Callye Keen engages in an educational conversation with Art Trevethan, unraveling the intricate layers of defense innovation, entrepreneurship, and the intersection of the private sector with the military. Trevethan, equipped with years of experience and insights, demystifies the path of innovations from conception to the hands of warfighters, emphasizing the pivotal role of collaboration, understanding, and actionable solutions in this dynamic ecosystem.

Topic Highlights:

[00:00] - Introducing Art Trevethan
Callye Keen introduces Art Trevethan, Partner at RIIS Technologies, an organization that offers performance ready data science and artificial intelligence.

[05:25] - Navigating the Valley of Death
Art illuminates the hurdles faced by innovations in transcending the infamous “valley of death.” He underscores the need for a plan and experienced individuals to expedite the journey of prototypes from obscurity to implementation.

[07:08] - The Startups’ Stint with the Military
Callye Keen highlights the recurring challenge of innovation implementation in the DOD. He pinpoints gaps between idea inception, sales, and establishing a viable business, stressing that achieving a program of record isn't the panacea many believe it to be.

[10:02] - The Dual-Use Dilemma
Trevethan advocates for a dual-use approach, warning against the government being the sole customer. He shares insights from his entrepreneurial journey and emphasizes the unpredictability and fickle nature of federal contracts.

[14:02] - Barriers to Innovation in DOD
Callye points out the inherent challenge faced by radical innovations in finding their footing within the DOD, attributed to specific problems lacking analogous solutions in the commercial market.

[19:08] - The Tribe Concept of Collaboration
Art elaborates on the "tribe" concept, a converging point for various defense stakeholders. He envisions a nexus where startups, primes, warfighters, military leadership, and acquisition professionals collaboratively forge solutions.

Parting Thought:
"We are in a great power competition...and it's a fairly pacing competition that we need to get our innovations out and move them quickly." - Art Trevethan. This statement encapsulates the urgency and imperative nature of innovation in defense, illuminating the pressing need for speed and efficiency in this era of global competitiveness.

Callye Keen - Kform
https://kform.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/callyekeen/
https://youtube.com/@kforminc
https://twitter.com/CallyeKeen

Art Trevethan - RIIS Technologies
Medium - https://medium.com/@ygthb
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/arttrevethan/
Email - art@RIIS.TECH or Art.Trevethan@gmail.com
Phone - 614-579-7227

About Art:
As Partner at RIIS Technologies, Art leverages his technical proficiency and entrepreneurial insight to advance the culture of innovation. His team is consistently updated on market and technology trends, seeking opportunities to infuse these insights into the ecosystem of solution providers who may not have previously partnered with the military or federal government. Formerly serving the DOD Innovation community as Entrepreneur in Residence within the U.S. Army's modernization division - Army Futures Command > Army Applications Laboratory > Corporate Ventures - Art Trevethan is an entrepreneurial pioneer deeply involved in the startup and innovation landscape.