National Security Business: How to Get Started
From Small World, Big Problems by JHU SAIS Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies
November 21, 2025 · 1h 7m · Season 4 · Episode 2
About this episode
The episode discusses how to navigate the national security startup ecosystem with insights from industry experts.
Sanjana Polapragada hosts a two-speaker conversation with Robert Miller, a seasoned “startup statesman” who has advised companies such as CrowdAI (now acquired by Saab) and Hawkeye 360 (now valued at over a billion dollars), and Emma Bates, CEO and founder of Cachai, a dual-use tech company (for both civilian and military purposes) focused on collaborative autonomy and drone innovation in the national security space. Together, they unpack how to navigate the national security startup ecosystem, secure government contracts, and cross the many “valleys of death” that mission-driven ventures face. Aimed at anyone with a concrete, government-focused venture idea, the episode offers practical how-tos for entering and thriving in the field. If you're curious about building a mission-driven venture in national security, this episode is your starting point. Produced in partnership with the Pava Center for Entrepreneurship at Johns Hopkins. Researched and hosted by Sanjana Polapragada; edited by Vishal Gogusetti.
People in this episode
Host: Sanjana Polapragada
Guests: Robert Miller, Emma Bates
Topics covered
- national security
- startups
- government contracts
- entrepreneurship
- dual-use technology
- drone innovation
Keywords
- national security
- startups
- government contracts
- entrepreneurship
- drone technology
- collaborative autonomy
- mission-driven ventures
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: CrowdAI, Saab, Hawkeye 360, Cachai, Pava Center for Entrepreneurship, Johns Hopkins
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