Congressman Gabe Amo, 8VC’s Alex Moore, Saronic’s Rob Lehman, and Varun Gupta | Maritime Power Reimagined: The Naval Edge in a Dangerous World
Description
In this session from the Hill & Valley Forum 2025, Congressman Gabe Amo (RI), Saronic's Co-Founder & CCO Rob Lehman, 8VC partner Alex Moore, and Caffeinated Capital GP Varun Gupta explore how autonomous surface vessels and AI-driven maritime systems could help the US counter China's substantial naval buildup. The conversation highlights the potential for a transformative "hybrid fleet" combining traditional naval assets with unmanned systems, and examines how American shipbuilding can be revitalized through private investment and public-private partnerships.
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Timestamps:
(00:00 ) Alex Moore on how elite Silicon Valley engineers are entering the naval space
(00:27 ) America's maritime challenges and China's naval advantage
(01:29 ) Congressman Gabe Amo on the strategic imbalance in the Indo-Pacific and funding predictability challenges
(03:51 ) Rob Lehman explaining Saronic's approach to unmanned vessels enhancing the Navy's hybrid fleet concept
(06:38 ) Alex Moore on the compounding nature of maritime AI and autonomous software stacks
(09:14 ) Congressman Amo discussing underwater drone development in Rhode Island's maritime industry
(11:58 ) The evolution of maritime dominance from battleships to distributed autonomous systems
(15:19 ) Discussion of America's withered shipbuilding industrial base compared to Asian competitors
(17:38 ) Rob Lehman detailing Saronic's $250 million investment in Gulf Craft and plans for Port Alpha
(20:17 ) The emergence of tech startups entering naval defense and shipbuilding after decades of Silicon Valley neglect
United States
