How Defense Tech Investors Evaluate Startups | Jocelyn Kinsey (DFJ Growth)
Jocelyn Kinsey, Partner at DFJ Growth, joins us for a deep dive into defense tech investing, startup strategy, and the realities of building in the national security ecosystem.
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/
Jocelyn Kinsey on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelyn-kinsey/
DFJ Growth Website:
https://dfjgrowth.com/
DFJ Growth has been investing in deep tech for decades, including early bets on SpaceX.
In this conversation, Jocelyn explains how the firm approaches growth-stage investing—and why defense is fundamentally different from traditional venture categories.We cover:
- Why defense is a hit-driven industry, not SaaS
- The surge of capital into defense and whether it’s a bubble
- Lessons from SpaceX and Palantir on working with government
- How modern drone warfare is reshaping defense priorities
- The need for layered counter-drone systems
- Why detection remains one of the hardest problems
- What investors look for in defense founders and teams
- The importance of marketing, lobbying, and go-to-market
If you’re building or investing in defense tech, this episode is a clear look at how the game actually works.
Follow the show:
YouTube
Spotify
Substack
Apple Podcasts
Instagram
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Follow Steve:
LinkedIn
