Fund backed by SpaceX, Palantir employees raises $45 million
A new venture capital firm, Forward Deployed Venture Capital (FDVC), just raised $45 million to back startups building the next wave of defense, security, and industrial tech.
The fund is powered by 150 current and former employees from big names like Palantir Technologies Inc., SpaceX, Anduril Industries Inc., plus support from Bain Capital Ventures.
Fund started by former Palantir engineer
FDVC was started by Mark Scianna, a former Palantir engineer with over a decade spent building military software in tough environments.
He rallied his network through "hobbit happy hours"—laid-back alumni meetups in cities like Palo Alto and New York—to bring together investors from top tech companies.
Fund focuses on defense and critical infrastructure
FDVC is all about investing in startups tackling defense and critical infrastructure challenges.
Even though 2023 was rough for most venture funds, interest in defense tech kept growing.
Backers say Scianna's real-world experience and strong founder relationships set FDVC apart.