Strap in for this week’s episode of Something New as we head behind the scenes with Zane Mountcastle, CEO of Picogrid, who’s transforming how the military integrates technology. Zane’s team is developing platforms that make sure different systems can actually work together, and they’re about to launch an open API that could reshape the future of defence innovation. Zane also gives us a sneak peek of Legion V2, their next-gen API, which will empower third-party developers to create military-grade solutions. Picogrid is making it easier than ever to build tech that’s ready for real-world operations—without all the bugs.

Meanwhile, Steph and Leeor break down Lenny’s buzzworthy How to Raise a Seed post that took over Twitter this week. They weigh in from both the VC and founder perspectives, talking about the importance of storytelling, how to attract the right investors, and why commitment is key when fundraising.

Don’t forget to follow Leeor on Twitter at https://twitter.com/lmushin and Steph at https://twitter.com/stephmui. Learn more about the Something New podcast at https://somethingnewpod.com/.

Key Discussion Points:

• The rise of aerospace startups in El Segundo, California
• How defense technologies like Picogrid’s platforms are modernizing military operations
• Zane’s journey from academia to entrepreneurship, winning contracts with the U.S. Army
• The importance of mission-driven innovation in defense tech
• The future of unmanned systems and autonomous technologies in the military.
  
  

Guest Info: Zane Mountcastle is the CEO and co-founder of Picogrid, a company focused on building middleware and hardware solutions for the defence industry. Before founding Picogrid, Zane worked on advanced sensor systems and autonomous tech, securing contracts with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.