Pallas Advisors

As we close out the year, we bid farewell to an incredible group of fellows: William Cano, Iesha Carter, Emma Greco, Emily Hardesty, and Daud Jalal. 🌟 Your dedication and hard work have left a lasting impact on the Pallas team, and we could not be prouder of all you have accomplished. Here is what is next for these talented individuals: - Emily is joining L3Harris Technologies in Government Relations. - William will serve as a Stanley A. Weiss Fellow at BENS and commission as an US Army officer. - Iesha is continuing her Master’s in International Relations at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). - Daud is currently exploring opportunities in corporate philanthropy and innovation. We are also thrilled to announce that Emma Greco will be staying on with the Pallas team as an Analyst—congratulations, Emma! As we say goodbye to our Fall 2024 Foundation Fellows, we look forward to welcoming our 18th cohort in January. Be sure to follow along with #FellowFriday as we introduce the new fellows. To Will, Iesha, Emma, Emily, and Daud: thank you for your hard work and contributions. You will always have our support as you continue to grow into the outstanding professionals you are destined to be.

ICYMI: Tyler Sweatt, CEO at Second Front and a technical advisor at Pallas Advisors, published an op-ed last week outlining how to cultivate a “robust and vibrant” defense tech ecosystem. Tyler argues the Pentagon should embrace commercial methods, avoid “us versus them” relationships between the public and private sectors, invest in cloud and emerging technologies, and divest of “outdated tech and entrenched legacy systems.” By taking these innovative steps, Tyler concludes that “the United States will maintain its technological edge in an increasingly complex and unstable global landscape.” Check out the rest of Tyler’s article here:

As AI continues to shape innovation, the power demands of data centers are rising alongside it. Addressing the intersection of innovation trends and their potential impacts on national security, our Fall 2024 Foundation Fellows recently delivered a compelling presentation on the energy challenges of AI's rapid growth. Drawing from research, including an IEA projection that data center power demand could surge by 160% by 2030, they examined the implications of these demands on infrastructure and the climate. They emphasized the importance of investing in energy sources that are cost-effective, carbon-conscious, and scalable. Highlighting SMRs, nuclear fusion, and renewables, they identified SMRs as the most promising solution. Their insights underscore the urgent need for resilient and sustainable energy infrastructure to meet the demands of an AI-driven future. Great job Daud Jalal, Emily Hardesty, Emma Greco, Iesha Carter, and William Cano.

I often get asked, why Pallas Ventures? Put simply, during the early days of Pallas Advisors, many dual-use and defense tech companies asked us if we were interested in investing in them. It was a no-brainer for us. Why? We had visibility on their performance and growth trajectory because we were already leveraging our team's domain expertise in national security to provide hands-on strategic and operational support elsewhere. But we needed a separate and distinct entity so there was a clear firewall between Advisors and Ventures.   Plus, Sally and I needed an experienced investor to run Ventures. In the Pentagon, we had worked closely with Richard V. Spencer, the former Secretary of the Navy and Wall Street veteran. We asked him to be the managing director of Pallas Ventures, given his decades of leadership in the financial sector and perennial common sense.   Through our consulting work, we understand the national security ecosystem and have built expertise in identifying which innovative technologies have real opportunities to succeed. Our ability to “look under the hood” of companies is our unique advantage. This allows us to make more informed recommendations to Richard to help our portfolio companies scale, our investors profit, and ultimately for mission operators to succeed.   Alongside a group of impressive limited partners, we have made 16 investments in 10 companies over the course of four years (see chart attached). In a demanding environment, all of our PortCos have increased their valuations. Since we are mission-focused, our portfolio ranges from software and hardware tech, including space mobility, hypersonic aircraft, AI/ML security, supply chain risk, alternative energy, and software security.   We look forward to new opportunities to make a positive impact in national security and for our men and women in uniform. Gary D. Cohn; Masseh Tahiry; Allison McNeill; Zakaria Enzminger; Sally D.; Lucas Flood

🎉 #GivingTuesday is Here – Let’s Make it Count! Today, your generosity goes twice as far! Every dollar you donate is matched 100%, helping us reach our ambitious $500,000 goal for the End-of-Year Matching Campaign. Your support fuels initiatives that drive innovation, strengthen national security, and empower the next generation of leaders. It’s simple to give: click the link below to donate. All donations will help the Foundation's programmatic and operational expenses. Let’s come together to make a lasting impact. Every dollar counts. Every dollar is doubled. #MatchedGiving

On November 20th, the Pallas Foundation proudly hosted its second National Security Innovation Forum at The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center—a dynamic day that ignited meaningful dialogue and action on the future of defense innovation. Throughout the forum, we heard from many leaders across technology, government, and innovation, including Sue Gordon, President of the Pallas Foundation’s Board of Directors; Mike Bloomberg, Founder of Bloomberg LP & Bloomberg Philanthropies; Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command; Alex Karp, Co-founder & CEO of Palantir; General Randy George, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army; Kevin McCarthy, 55th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; and Brandon Tseng, President & Co-Founder of ShieldAI among other prominent names. Stay tuned as we share highlights and key takeaways from the forum in the coming days. Thank you for joining us in building a stronger, more innovative future for national security. #NSIF2024

⌛ Tomorrow is the Big Day – #GivingTuesday! Are you ready to make an impact? Starting at midnight, every dollar you donate will be matched 100% as part of our End-of-Year Matching Campaign. Our goal is to raise $500,000, and we can’t do it without you! Your gift can: ✨ Support groundbreaking programs. ✨ Strengthen our operational capacity. ✨ Advance national security and innovation. Donations are quick and easy via the link below. No matter the size of the contribution, every contribution is doubled. Let’s make tomorrow unforgettable! #DoubleYourImpact

📢 One Week Until #GivingTuesday! This Giving Tuesday, join us in making a lasting impact on national security and innovation. Thanks to a generous donor, every dollar you give during our End-of-Year Matching Campaign will be matched 100%! 🌟 Together, we aim to raise $500,000 to fuel our mission, whether you choose to support a specific program or our overall operational efforts. 📆 Mark your calendars for December 3rd and be a part of this incredible opportunity to double your impact. Donations can easily be made via our website (https://lnkd.in/eBMf-RZK). Let’s reach this goal together! #EndOfYearGiving #DoubleImpact

ICYMI: The Pallas Foundation hosted its second annual National Security Innovation Forum (NSIF) this week at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C. The event brought together leaders from government and industry to drive actionable solutions for the future of defense innovation. Attendees heard from a bipartisan group of speakers, including the Honorable Sue Gordon, General Randy George, General Tim Haugh, Admiral Sam Paparo, Senator Shaheen, Senator Sullivan, Alex Karp of Palantir Technologies, Brandon Tseng of Shield AI, and Thomas Tull of TWG Global, along with other decision makers from the private and public sectors. We want to thank Mike Bloomberg, who chairs the Defense Innovation Board and whose commitment to defense and rebuilding America’s national security industrial base through events like NSIF is an inspiration. We are already looking forward to next year!

It was an honor to host Jocelyn Moore yesterday for a Leadership and Professional Development (LPD) session with the Pallas team. Jocelyn serves as a director on the boards of DraftKings Inc., OppFi, Omaze, and Pallas Advisors, and runs her own corporate affairs consultancy. She is also a former Executive Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs at the National Football League (NFL) and spent 15 years working in the U.S. Senate. During her session, Jocelyn emphasized that one of the most important traits of a good leader is the ability to actively listen. She shared her inspiring journey, demonstrating how a diverse and well-rounded background paired with steadfast values can shape impactful leadership. On the importance of mentorship and creating your own opportunities, Jocelyn said: “If people aren’t interested in hearing your perspective at the table, make your own table.”  Thank you, Jocelyn, for your wisdom and authenticity–you’ve truly inspired our team!