Government shutdowns expose which defense tech startups are truly indispensable
Shaun Maguire · Sequoia Capital Partner Shaun Maguire Live on TBPN · Oct 30, 2025 · at 26:59
Sequoia Capital partner Shaun Maguire explains how federal government shutdowns impact defense tech startups across his venture portfolio.
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“It's a tale of haves and have nots. So I work with a few companies that are You know, getting absolutely reamed by it, but I also work with a couple companies where it hasn't really affected them, and basically, like, if you have something that the government absolutely needs, like, maybe they can't send you the money right now, but they're still giving you the phone call and telling, you know, and like, you know, telling you that this is what you should expect after, you know, after the shutdown ends, and, you know, we can still give you the award, we just can't, you know, Tell you the exact dollar amount, because we need congressional approval on the exact dollar amount, and it's a tale of haves and have-nots.”
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