DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY
The Obsydian Group is a boutique advisory helping investors and startups understand where they stand and where they can win in defense tech.
WHAT WE DO
Guidance on presenting your business to orgs like the Defense Innovation Unit and federal defense customers. We help in framing the mission need, selecting acquisition pathways, and preparing for the conversations that decide outcomes.
Partners serve on advisory boards of defense technology companies, contributing federal market judgment and technical depth to strategic decisions.
Advisory and technical due diligence for private equity and venture firms evaluating defense technology and autonomy investments, from startup to mid-cap.
ABOUT THE FIRM
The federal defense market operates by its own rules. Our partners have served in uniform, at the Defense Innovation Unit, and in the companies that build for it.
We bring that operating experience to founders navigating the defense tech ecosystem, to boards shaping defense tech strategy, and to investors weighing technical and market risk in defense and autonomy.
THE TEAM
Kevin is a seasoned defense acquisitions expert who has a PhD in robotics from Cornell Engineering. Kevin served as DIU’s autonomy portfolio tech director until 2026.
Scott comes to Obsydian with deep technical knowledge of C2 systems and combat aviation experience. He has been a startup operator in various emerging technologies. He holds a PhD in Data Science and currently Postdocs at Cornell University helping enterprises adopt AI.
John is an accomplished defense and private sector executive, having led many high-vis projects and companies at different stages. He is an Army Special Forces soldier and holds an MBA from NYU Stern.
Davin spent his career in Army Special Operations, retiring as a Special Mission Unit Sergeant Major after twenty-one deployments and a final assignment as liaison to the Intelligence Community. He now advises defense startups across the United States and Europe, and holds an MBA from Georgetown.
GET STARTED
Thirty minutes with a partner to discuss where you stand in the federal defense market and where to go next.
BOOK A CALL