This week on Valley of Depth, we’re joined by Paul Lwin, co-founder and CEO of Havoc AI—a builder of integrated hardware, software, and logistics that enables collaborative, autonomous maritime operations. A former Navy test pilot and electronic warfare officer, Paul saw firsthand the strategic challenge posed by China’s industrial scale in the Pacific and set out to build an asymmetric answer.
In this episode, Paul shares how Havoc went from pre-seed to delivering 40+ autonomous vessels in just 18 months, what it takes to deploy real autonomy in contested environments, and why the Navy forced them to sell their early prototypes. We also cover:
…and much more.
Check out VoD #006 on…YouTube, Apple, or Spotify.
• Chapters •
0:00 - Intro
1:07 - Company Mission & Vision
3:43 - DoD Autonomous Exercise Demonstration
6:41 - Funding to Demo Timeline
8:43 - Founding Team & Headquarters
10:19 - Market Demand for Autonomous Maritime Tech
12:42 - Vertical Integration Strategy
14:30 - US Navy Capability Gaps
16:24 - Geopolitics & Business Strategy
17:40 - Product Architecture Roadmap
21:21 - Commercial Market Potential
24:05 - Autonomy Level Achieved
26:48 - Contested Environment Design
28:24 - Next Frontier in Naval Tech
30:04 - Scaling for DoD Requirements
32:09 - Competitive Differentiation
33:48 - Prime Contractor Advantages
35:21 - Replicator Initiative Impact
36:19 - Buyer Incentive Structures
37:44 - Desired Policy Changes
39:09 - Scaling Funding Requirements
40:35 - Defining Mission Success
• Show notes •
Havoc’s socials — https://x.com/HavocAi_USV
Mo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam
Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace
Ignition’s socials — https://twitter.com/ignitionnuclear /
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ignition-nuclear/
Tectonic’s socials — https://twitter.com/tectonicdefense / https://www.linkedin.com/company/tectonicdefense/
Valley of Depth archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/
• About us •
Valley of Depth is a podcast about the technologies that matter — and the people building them. Brought to you by Arkaea Media, the team behind Payload (space), Ignition (nuclear energy), and Tectonic (defense tech), this show goes beyond headlines and hype. We talk to founders, investors, government officials, and military leaders shaping the future of national security and deep tech. From breakthrough science to strategic policy, we dive into the high-stakes decisions behind the world’s hardest technologies.