Silent Ventures

Silent Ventures Research Investment Thesis Silent Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in "exceptional founders building unrivaled aerospace, defense, and national security companies." Founded in late 2022 by Jackson Moses, the firm takes a contrarian stance on defense technology — betting early on the sector when many traditional VCs considered it uninvestable. Moses famously responded to such skepticism with: "Defense tech isn't investable…Hold my beer." The firm's thesis is that the next generation of transformational defense and national security companies will be built by startup founders who combine the urgency of mission with the speed and innovation of the private sector. Silent Ventures operates in parallel with Silent Capital, a private syndicate that provides accredited members exclusive access to multi-stage defense and deep tech investment opportunities — functioning as a "capital bridge across stages in the defense ecosystem." Sector Focus Silent Ventures is exclusively focused on the defense, aerospace, and national security space: Aerospace & Space : Orbital mechanics, launch vehicles, satellite infrastructure, commercial space stations (Axiom Space, Impulse Space, Pixxel Space, Privateer Space, Starfish Space, Voyager Technologies) Defense Technology & Hardware : Autonomous weapons systems, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), hypersonic missiles, naval autonomy (Anduril, Castelion, Firehawk Aerospace, Firestorm, Saronic, Swarm Aero, Swarmbotics AI) AI for National Security : AI-powered decision support, logistics intelligence, threat detection (Armada AI, Gallatin AI, Haxion AI, Galvanick) Defense Infrastructure & Manufacturing : Defense-focused manufacturing, critical materials, energy security (Hadrian, Base Power, Supply Energetics, Terra Industries) Dual-Use Deep Tech : Robotics, autonomy, and sensing technologies with both civilian and military applications (Fulcrum Autonomy, Dirac, Sandtable) Stage Focus Silent Ventures invests primarily at the earliest stages of company formation: Concept/Pre-Seed : First check into companies still in ideation or prototype phase Seed : Companies with early product or prototype but pre-revenue or early-revenue The firm explicitly targets founders at the "concept stage" — before most institutional capital is available — and positions itself as a first believer and lead investor. This early entry has allowed Silent Ventures to participate in companies that went on to raise hundreds of millions in subsequent rounds. Check Size Typical check size: $1.5M – $3M Silent Ventures leads most of its rounds, taking an active role as the first institutional backer. The firm co-leads or participates alongside strategic investors and specialist defense VCs in larger rounds. Lead Tendency Silent Ventures is a lead investor. Jackson Moses has positioned the firm as the go-to first-check for defense and aerospace founders. The firm frequently sources deals that are later syndicated to major funds including Founders Fund, a16z, Lightspeed, and General Catalyst. Recent Activity (2024–2026) Silent Ventures has been actively deploying capital with notable investments across the portfolio: March 2024 : Participated in Firestorm Labs' $12.5M seed round (led by Lockheed Martin Ventures) — expeditionary 3D-printed UAS manufacturer April 2025 : Participated in Gallatin AI's $15M seed round (led by 8VC) — AI for military logistics and supply chain resilience June 2025 : Voyager Technologies (prior portfolio company) IPO'd on NYSE at a $3.8B valuation, with shares surging 125% on debut July 2025 : Participated in Armada AI's $131M strategic round for megawatt-scale modular AI data centers (returning investor) March 2026 : Co-led Swarm Aero's $35M Series A with Two Sigma Ventures — large UAV and swarm software developer The firm made approximately 3 new investments in 2025 and remains actively deploying. Portfolio Highlights Silent Ventures has built an exceptional portfolio with 6 unicorns, 1 IPO, and 1 acquisition: Breakout Companies: Saronic ($9.25B valuation) — Autonomous naval vessel manufacturer; raised $1.75B CHAOS Industries ($4.5B valuation) — Detection technology; raised $510M in Series D Base Power — Battery storage; raised $1B Series C Castelion — Hypersonic missile manufacturer; raised $450M Anduril Industries — Defense AI platform (prior investment, major exit) Voyager Technologies — Space/defense infrastructure; IPO'd June 2025 at $3.8B valuation (+125% day one) Impulse Space — Orbital transfer vehicles; raised $300M Series C Recent Active Portfolio (Current): Aeon Industrial, Armada AI, Dirac, Dominion Dynamics, Erebor Bank, Firestorm, Fulcrum Autonomy, Furientis, Gallatin AI, Hadrian, Haxion AI, Ironstead, Sandtable, Supply Energetics, Swarm Aero, Swarmbotics AI, Terra Industries, Traysar Team Jackson Moses – Founder & Managing Partner Jackson Moses is a serial entrepreneur turned early-stage defense tech investor. Prior to launching Silent Ventures, he founded two companies: Spectrum AI (acquired by ActiveFence, 2023): Multimodal LLMs for content moderation with clients including Tencent, Pinterest, and Grindr. Last valued at $137M. MainStreet (acquired by Employer.com, 2025): R&D tax credit platform that scaled to $30M+ revenue and helped 2,000+ companies claim $150M in savings. Before entrepreneurship, Moses held roles at LinkedIn (sales, customer operations, recruiting), Cisco, and Lynda.com. He holds dual B.A. degrees in Economics and Political Science from UC Berkeley. Moses also serves as Venture Partner at Founders Fund and a16z, and as Senior Advisor to Castelion, Privateer, and Thor Dynamics. He was named to Business Insider's Seed 100: Best Early-Stage Investors of 2025. Decision Process Silent Ventures operates as a solo GP firm. Jackson Moses is the sole decision-maker for investments. Given the specialized nature of the portfolio and the early stage at which the firm invests, decisions can move quickly — Moses has been known to make commitments at the concept stage based primarily on founder caliber and mission alignment. Founder Preferences Silent Ventures backs founders with: Deep domain expertise in defense, aerospace, or national security Operator backgrounds (military veterans, defense contractors, government officials) Founders who have worked at primes (Lockheed, Raytheon, Boeing) or defense-adjacent tech companies (Palantir, Anduril) Willingness to engage with DoD procurement cycles Mission-driven orientation aligned with national security imperatives Geographic Focus Primarily United States, with a concentration in California (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area), Colorado (Denver), Washington D.C. area, and Texas. The firm is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Recognition & Rankings Business Insider Seed 100: Best Early-Stage Investors of 2025 (Jackson Moses) Ranked among top defense tech VCs alongside 8VC, General Catalyst, Lightspeed, and Andreessen Horowitz Track record of sourcing early deals later syndicated to major funds