Tough Tech Panel
Tough Tech:
Engineering the Future of National Security
Breakthrough defense technologies often face long development cycles, high technical risk, and major funding hurdles before they ever reach the battlefield. This panel will explore how tough tech moves from lab to deployment—who funds it, who builds it, and how it gets adopted. Panelists will discuss the challenges of commercializing deep-tech innovations, securing early-stage defense funding, overcoming procurement barriers, and scaling technologies that can shape the future of national security.
Dhruva Rajendra
Deterrence | CEO and Co-Founder
Dhruva Rajendra is the CEO and Co-Founder of Deterrence, a defense technology company using robotics, AI and machine learning to automate the production of energetics. Prior to founding Deterrence, Dhruva was a Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Latch (NASDAQ:LTCH) , where he led the development of LatchOS, an integrated hardware, software, and services ecosystem that redefined access control and smart building technology. Dhruva also previously served as CEO of Fast Rope Labs, a product strategy consultancy that helped Fortune 100 companies and startups alike develop and scale breakthrough technologies.
Jim Matheson
Harvard Business School | Senior Lecturer
Jim Matheson joined the Harvard Business School faculty in 2019 and teaches courses on Entrepreneurial Finance, Tough Tech Ventures, and Accelerating Climate Solutions. He is a faculty affiliate of the Business & Environment Initiative and The Salata Institute for Climate & Sustainability. Previously, he was a General Partner at Flagship Pioneering, helping grow the firm to over $3 billion AUM. He also served as CEO of Oasys Water, leading its global expansion. Before his career in investing, Jim was a Navy F-14/18 pilot, a TOPGUN Instructor, and retired as a Commander. He holds a BS from the U.S. Naval Academy and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Ethan Thornton
Mach Industries | Founder & CEO
Ethan Thornton is the founder and CEO of Mach Industries, a next-generation defense technology and manufacturing company. His early experiences solving tough challenges through hands-on work led to the realization that hardware solutions could fill critical gaps in the U.S. defense ecosystem. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before launching Mach in 2023. Thornton’s ultimate goal is to establish decentralized strategic capabilities that ensure the defense of freedom. Under his leadership, Mach is dedicated to pioneering the future of unmanned warfare—developing, manufacturing, and deploying asymmetric systems faster, at greater scales, and more enduringly than anyone on Earth.
Earl Jones
DCVC | Operating Partner
H. Earl Jones III is an Operating Partner at DCVC. Mr. Jones is a recognized thought leader in the areas of Water & Environment, Industrial Transformation and Defense, and has extensive leadership experience in growing technology-based organizations. In his role at DCVC, Mr. Jones focuses on deep tech investing for Water, Climate, Industrial Transformation and Defense, and is building a portfolio of solutions which will have a transformative impact on the availability, quality and affordability of critical resources.
Shai Cohen
[ Moderator ]
Harvard Business School & Harvard Kennedy School
Shai is an MBA/MPP candidate at Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School. He worked at the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, where he focused on autonomy and AI. Before school, Shai worked at the Council on Foreign Relations and Bain & Company.