Defense tech investors.
Built for this market.
Operators, veterans, and investors with decades of defense experience — purpose-built to back the next generation of national security technology.
The operators behind the investments.
Derren Burrell
Founder & Managing PartnerDerren Burrell
Founder & Managing Partner
Josh Weed, PhD
General PartnerJosh Weed, PhD
General Partner
Steve Kiser, PhD
General PartnerSteve Kiser, PhD
General Partner
Craig Jaques
General Partner & COOGeneral Partner and COO. Prior work spans defense technology, international expansion, and humanitarian operations — managing BD pipelines exceeding $3.5B. Career began at sea with Project HOPE, leading humanitarian missions across 20+ countries aboard USNS Mercy, USNS Comfort, and USS Boxer. Nearly two decades based in the Indo-Pacific theater.
Craig Jaques
General Partner & COO
Paul Woolard
General PartnerPaul Woolard
General PartnerDifferent paths. Same mission.
Three Air Force veterans, a defense growth operator, and a Fortune 50 finance executive — connected through decades of shared service, overlapping careers, and a common conviction that veterans build better companies. Click any partner to trace their relationships.
Derren Burrell
4 connections to the teamServed together in the Air Force Budget Office at the Pentagon — managing billions in Operations & Maintenance appropriations.
Both career USAF officers with overlapping service — 41 combined years of active duty Air Force experience.
Connected through Nashville's veteran business community — Derren's defense finance expertise paired with Paul's Fortune 50 investing experience.
4+ years building VVC together — Derren's fund management vision paired with Craig's international defense and humanitarian operations experience to shape VVC's operational model.
Served together in the Air Force Budget Office at the Pentagon — managing billions in Operations & Maintenance appropriations.
Both career USAF officers with overlapping service — 41 combined years of active duty Air Force experience.
Connected through Nashville's veteran business community — Derren's defense finance expertise paired with Paul's Fortune 50 investing experience.
4+ years building VVC together — Derren's fund management vision paired with Craig's international defense and humanitarian operations experience to shape VVC's operational model.
Guided by leaders who've shaped industries and national security.
Kenneth A. Hersh
Anchor Investor / Advisor / Investment CommitteeCo-Founder and former CEO of NGP Energy Capital Management ($20B+ capital managed, 27-year annualized return of 30%). President and CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center.
General (Ret.) Stanley A. McChrystal
Investor / AdvisorFormer Commander of JSOC and all international forces in Afghanistan. Credited with the capture of Saddam Hussein. Called 'perhaps the most dangerous man alive' by Newsweek.
Brigadier General (Ret.) Eden Murrie
Advisor29-year Air Force career. Director of Air Force Services. National Security Staff for the White House. Master navigator with 2,400+ flying hours including 100+ combat missions.
David Alpern
Investor / AdvisorFounding Partner and Managing Partner of Varsity Healthcare Partners. Former Partner at Aurora Capital Group and GTCR Golder Rauner. BA University of Michigan, MBA Harvard Business School.
What portfolio CEOs say about working with VVC.
Veteran Ventures came in as one of our largest investors in the Series A, but their impact went far beyond capital. Within six months, they helped bring Jeff Immelt, former CEO of General Electric, onto our advisory bench and became a sounding board as we navigated defense partnerships and scaling strategy.
Veteran Ventures Capital's support goes beyond a check. They attracted >$4M above their commitment to our Series B and were the #1 insider at bringing in affiliated capital to fill the round. They got us in front of the House Armed Services Committee Professional (HASC) Staff two weeks after the Tower 22 drone attack and continue to unlock Defense opportunities for us with their Combatant Command relationships.
Service doesn't end at discharge.
At VVC, we carry the values of military service into everything we do. Integrity, accountability, and commitment to mission aren't just words on a wall — they're how we operate every day, with every portfolio company, and in every decision.
Integrity
We do what we say. Our portfolio leaders trust us because we earn it — through transparency, follow-through, and honest counsel.
Accountability
We hold ourselves to the same standard we expect from our portfolio companies. Results matter, and we measure them rigorously.
Commitment
We're long-term partners, not transactional investors. When we commit to a leader and a mission, we're in it for the duration.
Want to work with us?
Whether you're a veteran leader seeking capital, an LP exploring partnership, or a veteran looking to connect — reach out.