1 people tracked
Find your way into Forward Deployed VC
12 people in our graph share verified history with the Forward Deployed VC team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Investment thesis
Forward Deployed Venture Capital invests in mission-critical technologies across defense, energy, and AI sectors, leveraging founder Mark Scianna's deep operational experience at Palantir where he developed critical defense systems and infrastructure. The fund targets startups that solve complex problems for government and defense customers, with a thesis grounded in understanding real-world deployment challenges and building defensible, high-impact businesses in strategic sectors.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 6, 2026.
Team · 1 people
from the firm's websiteWhat they invest in
from 3 of 16 portfolio companiesAdvanced Manufacturing ×2Deep Tech ×2Defense Tech ×2Space Tech ×2Enterprise Software ×1Logistics & Supply Chain ×1SaaS ×1
HQs:United States×2
Investments · 16 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2026 · 22025 · 13 dated
Fortastra builds low-cost, maneuverable spacecraft designed to defend infrastructure in orbit, combining commercial components with custom engineering.
Deep TechDefense TechSpace TechTorrance, US
Michael G. Smayda(Executive Officer, Director)in
BoardNick Kim(Director)
Co-investorsUpfront VenturesBloomberg BetaGenerational PartnersWave Function Ventures
Silkline provides supply chain orchestration software for advanced manufacturers, automating procurement workflows and enabling supplier collaboration to reduce time to revenue and improve operational efficiency.
Advanced ManufacturingEnterprise SoftwareLogistics & Supply ChainSaaS
Brent Shulman(Founder)in
Co-investors25MadisonBarrel VenturesOrigin VenturesValia VenturesMatchstick VenturesPlow Ventures
Turion Space builds space infrastructure spanning maneuverable spacecraft, mission planning software, and orbital logistics such as refueling and servicing, with capabilities for space domain awareness and rendezvous proximity operations.
Advanced ManufacturingDeep TechDefense TechSpace TechLos Angeles, US
Ryan Westerdahl(CEO & Co-Founder)inTyler James Pierce(Founder)inPatryk Wiatr(Founder)inRyan W(Founder)in
Co-investorsAngel Collective Opportunity FundAsymmetry VenturesAurelia FoundryBeyond Earth VenturesCenter15 CapitalDG Daiwa Ventures+17 more
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
AI Data ComplianceAI Data PipelinesAI-Powered LogisticsAuth for B2BAutonomous Cyber DefenseDrones as First ResponderGovernment ContractingMission RequirementsModern Defense ProductionPrivacy-first Mobile CarrierRockets and SpacecraftSpace SecurityStatus & Incident Comms
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesTurion Space · spacewatch.global · Apr 17, 2026
Fortastra · latimes.com · Jan 5, 2026
Silkline · originventures.com · Oct 23, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Forward Deployed VC made?
- Forward Deployed VC has 13 tracked investments.
- What sectors does Forward Deployed VC focus on?
- Forward Deployed VC focuses on Advanced Manufacturing, AI & Machine Learning, Deep Tech, Defense Tech, Energy, GovTech, Space Tech.
Images
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