Now Meta has entered the battlefield.
Meta just announced a partnership with Anduril Industries, Palmer Luckey’s defense company, to build AI-powered AR/VR headsets for the U.S. military.
What’s fascinating isn’t just the $100M Army contract they’re chasing, but what this signals more broadly:
Silicon Valley’s ideological pivot from idealism to realism.
A decade ago, working with the military was taboo in tech circles. Today, it’s becoming the most sought-after enterprise customer on the industry:
→ Meta has gone from online ads to defense-grade AI.
→ OpenAI is also working with Anduril.
→Palantir Technologies has full-stack military deployments.
→Microsoft tried and failed with their own headset program.
And now… Meta is in the game.
What does this new positioning by SV mean for founders?
This is a reminder that revenue reshapes principles.
With political winds shifting and defense budgets ballooning, the DoD is becoming a next great platform distribution channel, especially for startups willing to play the long game on procurement cycles.
Founders who can bridge commercial innovation with defense infrastructure stand to win contracts, influence roadmaps, and scale impact far beyond consumer markets.
Do you think defense the next big market for breakout startups? Or is this just a momentary spike in interest that fades once the cycle turns? Lmk below 👇🏾
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