Atlanta · Defense & dual-use technology
I connect defense, dual-use, and software companies with the customers, partners, and investors they can’t reach on their own.
Twenty years of building companies, working alongside US intelligence agencies, and mentoring founders have left me with a network that opens doors. I put it to work for a small number of clients at a time.
How I help
Most clients start with introductions. The other two grow out of the same network.
90-day retainer
I map who you need to meet, then make warm introductions to buyers, channel partners, primes, and investors. You get conversations with people who already trust the person introducing you.
Project
I lead the engagement. The analysis is done by a team that includes former leadership of the Defense Intelligence Agency and the CIA. You get a clear, decision-ready read on the geopolitical and cyber risks in a market, partner, or supply chain.
Built for executives and boards making a big decision under uncertainty.
Ongoing
I bring board-level governance experience across industries, plus a working knowledge of national security, cybersecurity, defense innovation, and the Russia–Ukraine war.
Open to paid board seats and advisory boards where the network matters.
The 90-day engagement
Relationships take time, so the engagement is built around a full quarter. You always know what’s been done and who you’ve met.
We agree on who matters: the customers, partners, and investors that would change your year. I build the list from my network.
Warm, personal introductions with context on both sides. No cold email blasts.
I stay in the loop, nudge stalled conversations, and open second-degree doors from the first meetings.
We look at what turned into real opportunities and decide whether to continue, refocus, or stop.
Fees are set per engagement. Tell me about your company and who you’re trying to reach, and I’ll tell you plainly whether I can help.
A particular focus
Ukrainian and Eastern European defense companies have built some of the most battle-tested technology in the world. Selling it in the United States is a different problem: new buyers, new rules, and a network you don’t have yet.
Background
I’ve spent my career at the point where technology, business, and national security meet.
For eighteen years I ran Stone Soup Technology, a consultancy I founded that built projects for Fortune 500 companies like Caterpillar and global brands like Angry Birds, and later exited through a partial acquisition.
Today I run Three Letter Ventures, where I advise founders and investors on defense innovation, cybersecurity, and geopolitical risk, and support early-stage national security companies with guidance, capital, and introductions. Much of that work is confidential. I’ve worked with multiple US intelligence agencies on a range of projects, and I’m happy to talk about what I can in person.
Around Atlanta I’m probably best known as an angel investor. The common thread in all of it is people: I like finding the two who should know each other and making sure they meet.
Speaking & writing
I’ve spoken at conferences in France, the UK, Romania, and the US, and judged pitch events for Techstars, Georgia Tech, and Founder Institute.
How a war changed what gets built, how fast, and who buys it.
What foreign founders get wrong about American buyers, primes, and timelines.
When a commercial product has a national security customer, and how to find them.
Questions every board should ask before entering a new market or signing a foreign partner.
Want me at your event or on your podcast? Get in touch.
Outside work
Reading list
I used to keep a “currently reading” list here, and the best part was the suggestions people sent. If there’s a book that changed how you think about technology, power, or people, I’d like to hear about it.
Say hello
Tell me who you are and who you’re trying to reach. I read every message myself and reply within two business days.