Presenter: Shane ‘Buzz’ Sarlin Organisation: Buzzworks

Show notes:

There's a number every defence founder should know, and most don't: 27. That's the minimum buffer days of cash Buzz Sarlin says you need in the bank to stay out of the stress zone. In this session, Buzz lays out how to build a defence startup that actually survives: why single-product, single-client businesses die, how to diversify into dual-use markets, and how to stop burning months pitching people in uniform who can't buy anything.

In this episode:

• Why you need a minimum of 27 buffer days of operating cash
• Diversifying revenue across land, air and maritime, and into dual-use markets
• Choosing the one or two defence pathways worth your time
• The Australian TRL zones and the real timelines for grants, pitch days, trials and tenders
• The IP decision founders leave too late: patent and secure the market, or move fast and out-iterate

Presentation:

BZV 2026 Veteran Upskilling Series - Session 1 - Buzz Sarlin.pdf

Video Link:

https://youtu.be/70H7RnuzAi4

Session Notes: Innovation Decoded, Founder Lessons for Success

Show notes:

There's a number every defence founder should know, and most don't: 27. That's the minimum buffer days of cash Buzz Sarlin says you need in the bank to stay out of the stress zone. In this session, Buzz lays out how to build a defence startup that actually survives: why single-product, single-client businesses die, how to diversify into dual-use markets, and how to stop burning months pitching people in uniform who can't buy anything.

In this episode:

• Why you need a minimum of 27 buffer days of operating cash
• Diversifying revenue across land, air and maritime, and into dual-use markets