policy / Pentagon
By lens · 1 takes across the edition
Washington Times · United States · Defense tech startups raise $14.6bn in five months, smashing 2025's full-year record
Reports the Pentagon's active posture shift: official encouragement of VC participation in defense programs, including pilot programs to streamline SBIR eligibility for venture-backed companies. Quotes defense officials saying commercial technology is now indispensable for near-peer competition.
“The Pentagon is now actively encouraging venture capitalists to participate in defense programs, reversing a decade of institutional skepticism.”