Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Dan Magy, Co-Founder of Firestorm Labs, a defense tech company that's raised over $40 Million in funding.

Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:

• From Stadiums to Battlefields: Dan’s first company started with counter-drone technology for sports stadiums but quickly pivoted to defense applications when naval special warfare recognized its potential for use in combat zones.
• Program of Record – The Holy Grail in Defense: Dan describes a "program of record" as the closest thing to recurring revenue in the defense sector, which solidifies a company’s long-term relationship with the government.
• Shifting Attitudes in Silicon Valley Toward Defense: Silicon Valley’s involvement in defense has seen a resurgence, driven by global events such as China’s aggressive posturing and the war in Ukraine.
• The Rise of Drone Warfare: Dan explains how the war in Ukraine is shaping the future of warfare, where drones are used in massive numbers, causing unprecedented destruction and high casualty rates.
• Defense Tech Startups on the Rise: The defense tech sector has evolved through multiple generations of startups, and Dan believes the current Gen 2 phase has accelerated due to global conflicts and changing defense priorities.
• Scaling Defense Tech Through Manufacturing Innovation: Firestorm Labs is focusing on modular, cost-effective, and easily deployable manufacturing systems that can create drones in conflict zones, reducing production lead times and costs.