congressional experts.

Earlier in my career, I served on active duty as a US Navy Intelligence Officer. I helped deploy tech in the Pentagon and stood watch in combat zones around the world. I left active duty to knock out grad school, but the mission continued when I discovered defense tech. In grad school, I helped grow the MIT and Harvard defense tech ecosystems, with the hope that more Americans will see defense tech as a purposeful and rewarding career path.

Last year, I went to Ukraine and worked in a drone factory outside Kyiv. That experience - working alongside determined Ukrainians defending their country - was the privilege of a lifetime.

What I learned in Ukraine wasn’t just about drones. It was conviction. Today, I work hard every day so that my home never faces such a threat.

I tell you the above because those experiences reflect where I’ve put my chips in life. I can’t tell you what I’ll write about next, but my actions do tell you what I care and think most about.

Why Subscribe?

Since I write often, but intermittently, I recommend that you subscribe. I don’t intend to publish weekly or with any set frequency. Subscribing simply means my next post will hit your inbox.

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