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Mission Speed: How Commercial Innovation Is Reshaping Defense Acquisition | The Pair Program Ep92
Episode 92
Tuesday, 7 April, 2026
Mission Speed: How Commercial Innovation Is Reshaping Defense Acquisition | The Pair Program Ep92In this episode of The Pair Program, we sit down with Darian Harris, Founding GP of Connected Capital and co-founder of Fuse Accelerator, and Drew Trojanowski, President and CEO of the Southwest Mission Acceleration Center (MAC), to unpack what it really takes to move innovation at mission speed. From navigating defense acquisition to scaling dual-use startups, they share how founders and operators can bridge the gap between commercial traction and government adoption.What you’ll hear in this episode:Why “speed” in defense isn’t always about moving fasterThe real bottlenecks in DoD acquisition and innovation pipelinesHow dual-use startups can avoid the “valley of death”Building ecosystems that actually help technology reach the missionWhy partnerships matter more than ever in scaling innovationAbout Drew Trojanowski: Drew is President & CEO of the Southwest Mission Acceleration Center (MAC), where he leads mission-driven innovation across national security ecosystems. His background spans the White House, Capitol Hill, Arizona State University, and a decade in the U.S. Army as a scout/sniper.About Darian Harris: Darian is Founding GP of Connected Capital and co-founder of Fuse Accelerator. A seasoned entrepreneur, he focuses on helping scale-stage startups grow across commercial and government markets, supporting founders in turning traction into long-term impact.Exploring your next tech role? Get insider job advice and the latest startup & govtech openings – delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe here: https://www.myhatchpad.com/newsletter/
