Episode 103 | Inside The Defense VC Boom | Nick Snoad
I sat down with Nick Snoad, VP at Marlinspike, to talk about the surge of capital into defense and dual-use tech, and how he actually evaluates teams, markets, and milestones at the earliest stages.
What we get into:
Why dual-use matters: bigger markets, more paths to scale
How stage changes the bar: from “prove the tech and market” at seed to “execute and expand” post-A
Using non-dilutive routes (SBIRs, DIU, OTAs, TACFI/STRATFI) without losing the product roadmap
Where adoption is slow and where it’s breaking open: autonomy, simulation-driven wargaming, and the factory OS
Sectors on his radar now: energy (incl. nuclear and geothermal) and data-enabled manufacturing
What “value-add” looks like in defense VC (it’s not just a check)
Team signals he trusts: balanced founding groups, clear hiring plans, self-awareness on when to bring in a scaler
Advice to vets breaking in: go learn inside a startup, then decide if investing is your lane
Episode Highlights:
00:00 Machine Minds Show Introduction
04:29 Planning to lead team running missions
08:47 We’re a multi-stage fund
12:47 Number of deployments of this software across an enterprise
17:12 Future of factories and hrien
22:02 Simulation architecture to be able to rapidly refresh
28:18 How do you define success for marlin spike?
32:50 What our strength and weaknesses
Where to Find the Guest:
Connect Marlinspike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-snoad-340389157/
Connect Marlin Spike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marlinspike/
Company Website: www.marlinspike.us
Machine Minds:
Samson Rose: https://samsonrose.com/
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/machine-minds/id1697983733
Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0
Let’s Connect on Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/machinemindsshow/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregtoroosian/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/machinemindsshow/