IAN EISHEN
Ian Eishen is the Director of Global Public Sector at Aalyria, a Google X spinout developing free-space optical laser communication and cloud-based mesh network orchestration and is a Venture Partner at Audere Capital where he uses a $100 mil-lion Seed fund to invest in early-stage companies that can accelerate American and Allied competitive advantage. Ian is also a Presidential Leadership Fellow and works with President Bush and President Clinton on national and international non-profit initiatives.
He has 23 years of experience transitioning emerging technologies into the DoD and is on the Board of Directors for the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum. He spent his final two years on active duty working for the Chief of Staff of the Air Force developing emerging technology, talent management, and innovation strategy for the DoD, United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, and French Armée de l’air et de l’espace and has spent the last five years working with the venture capital community to identify and scale defense-related startups in order to benefit the DoD and the local community.
While on active duty, Ian served in a variety of special operations and intelligence positions, was the Command Chief for the 412th Test Wing at Edwards AFB, assisted in the development of the Air Force Artificial Intelligence Accelerator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, served on the DoD AI Workforce subcommittee, served as Head of Product for “Project Maven” a joint DoD and Google artificial intelligence initiative, developed an industry fellowship program that sends 450+ Airmen per year into startups and venture capital firms, built the CSAFs technology advisory board, stood up the innovation career field, Test Pilot School Enlisted Test Course and multiple emerging technology talent management programs, and created DoD funding mechanisms to allow startup companies to test their technology against military use cases including a $70M Air Force fund to help companies push through the valley of death.
Since 2017, Ian has worked with Hacking4Defense, a DoD-sponsored university course that instructs students to address emerging threats and security challenges in the Defense and Intelligence Communities. His work with Stanford University, the University of Southern California, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the University of Virginia has spurred multiple solutions that are now included in programs of record across the U.S. Government. Ian has also advised the Defense Innovation Board on POTUS emerging technology initiatives and multiple NDAAs.
Ian has also worked on a number of initiatives focused on combating suicidal ideation including a mindfulness smartphone app, a holistic wellness program bringing care to the areas of the military where it is most needed, and a graphic novel anthology titled “True War Stories” in which veterans address their trauma through storytelling. Ian is a Life Patron of the Flight Test Museum Foundation.