{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Startup Junkies Podcast","title":"How Small Businesses Can Win Defense Contracts with Chip Laingen","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1619,"description":"Small businesses, not the big defense primes, are where the Department of Defense is looking for its next breakthrough. Here's how to get noticed, and how to be ready when you do.\nIn this entrepreneur interview, Chip Laingen breaks down what it really takes for a small business or startup to sell to the government. Chip is executive director of the Defense Alliance, a 21-year Navy veteran, and has advised defense-tech companies for two decades.\nIn This Episode:\n✅ Why the DoD is turning to small-business innovation\n✅ Navigating government contracting as a startup\n✅ Teaming with partners to leverage past performance\n✅ Preparing for a five-minute pitch with a buyer\n✅ Technology readiness vs. business readiness\n✅ OTAs and Defense Production Act funding\n✅ Servant leadership lessons from the Navy\n⏱️ Chapters:\n0:38 Introduction\n1:13 From Navy helicopter pilot to defense contracting\n4:26 How the Defense Alliance helps small businesses\n5:47 Why selling to the government isn't logical\n8:42 Leveraging partnerships and past performance\n10:30 How to prepare for a five-minute pitch with a buyer\n12:36 Servant leadership lessons from the Navy\n16:34 What it takes to build a defense innovation cluster\n19:09 Technology readiness vs. business readiness\n21:02 How defense procurement is changing: speed and scale\n22:47 How one startup got a $50M factory funded\n24:19 Advice to his younger self\n25:54 How to connect with the Defense Alliance\n—\nAbout Chip Laingen:\nChip Laingen is executive director of the Defense Alliance, an SBA-funded regional innovation cluster. It helps small businesses navigate defense contracting at no cost, and it has members in 38 states. \nJoin free at https://www.defensealliance.com/\nConnect with Chip - https://www.linkedin.com/in/laingen/\n—\n🎧 Follow the Startup Junkies Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. 👍 If you enjoyed this episode, like, subscribe, and share it with a friend.\nThe Startup Junkies Podcast is brought to you in part by RISE, helping...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/VIqyFnVoemaY16I1CQ_9OtsZkjBwg6MwfUeTfBb7LPw/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9hMTg0/ODVhOTk1ZmFiOTQ2/MWM3YTk4MTcxOTg3/NmY5Mi5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}