Investing Panel 

Steve Bowsher

In-Q-Tel  |  CEO 

Steve Bowsher serves as CEO of In-Q-Tel where he sets and implements IQT’s mission of identifying, evaluating, and leveraging emerging commercial technologies for the National Security Community and its allies. He previously served as Managing General Partner and Executive VP, leading the company’s investment strategy since 2006. In addition to approving all deals, he has personally managed IQT’s relationships with Palantir, Databricks, MongoDB, Anaconda, Initiate Systems, and others. He joined IQT from InterWest Partners, where he served as General Partner for eight years. Previously, Bowsher worked at E*TRADE. He was also an early stage employee at two startup companies, where he was responsible for revenue and distribution targets.

Veronica Daigel

Red Cell Partners  |  President, National Security

Veronica Daigle is the President of Red Cell Partners' National Security Practice and a Partner at the firm. She previously served as an Executive Director at Boeing and as the Senate-confirmed Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness, advising senior defense leaders on military readiness. Ms. Daigle began her federal career as a Presidential Management Fellow at OMB and later held key roles within the DoD, including as a Senior Executive Service member. Before public service, she spent nearly a decade in finance, developing risk-adjusted performance benchmarks for global banking institutions.

Arun Gupta

NobleReach  |  CEO

Arun Gupta, CEO of NobleReach, is a venture capitalist, Lecturer at Stanford University for “Valley Meets Mission”, and Adjunct Entrepreneurship Professor and Senior Advisor to Provost at Georgetown University, and author of the National Bestseller, “Venture Meets Mission”. Arun is active in the emerging technology, entrepreneurship, public policy, and venture finance communities. He is passionate about inspiring students to pursue mission-oriented entrepreneurial careers.

Israel Ruiz

Engine Ventures  |  President

Israel is President of Engine Ventures, where he serves on the investment committee and oversees the firm's advisory councils, including the National Security Advisory Council. He brings extensive board experience from both private and publicly traded companies, including Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA), Fortive (NYSE: FTV), Aura Biosciences (NASDAQ: AURA), and FM Global. Israel launched The Engine in 2016 while holding the role of Executive Vice President and Treasurer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and served as Founding Chairman through 2020. Before MIT, Israel held engineering and senior management positions at HP and Nissan. He holds a master’s from MIT Sloan and a six-year degree in Mechanical Engineering from UPC.

Michael Brown

[ Moderator ]

Shield Capital  |  Partner

Michael Brown is a Partner at Shield Capital with deep expertise in defense acquisition. He previously served as Director of the Defense Innovation Unit and as a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow. With a distinguished career in technology and national security, Michael has held leadership roles including CEO of Symantec, Chairman & CEO of Quantum Corp, and Chairman of EqualLogic. He is actively involved with the Hoover Institution, CNAS, and the National Security Innovation Base (NSIB).