The DOD and high-tech manufacturing and technology startups have a symbiotic relationship. Startups can provide cutting edge technology that provides new solutions to emerging challenges. Startups can then shepherd those innovations from the laboratory to commercialization. The DOD has an ongoing need for new technologies to meet evolving challenges on current and future products. The DOD also has a budget to invest for research driven innovation and can help match products with improved capabilities to OEM manufacturers. Once a new product is qualified and transitions onto a program of record, ongoing demand for the product can provide predictable revenue from steady production. This relationship is particularly apparent in the high-growth unmanned aircraft and satellite markets where the opportunity to lead the pack through development of disruptive technology is growing. Unmanned aircraft and satellites offer quicker paths to demonstrate technology, which is contributing to an aerospace innovation ecosystem that is becoming attractive to investors. Find out more about why venture capitalists are eager to participate in this rapidly expanding market by listening to this Aviation Week podcast entitled "The Silicon Valley-Aerospace Meeting Dance" from March 31, 2016.