Goat Rodeo #8 – Big Budgets, Bigger Doors, and the New Defense Tech Game

This episode: It’s office-warming week, Garrett’s officially a Lieutenant Colonel, and Simon’s haircut is getting more attention than the President’s budget—which, by the way, still hasn’t shown up.

The team dives into the latest budget signals from Congress and the White House, including $100B in drone-related spending and a $2B boost to DIU’s budget. But will that money actually move the needle?

Garrett, Simon, and Dave unpack the tension between flashy funding announcements and the still-painful bottleneck of transition. Spoiler: more front doors isn’t the answer—better ones are.

They also get into venture studios, defense incubators, and whether the market is quietly building what government can’t.

Plus: DIU as a recruiting office, regional on-ramps, the myth of defense capitalism, and why trying to out-China China just won’t work. Oh, and SOF Week? Basically a 3-day frat party.

 

Our Podcast: National security, defense tech, and geopolitics—serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare. Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take—because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/54Y55S1FkTrPOkKpjtSLi1?si=cAhKhYWhR6qej2A5L-MKTw

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/goat-rodeo-8-big-budgets-bigger-doors-and-the-new/id1801310605?i=1000705684559

Youtube: https://youtu.be/JAZtjdKnXXc?si=aUWUVwOUTWLS8Etn