In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, Neal Bloom sits down with Larsen Jensen, former Olympian, Navy SEAL, and now Managing Partner of Harpoon Ventures, an early-stage venture firm backing founders building in the national interest.
Larsen shares the journey from serving Team USA to launching a venture fund focused on what he calls the Freedom Stack - critical technologies like AI, autonomy, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing that shape not just industry, but national security and global stability.
They explore how Harpoon was early to the intersection of tech and geopolitics, why San Diego is uniquely positioned to lead in hardtech and defense innovation, and how founders can better navigate the path to working with the U.S. government through Harpoon's new initiative: Black Flag Incubator.
Key Topics Covered:
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Larsen's Olympic and Navy SEAL background, and how it shaped his service-driven mission in venture
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The original thesis behind Harpoon Ventures - and how the market caught up
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Defining the "Freedom Stack": AI, cyber, energy, compute, defense, and more
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The rise of government demand for critical technologies
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Black Flag Incubator: helping founders navigate government engagement
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Why San Diego is poised for hardtech and national security innovation
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Advice for early-stage founders working in dual-use or deep tech
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The importance of founder communities, ecosystem building, and paying it forward
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Larsen's go-to taco spot (hint: it's inside Petco Park)
Links & Resources:
Connect with Larsen & Neal:
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