The Power of Experience: Why Middle-Aged Founders Are Dominating Deep Tech and Defense Innovation, Fundings: Esper Satellite Imagery, Nexera Robotics, MIRORES
05 March 2025 - A Weekly Publication by New North Ventures
The Strategic Advantage: Middle-Aged Founders in Deep Tech
The Myth of the Young Founder
Silicon Valley has long perpetuated the narrative of the brilliant young founder – the college dropout who builds a billion-dollar company from a dorm room. This story makes for compelling headlines but obscures a crucial reality in the startup ecosystem: the most successful founders, particularly in deep tech and defense-focused ventures, are often in their 40s and 50s. Recent research from MIT, Northwestern, and the U.S. Census Bureau confirms this, finding that the average age of successful founders is 42, with those in specialized technical fields skewing even older. This research aligns perfectly with what we've observed at New North Ventures – that domain expertise, industry connections, and battle-tested leadership are invaluable assets when building complex technology companies serving both defense and commercial markets.
NNV's Experience-Driven Portfolio
Our portfolio at New North Ventures exemplifies this principle. Consider John Serafini, CEO of HawkEye 360, who brought years of experience in aerospace and defense investment before pioneering RF analytics from space. His background enabled him to navigate complex regulatory environments, forge relationships with government stakeholders, and build a company that has secured over $200 million in funding while delivering critical radio frequency intelligence to both commercial and defense clients. Similarly, Beacon AI, founded by a former Navy fighter pilot, leverages deep aviation expertise to develop AI copilot systems that are now being adopted by both military and commercial aircraft. This pattern repeats across our portfolio – from CrunchAtlas's founders bringing decades of cybersecurity experience to Fermata Discovery's team applying law enforcement and legal expertise to commercial investigation workflows.
Why Experience Matters in Dual-Use Tech
The national security and defense technology space presents unique challenges that demand experienced leadership. Founders must navigate classified environments, understand procurement processes, build trust with government stakeholders, and simultaneously deliver commercial value. This requires not just technical brilliance but mature judgment, established networks, and the credibility that comes with industry experience. The complex problems our portfolio companies solve – from detecting deepfakes with Reality Defender to enabling resilient power generation with StarCube's microreactors – benefit immeasurably from founders who have encountered similar challenges throughout their careers and understand both commercial imperatives and mission requirements.
The Future Advantage: Human Experience in the Age of AI
As artificial intelligence transforms the technology landscape, the unique value of human experience becomes even more pronounced. While AI can process data and identify patterns, it cannot replace the judgment, intuition, and relationships that experienced founders bring to the table. In fact, as Katerina Stroponiati noted in the WSJ piece, "The new skills are going to be clarity, deep knowledge and how we communicate with machines and our team members. As we get older, we get better at these skills." At New North Ventures, we are committed to investing in founders of any age and phase of life with a strong vision and innovative spirit, but recognize that the combination of seasoned leadership and cutting-edge technology have the potential to create highly resilient and impactful companies. In a world increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence, the most strategic advantage may well be the irreplaceable human intelligence that comes only with experience – particularly in domains as complex and consequential as national security technology.
A New Era of American Innovation
In a recent update, Google highlights its substantial role in advancing American innovation through AI, with a strong focus on enhancing national security, bolstering the economy, and empowering citizens. The company’s partnerships with government agencies, military, and businesses are central to fostering technological leadership, addressing societal challenges, and driving economic growth.
Key Takeaways:
AI for National Security: Google has been working with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to integrate AI into defense operations, including cybersecurity and critical defense research. Their collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory exemplifies how AI is used in complex fields like bioinformatics and materials science to maintain a technological edge in national defense.
Supporting Government Innovation: Google’s AI toolkit for cities and partnerships with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) aim to streamline government services and improve access to benefits. They are also using AI to optimize transportation systems in Texas, improving tolling efficiency and traffic management.
Economic Growth through AI: Google continues to be a catalyst for economic progress, with over $45 billion invested in R&D in 2023 alone. Their AI-driven initiatives are helping U.S. businesses increase productivity, with examples ranging from small family-owned businesses to large corporations like Ford. Notably, AI is also being used in agriculture to improve weather forecasting and crop yields.
Social Impact: Google’s AI tools are helping Americans in numerous ways, from assisting veterans in managing healthcare and mental health services to enhancing wildfire detection and improving breast cancer screening. These innovations not only make daily life easier but also open new frontiers in science and healthcare.
Google’s strategy aligns with the dual-use technology sector we at New North Ventures are focused on, where the innovation that drives both commercial and defense applications can create vast societal benefits. As AI continues to evolve, it holds immense potential for improving national security, economic resilience, and public welfare.
More links to explore:
CrunchAtlas Shines at Harvard/MIT Innovation Showcase!
We’re thrilled to announce that CrunchAtlas has been selected as one of the Top 40 teams for the prestigious Harvard/MIT Technology and National Security Conference Innovation Showcase!
This recognition is a huge milestone for the team, placing them among an incredible group of innovators dedicated to advancing national security through cutting-edge technology. CrunchAtlas is now gearing up for the next stage, with a goal to secure a spot in the Top 20 – a testament to their exceptional cybersecurity solutions and commitment to shaping the future of national security.
A heartfelt thank you to the Technology and National Security Conference team for this honor and for providing such a valuable platform for impact. As CrunchAtlas continues to forge ahead, their focus remains clear – driving innovation, strengthening security, and collaborating with their team, partners, and community to make a meaningful difference.
Here’s to the next chapter, and congratulations to all the incredible finalists! The future is certainly bright for CrunchAtlas and the broader national security tech ecosystem.
Founded: 2019
Key People: CEO Shoaib Iqbal
Elevator Pitch: Developer of modular satellites designed to capture hyperspectral imagery to optimize agriculture and mining. The company's microsatellite offers hyperspectral images to measure minute parts of the planet from testing water quality and plant health for fruitful farming, to locating underground ore deposits for efficient mining and tracking the effects of climate change for future generations, enabling clients to get environmental data and attain efficiency.
Funding: The company raised $5 million of seed funding from Paspalis and Hejaz on March 3, 2025.
Founded: 2021
Key People: CEO Roy Belak
Elevator Pitch: Manufacturer of a robotic arm grasper designed for a wide range of applications. The company's product combines hardware and software systems to solve the inability of robots to reliably grasp diverse objects without causing damage, enabling industries to improve the efficiency of order processing, enhance speed and accuracy, and support the management of large and diverse inventories.
Funding: The company raised $4.5 million of venture funding from BDC Capital, Defined and other undisclosed investors on February 27, 2025.
Founded: 2024
Key People: CTO Jakub Ciążela
Elevator Pitch: Provider of data mining services designed for resource discovery and management. The company integrates remote sensing and geological data for resource prospecting on Earth, the Moon, Mars, and asteroids and assists mining and space industries in the collection, processing and geological interpretation of data, enabling organizations to transit to a Zero- carbon economy and advancing space resource exploration.
Funding: The company joined Academic Enterprise Incubator on February 27, 2025.
In our most recent episode of the Securing the Future Podcast, general partner Jeremy Hitchcock sits down with Nicholas Fitzgerald a strategic advisor to global corporations, law and private-equity firms, sovereigns, and others facing high-stakes reputational, commercial, PR, regulatory, and policy challenges. Together, they dive into how commercial and national security sectors collaborate to drive innovation.