Thu, Aug 27, 9:00 AM CDT – Thu, Aug 27, 10:00 AM CDT

Future Force Financing: Building the Office of Strategic Capital (Austinpreneur Recording)

Double click on the stories that made Austin, Texas a global startup hub. 🚀 Mobilizing private capital is becoming as critical to national security as advanced technology itself. This session will explore how the Department of Defense is building financial pathways to scale dual-use innovation, strengthen industrial capacity, and address emerging challenges in warfare and intelligence. We’ll hear from Eric Robinson, who helped launch the Office of Strategic Capital's Credit Program and now advises on global projects at Baker Botts, to unpack what these changes mean for entrepreneurs, investors, and the defense innovation community. The conversation will be recorded for Capital Factory's Austinpreneur podcast. Attendees will have the chance to ask questions and be feature on the podcast. Nick Spiller, Host of Austinpreneur and Venture Principal at Capital Factory will interview our guest. Please note: Adding this session to your agenda does not guarantee admission. Admission will be granted on a first-come, first serve basis until room capacity is reached. We expect this session to fill up quickly, so please arrive early to increase your chance of grabbing a seat!

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Speakers

speaker

Eric Robinson

Special Counsel · Baker Botts L.L.P.

Drawing on more than twenty years of experience in government and in private legal practice, Eric represents clients in the defense industrial base, the maritime sector, and critical minerals and metals industries on complex transactions with a focus on unlocking federal credit programs and other forms of federal financial support. Prior to joining Baker Botts, Eric was a Managing Director at the Department of Defense's Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) and Chief Operating Officer of OSC's Credit Program Office. OSC's Credit Program Office directs the Pentagon's first technology-and industry-focused lending program for both private and publicly-traded companies. As COO for the Credit Program Office, he developed procedures for project development, underwriting, credit risk management, portfolio management, and operations. Eric led the design of OSC's direct loan and loan guarantee application process, and, in conjunction with Department of Defense intelligence and counterintelligence professionals, designed and implemented OSC's national security risk screening policy. Prior to the establishment of the Credit Program Office, Eric worked in private practice with a focus on M&A, capital markets, and emerging companies and venture capital (ECVC). Eric began his career as a national security professional as an Army officer leading soldiers in the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq and Afghanistan. Later, he served as a policy and intelligence professional at the National Counterterrorism Center and as a senior civilian for the Joint Special Operations Command. Eric is a frequent media commentator and panelist on issues related to national security and has authored a book on risk management that is undergoing pre-publication review at the Pentagon. He is an avid collector of tabletop wargames, which he has employed in various professional development courses for the Department of Defense. Eric is an Army spouse and his wife is currently commanding a battalion in the 82nd Airborne Division.

speaker

Nick Spiller

Venture Principal · Capital Factory

Nick Spiller is a Venture Principal at Capital Factory.