News | Events

October 6, 2026

Downrange Social Defense Tech Happy Hour | October 22nd

Downrange Social is back.

Join us on October 22 at Golden Road Brewing Company in Huntington Beach for our next Defense Tech Happy Hour.

We’re looking forward to bringing the Southern California defense tech community together again and are glad to have Artemis and Marsh joining us as co-sponsors for the evening.

We can’t wait to see everyone again.

When: Thursday, October 22nd from 5 – 7 pm PST
Where: Golden Road Brewing Company, Huntington Beach, CA

RSVP: https://luma.com/zg2s2dwp

Upcoming Events

Posted: October 6, 2026

Nobody Comes Here to Study Baudelaire

On this edition of Quartermaster, James Parker examines the Pentagon’s new audits of foreign ties at American universities and argues that the same scrutiny should extend beyond research institutions to the U.S. financial system.

Perspectives

Posted: October 6, 2026

Vice President Sam MacGregor Joins VC in DC’s FORGE2026 Selection Committee

Leonid Capital Partners Vice President Sam MacGregor is serving on the Selection Committee for VC in DC’s FORGE 2026.

News

Posted: October 6, 2026

Washington DC Aerospace & Defense Mixer | November 12, 2026

Leonid Capital Partners and Techstars are bringing together the Washington, DC defense and technology ecosystem for an evening of networking and conversation.

Upcoming Events

Posted: October 6, 2026

LA Tech Week Aerospace & Defense Happy Hour | October 14, 2026

Leonid Capital Partners is hosting an Aerospace & Defense Happy Hour during LA Tech Week by a16z, alongside Techstars Space Accelerator and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.

Upcoming Events

Posted: October 6, 2026

Rx Bandz Receives Additional Financing from Leonid Capital Partners

Leonid Capital Partners has now deployed more than $6.5 million in financing to Rx Bandz, supporting the continued development of the company’s next-generation drug delivery technologies.

Portfolio

Posted: October 6, 2026

Skyways Chief Strategy Officer on Valley of Depth

Our portfolio company Skyways was recently featured on Tectonic's Valley of Depth podcast, with Isaac Roberts, Chief Strategy Officer at Skyways, joining from the company’s Austin facility to discuss the future of autonomous aviation and logistics.

Portfolio

Posted: October 6, 2026

Congratulations to the 2026 SpaceWERX STRATFI Awardees

Congratulations to the latest SpaceWERX STRATFI awardees: Agile Space Industries, Antares Nuclear Consulting Incorporated, EO Solutions, Hydrosat, KMI Space, Method Security, Muon Space, Scout Space, Sedaro, Star Catcher, and ThinkOrbital.

Portfolio

Posted: October 6, 2026

Turion Space Advances Allied Space Defense Capabilities

Congratulations to Leonid Capital Partners-backed Turion Space on successfully demonstrating DROID.002 during Exercise SALITRE, a multinational exercise focused on advancing allied defense capabilities.

Portfolio

Posted: October 6, 2026

Parallel Flight Technologies Receives FCC Conditional Approval for Firefly

Congratulations to Leonid Capital Partners-backed Parallel Flight Technologies on receiving FCC Conditional Approval for Firefly, making it the first hybrid Group 3 UAS to receive this approval.

Portfolio

Posted: October 6, 2026

Skyways Reaches Two Laps Around the World

Congratulations to Leonid Capital Partners-backed Skyways on reaching an impressive milestone: more than 80,700 km flown, the equivalent of two laps around the world.

Portfolio

Posted: June 4, 2026

The 1870 Space Trade – Spurs, Depots, and the (more than) Occasional Whorehouse

In this edition of Co-Founder James Parker’s Quartermaster, he compares today’s space economy to America after the transcontinental railroad, arguing that SpaceX has built the key infrastructure for growth. He believes the biggest opportunities now lie in businesses built around that infrastructure, and that a future SpaceX IPO could drive major investment and accelerate the sector’s expansion.

Perspectives

Posted: March 3, 2026

Leonid Capital Partners has officially launched the Leonid Sentinel Foundation

Leonid Capital Partners has officially launched the Leonid Sentinel Foundation, a philanthropic initiative grounded in a commitment made by our Co-Founders, James Parker and Chris Lay, from the very beginning.

News

Posted: December 15, 2025

Chris Lay Speaking on the Commanding Altitude Panel at IMPACT 2025

Leonid Capital Partners Co-Founding Partner Chris Lay joined the Commanding Altitude panel at IMPACT 2025, where leaders across aerospace, defense, and advanced manufacturing discussed how public and private collaboration is shaping the future of the U.S. industrial base.

Podcasts

Posted: November 19, 2025

James Parker Featured on Austinpreneur Podcast

Leonid Co-Founder James Parker joined the Austinpreneur podcast to discuss how Leonid turns government contracts into liquidity, helping companies scale and deliver on defense missions. He shared their data-driven risk model, 75% financing, and how stacked contracts support acquisitions.

Podcasts

Posted: May 28, 2025

Leonid Capital Partners Launches Washington, D.C. Headquarters with STATION DC

Leonid Capital Partners partnered with STATION DC to open its Washington, D.C. headquarters, expanding its presence in defense-tech investment and strengthening ties to the federal innovation ecosystem.

News

Posted: May 26, 2025

Leonid Capital Partners Featured on Building the Base Podcast

Co-Founding Partners Chris Lay and James Parker discuss how Leonid funds defense and dual-use startups and the importance of trust, transparency, and private capital in national security investing.

Podcasts

Posted: May 13, 2025

Leonid Capital Partners & The Outpost Launch Strategic Alliance to Support Defense-Tech Startups

Learn how Leonid Capital Partners and The Outpost are working together to help dual-use and defense startups scale faster by pairing capital solutions with federal program expertise.

News

Posted: February 13, 2025

Encouraging Defense Investing: Incentives Matter

In a previous edition of Quartermaster, I explored the rationale for imposing harsher tax treatment on capital investments in adversarial economies—the proverbial stick. Now, let’s talk about the carrot...

Perspectives

Posted: February 4, 2025

Investing in Adversaries: The Case Against Long-Term Capital Gains for Carried Interest in National Adversary Economies

James Parker shares how targeted tax incentives can drive private capital toward critical national security technologies, strengthening America’s defense innovation base.

Perspectives

Posted: January 27, 2025

Leonid Capital Partners Provides $20MM Credit Investment to Anivive

Anivive Lifesciences secures an investment from Leonid Capital Partners to advance its AI-driven pet health platform and bring its Valley Fever vaccine to market.

Portfolio

Posted: November 21, 2024

Leonid Capital Partners Surpasses $265MM Raised

Leonid Capital Partners surpassed $265MM raised in its evergreen fund, driven by growing demand for flexible capital solutions across the government and defense technology sectors.

News

Posted: November 8, 2024

James Parker on Manifest Space with Morgan Brennan

James Parker discusses how Leonid Capital Partners fuels space and defense innovation by helping government-backed companies access flexible capital on Manifest Space with Morgan Brennan.

Podcasts

Posted: September 3, 2024

Startup Mars

James Parker examines Elon Musk’s network of companies, from SpaceX and Tesla to Neuralink and The Boring Company, discussing how they may all serve a single unified mission to build the technology needed to make human life on Mars possible.

Perspectives

Posted: July 11, 2024

Capital Fueling Defense

James Parker discusses avoiding the “Valley of Death” for startups, leveraging government contracts for non-dilutive funding, and the importance of maintaining equity.

Podcasts

Posted: July 9, 2024

The Inverted Yield Curve and Implications for National Security Investment

James Parker examines how an inverted yield curve signals the resilience of defense investments, showing that defense spending typically rises during economic downturns.

Perspectives

Posted: July 6, 2024

Leonid Capital Partners Forms Partnership with Headlamp

Leonid Capital Partners partnered with Headlamp to support veterans transitioning into the national security workforce through Headlamp’s Veteran Transition Accelerator and Leonid’s SkillBridge program.

News

Posted: July 1, 2024

James Parker on The StartUp Defense

James Parker joins The StartUp Defense podcast to share how Leonid Capital Partners helps defense and dual-use startups scale faster with credit-based financing aligned to government contracts.

Podcasts

Posted: June 14, 2024

Pulse 2.0 has Featured Leonid as a Firm Accelerating Innovators in Government and Defense Technology

Leonid Capital Partners is spotlighted for driving innovation in government and defense technology through tailored credit solutions that help emerging contractors and startups scale.

News

Posted: May 1, 2024

Leonid Expands Space Portfolio with a $20MM+ Term Loan to ABL Space

Leonid Capital Partners provides a credit investment to ABL Space Systems, expanding its space investment portfolio and reinforcing its commitment to growth in the aerospace sector.

Portfolio

Posted: April 29, 2024

Chris Lay Featured on Slice of Finance Podcast

Chris Lay joins the Slice of Finance podcast to share how Leonid Capital Partners helps dual-use and national security startups scale through flexible credit solutions built around government contracts.

Podcasts

Posted: March 13, 2024

Leonid Capital Partners Bolsters Space Portfolio with $6.25MM Investment in Phase Four

Leonid Capital Partners provides credit investment to Phase Four to advance its next-generation electric propulsion systems and strengthen the firm’s growing space technology portfolio.

Portfolio

Posted: February 20, 2024

Leonid Capital Partners provides $7MM Private Credit financing supporting Teedup’s acquisition of 55 industries

Teedup secures financing from Leonid Capital Partners to acquire 55 Industries, expanding its footprint in the national security sector.

Portfolio

Posted: January 25, 2024

“Selectable, Not Funded”: That, and a nickel, will get you a cup of coffee”

James Parker critiques the “Selectable, Not Funded” label for deterring private investment and calls for clearer communication to strengthen national security innovation.

Perspectives

Posted: January 23, 2024

Leonid Provides credit investment to EMPEQ Based on Air Force Phase II SBIR

Leonid Capital Partners invested in EMPEQ, an AI-driven company enhancing supply chain integrity for the US military under an Air Force SBIR contract.

Portfolio

Posted: January 10, 2024

There are No Atheists in Foxholes: Diversify or Die

Chris Lay explains how investing in the US national security sector offers durable, uncorrelated returns, making it a smart diversification strategy in volatile markets.

Perspectives

Posted: January 9, 2024

Leonid Provides a $1.55M Term Loan to Asylon Robotics Based On A US Air Force SBIR Award

Leonid Capital Partners Fuels Asylon Robotics National Security Mission with Innovative Financing Solution.

Portfolio

Posted: January 2, 2024

The New York Times Featured Leonid as a Key Firm Focused on Defense Investing

The New York Times spotlighted Leonid Capital Partners among the prominent firms shaping the future of defense and national security investing.

News

Posted: December 29, 2023

The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions: IRS Section 174 vs. National Security

James Parker dives into how the IRS’s Section 174 ruling could hinder US defense innovation by increasing tax burdens on early-stage tech companies and discouraging private investment in national security.

Perspectives

Posted: December 11, 2023

Chris Lay on The Innovators Podcast

Chris Lay shares how Leonid Capital Partners is redefining financing for defense, dual-use, and government technology companies through flexible credit solutions built for contract-backed innovation.

Podcasts

Posted: December 7, 2023

Leonid Provides Credit Investment to Trion Technology

Trion Technology secured financing from Leonid Capital Partners to advance its wafer bonding systems and strengthen its role in US semiconductor innovation.

Portfolio

Posted: November 1, 2023

James Parker and Christopher Lay, Have Been Featured In The OC Business Journal

The Orange County Business Journal featured James Parker and Chris Lay, highlighting Leonid Capital Partners’ role in defense investing and sharing the story behind the firm’s name.

News

Posted: October 12, 2023

Leonid Capital Partners Welcomes Two New Board Members

Leonid Capital Partners welcomed James “Hondo” Geurts and Brian Hibbeln to its Board of Advisors, strengthening its expertise in defense acquisition and national security innovation.

News

Posted: September 26, 2023

Worried About A Government Shutdown? You Have Financing Options

Learn how Leonid Capital Partners helps government contractors maintain cash flow and continue operations during a government shutdown.

Perspectives

Posted: June 27, 2023

James Parker Joins War on the Rocks

James Parker joins War on the Rocks for a special series on the defense industrial base, discussing how private capital and credit are reshaping national security innovation and bridging the gap between government and commercial scale.

Podcasts

Posted: June 22, 2023

Qualifying for Government Invoice Factoring

Jeff Chang details how government invoice factoring helps contractors improve cash flow and what’s required to qualify.

Perspectives

Posted: April 26, 2023

Unlock Your Business’s Potential with True Government Contract Financing

Steve Gonzalez Bueno explains how Leonid Capital Partners helps small businesses grow by offering tailored financing to fulfill government contracts.

Perspectives

Posted: March 28, 2023

Invest in US National Security

Chris Lay explains how investing in the US national security sector offers steady, uncorrelated returns and new opportunities among emerging defense and technology companies.

Perspectives

Posted: February 16, 2023

What Is The Difference Between Government Contract Financing And Government Invoice Factoring

James Parker explains the difference between government invoice factoring and contract financing and how Leonid Capital Partners provides tailored solutions to help contractors access capital and manage cash flow.

Perspectives

Posted: February 9, 2023

United States Marine Corps Major General (Ret.) Melvin G. Spiese Joins Leonid Capital Partners Board of Advisors

Melvin G. Spiese was announced as a new member of the Leonid Capital Partners Board of Advisors, bringing his extensive military background to support the firm’s national security finance mission.

News

Posted: September 15, 2022

Leonid to Provide $5MM in Contract Finance to The Provenance Chain Network to Help Expand Operations

Leonid Capital Partners provided a credit investment to the Provenance Chain Network to support its growth and expansion as a key technology provider for US federal government operations.

Portfolio

Posted: September 13, 2022

The Trouble With Financing Government Contracts

James Parker explores why traditional banks avoid financing government contracts and how Leonid Capital Partners offers flexible solutions that help contractors access capital without personal guarantees.

Perspectives

Posted: June 21, 2022

Client Success Story: Advancing Ecological Innovation with AguaCulture Technologies

Learn how Leonid Capital Partners helped AguaCulture Technologies scale its innovative, sustainable water management solution.

Perspectives

Posted: May 10, 2022

Grow Your Small Business Through Government Contracting

Learn how Leonid Capital Partners helps small businesses grow through government contracting with flexible financing and expert support.

Perspectives

Posted: March 1, 2022

What is the DOD Trusted Capital Program?

Learn how Leonid Capital Partners, a DoD Trusted Capital Provider, helps businesses access financing to fulfill government contracts and advance US defense innovation.

Perspectives

Posted: January 20, 2022

What are the SBIR and STTR Grant programs? Is Financing Available?

Learn how Leonid Capital Partners helps small businesses bridge funding gaps for SBIR and STTR awards.

Perspectives

Posted: January 17, 2022

How to Finance your Government Contract

Learn how Leonid Capital Partners helps small and midsize businesses finance government contracts.

Perspectives