Mobilizing Private Capital on Aligning Private Investment with DoD Needs
About this episode
The episode discusses the role of private capital in the defense sector and how government demand influences investment decisions.
Private capital is playing an increasingly visible role in the defense industrial base, but its impact depends less on the amount of money flowing in than on how effectively government demand shapes investment decisions. The central question for policymakers is not whether capital is available, but whether the system converts that capital into deployable capability. In this episode, host Dr. Arun Seraphin is joined by Sam Moyer, Research Fellow at NDIA’s Emerging Technologies Institute (ETI), to discuss ETI’s recent work on mobilizing private capital for defense. The conversation examines how different forms of private capital, including venture, private equity, and internal investment, interact with the Department of Defense acquisition system, and why investors ultimately respond to credible signals of future demand. Moyer outlines a framework for understanding what drives investment into the defense sector: demand signaling, catalytic capital tools, and the broader business environment. He explains how mechanisms such as acquisition roadmaps, long-term purchase commitments, and communication between government and industry can reduce uncertainty and lower the cost of capital…
More episodes of Emerging Tech Horizons
- Could Biotechnology paired with Biomanufacturing Be the Next Emerging Technology for National Security?
- Inside Future Force Capabilities 2026: Scaling Speed, Production, and the Next Generation Force
- From Detection to Decision: Dr. Marc Mendonca on Closing the Radiation Response Gap
- Wearables for Warfighters: How WHOOP is Powering Human Performance in National Security
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Emerging Tech Horizons podcast page.