Stacy L. Chin tells founders to stop pitching vague AI claims to defense agencies and instead show concrete benefits: time saved, risk reduced, new capabilities. Let the government fund your prototype while you keep full equity. Each funded prototype becomes proof that unlocks more contracts, investor interest, and commercial partnerships.
The real question is, what should you as a founder do about this? Don't just say your AI or battery can be useful, but rather show how you can help defense agencies. Does it save time, reduce risk, or add capabilities that they don't have before? Let the government pay you. In other words, let the government pay you to build your prototype while you're keeping your equity and ownership. Because every prototype is a proof point that can unlock new contracts, future investors, and even contacts with commercial partners.
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