Goat Rodeo #9 W/ Brian MacCarthy - Byrd Baths, Knife Fights, & Momentum Investing

This episode: Rip-It still isn’t sponsoring us, Garrett’s got a new tattoo, and we’re talking punk shows, MARPAT pants, and startup knife fights.

This week’s guest is Brian MacCarthy, Senior Vice President of Ventures in the Chief Technology Office at Booz Allen Hamilton—a venture investor with TS/SCI clearance and a front-row seat to the shifting landscape of defense tech. Brian joins the crew to share sharp insight on how the momentum-funding frenzy looks from the inside, what startups often get wrong when chasing big rounds, and why integration still matters more than hype. We also dig into the Senate Byrd Bath, budget reconciliation mechanics, and what $14 billion labeled as “innovation for the warfighter” really means. From impatient capital and stalled buying cycles to China's IP theft and America’s scaling problem, this episode covers why our tech is better—but still not getting where it needs to go. Plus: Legacy primes vs. neo-primes, Halloween candy metaphors, and the gap between a tradeshow demo and operational relevance.

 

Our Podcast: National security, defense tech, and geopolitics—serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare. Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take—because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo. Listen on other platforms!

 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2mTJ1oJEgB3rCbQouCL7XD?si=45c67d5954a443b5

 

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/goat-rodeo/id1801310605

 

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@GoatRodeoPodcast