Hardware Podcasts

297: Defense Spending, Contract Manufacturing, and Navigating Regulated Industries with Fathom CEO Rush LaSelle

Manufacturing Happy Hour · 28 Jul 2026 · 50m

What this episode covers

Rush LaSelle, CEO of Fathom, discusses the challenges of scaling manufacturing capacity for the defense industrial base, noting that increased spending doesn't automatically create capacity due to a lack of long-term revenue visibility for suppliers. He explains how the acquisition of Kiva by Amazon for $775 million highlighted the importance of software integration in robotics and logistics, a lesson applicable to modern digital manufacturing. LaSelle also addresses the recent pause on CMMC Phase 2, describing the financial strain it places on manufacturers who have already invested heavily in compliance, and emphasizes the critical talent war for skilled machinists.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Fathom, Fanuc, Kiva, Amazon, Jabil, Swisslog, Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, DIU, Lockheed Martin
Also
CMMC

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