The Briefing Room
Inside The Briefing Room, an Australian venture capital podcast dedicated to Defence, Sovereign Capability and National Security Innovation.
Hosted by Peta Ellis, General Manager of Beaten Zone Venture Partners, and other members of the BZV team, each episode takes you behind the scenes with founders, veterans, investors, and operators who are key players in the Global Defence ecosystem that is building and supporting the future of Defence Innovation and Sovereign capability.
From battlefield innovation to boardroom execution, we uncover how ideas move from concept to capability, and what it really takes to build and fund critical technology in one of the world’s most complex sectors.
- Real conversations with Defence founders and venture investors
- Insights on early-stage capital, capability, and collaboration
- Stories from Australia’s growing sovereign tech ecosystem
This is not theory. It’s the reality of building companies that keep Australia in the fight.
Subscribe to stay briefed.
Beaten Zone Venture Partners | beatenzone.vc
GENERAL PRODUCT ADVICE/MARKETING DISCLAIMER (Fund)
Beaten Zone Investment Manager Pty Ltd ACN 667 064 208 and Beaten Zone Management Partnership 1, LP (The Beaten Zone Group) are corporate authorised representative’s (CAR) (CAR Numbers 1303229 and 1303953) of Boutique Capital Pty Ltd ACN 621 697 621 (Boutique Capital) AFSL 508011.
This document contains general advice only and has been prepared by The Beaten Zone Group for individuals identified as wholesale investors for the purposes of providing a financial product or financial service, under Section 761G or Section 761GA of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
The information herein is presented in summary form and is therefore subject to qualification and further explanation. The information in this document is not intended to be relied upon as advice to investors or potential investors and has been prepared without taking into account personal investment objectives, financial circumstances or particular needs. Recipients of this document are advised to consult their own professional advisers about legal, tax, financial or other matters relevant to the suitability of this information.
The investment summarised in this document is subject to known and unknown risks, some of which are beyond the control of The Beaten Zone Group and their directors, employees, advisers or agents. The Beaten Zone Group does not guarantee any particular rate of return or the performance of the Fund, nor does The Beaten Zone Group and its directors personally guarantee the repayment of capital or any particular tax treatment. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.
The materials contained herein represent a general summary of The Beaten Zone Group’s current portfolio construction approach. The Beaten Zone Group is not constrained with respect to any investment decision making methodologies and may vary from them materially at its sole discretion and without prior notice to investors. Depending on market conditions and trends, The Beaten Zone Group may pursue other objectives or strategies considered appropriate and in the best interest of portfolio performance.
There are risks involved in investing in the The Beaten Zone Group’s strategy. All investments carry some level of risk, and there is typically a direct relationship between risk and return. We describe what steps we take to mitigate risk (where possible) in the Fund’s Information Memorandum. It is important to note that despite taking such steps, The Beaten Zone Group cannot mitigate risk completely.
This document was prepared as a private communication to clients and is not intended for public circulation or publication or for the use of any third party, without the approval of The Beaten Zone Group. Whilst this document is based on information from sources which The Beaten Zone Group considers reliable, its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. Data is not necessarily audited or independently verified. Any opinions reflect The Beaten Zone Group’s judgment at this date and are subject to change. The Beaten Zone Group has no obligation to provide revised assessments in the event of changed circumstances. To the extent permitted by law, Boutique Capital, The Beaten Zone Group and their directors and employees do not accept any liability for the results of any actions taken or not taken on the basis of information in this report, or for any negligent misstatements, errors or omissions.
This document is for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation for units in the Fund. Application for units in the Fund can only be made via the Fund’s Information Memorandum and Application Form.
Listen on:
Episodes
Thursday Nov 13, 2025
Thursday Nov 13, 2025
Space is now a live attack surface. Zendir’s Chris Capon explains how digital twins and persistent rehearsal environments prepare warfighters for space‑cyber integrated missions.
We walk through the training → rehearsal → operations loop, real‑world scenarios (reaction‑wheel hacks, solar‑array spoofing, ground‑station backdoors), and the road to autonomous constellations.
From federated learning at LEO to software‑defined satellites and AUKUS Pillar II ‘decision advantage,’ this is a masterclass on readiness, speed, and secure data in space operations.
Guest Links:
LinkedIn: Chris Capon https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-capon/
Organisation: Zendir – https://zendir.io/
Find out more:
Website: https://beatenzone.vc
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeatenZoneVenturePartners/videos
Hosts & Cohosts:
Peta Ellis – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petaellis
Sean Singleton – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-singleton-b616292/
Produced By The Podcast Boss
Thursday Nov 06, 2025
Thursday Nov 06, 2025
From Army service to venture, Jake shares the human side of capability building. He unpacks his transition out of uniform, the hard‑won lessons from prototyping a training grenade inside Defence, and why that experience reshaped his view of how founders must engage as end‑users first.
We talk common pitfalls when pitching to the Army, the role of trust and culture, and where sovereign capability matters most in the next decade. A reflective close on fatherhood, mateship, and what it means to work on technology that keeps people safe.
Guest Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake123456789/
Organisation: Beaten Zone Ventures – https://beatenzone.vc
Find out more:
Website: https://beatenzone.vc
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeatenZoneVenturePartners/videos
Hosts & Cohosts:Peta Ellis – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petaellis
Jake Bostock – LinkedIn: [ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake123456789/]
Produced By The Podcast Boss
Thursday Oct 30, 2025
Thursday Oct 30, 2025
In this episode, the founding partners of Marque Ventures share how a veteran-led venture capital firm is backing defence, space, and critical technologies across the U.S. and allied markets. We unpack their dual-use investment thesis, lessons from collaborating with ManTech, and how active duty, Guard, and Reserve experience informs their approach to scaling companies. The team offers sharp insights on avoiding “innovation theatre,” building the right relationships early, and what international founders often misunderstand about breaking into the U.S. market. A candid conversation on bridging capability gaps, accelerating adoption, and strengthening cross-border AUKUS partnerships.
Guest Links:
Marque Ventures Website
Jake Chapman – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakechapman/
Tip Myers –h ttps://www.linkedin.com/in/tip-myers
Produced by The Podcast Boss
Thursday Oct 23, 2025
Thursday Oct 23, 2025
Founder and lead investor at Beaten Zone Ventures, Steve Baxter sets the tone for the series: why BZV exists, what we invest in, and how ‘lethality and survivability’ guides our early‑stage defence thesis. We cover the state of the fund, portfolio highlights (HEO, Arkeus, Zendir, Zeromark, Tiberius), and why hackathons and events like Breach Point matter for capability. Steve shares pragmatic advice for Australian founders navigating the U.S., thoughts on real versus performative innovation, and the importance of building products warfighters will actually use. Clear, direct, and grounded — this is the mission brief for The Briefing Room.
Guest Links:
LinkedIn: [Add Steve Baxter link]
Organisation: Beaten Zone Ventures – https://beatenzone.vc
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Find out more:
Website: https://beatenzone.vc
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeatenZoneVenturePartners/videos
Spotify: [Add profile link]
Hosts & Cohosts:
Peta Ellis – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petaellis
Sean Singleton – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-singleton-b616292/
Jake Bostock – LinkedIn: [ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake123456789/]
Produced By The Podcast Boss