
Innovation on a Mission
Visionary startups. Experienced VCs. Dedicated government professionals. In-Q-Tel leads from the center of this matrix, connecting cutting-edge technology, strategic investments, and purpose: to enhance and advance national security for the U.S. and its allies.
World-class, cutting-edge technologies for National Security
IQT’s mission is to invest in cutting-edge technologies to enhance the national security of the United States. IQT focuses on the 15,000+ early stage venture-backed startup companies in the U.S. and select other countries. IQT also identifies and analyzes technologies in all stages of development that are critical to national security. IQT welcomes the submission of business plans for products and technology that can contribute to national security and is available to meet with U.S. private equity firms interested in investing in areas of national security interest. Investment areas include:
Blog & Resources

Is your AI a “Clever Hans”?
“Clever Hans,” the horse mathematician, was a worldwide sensation in 1904, but his uncanny abilities were eventually debunked. As it turns out, Clever Hans had accidentally been trained to recognize his owners’ anticipation, and other subtle cues, rather than abstract mathematical concepts. Today, something similar is happening with many AI tools and products, which are capable of fooling us with specious performance. If you’re building — or looking to purchase — an AI system, how do you know if the technology does what you think it does? In this post we discuss two strategies: AI Audits and the creation of Evaluation Authorities for AI systems.

Harnessing the Power of the “Metaverse”

SpaceSec: Securing Space Systems through Innovation

IQT Labs releases audit report of RoBERTa, an open source large language model

Cyber Investing for National Security – Key Perspectives
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The Intersection: Exploring a Path Forward for America’s Technological Future
The United States is facing a significant challenge in competing with China on technological innovation, cybersecurity, and national security issues. With China’s rapid rise as a global technological superpower, the U.S. must take steps to ensure its own competitiveness and security. This includes addressing concerns such as intellectual property theft, cyber attacks, and the development of emerging technologies. The U.S. government must prioritize these issues in order to protect its economic and national interests.
In this episode of The Intersection on the IQT Podcast, Steve Bowsher is joined by Will Hurd, author of “American Reboot” and managing director at Allen & Company. Will has a lot of experience with national security issues, having worked as a CIA officer, member of Congress, and cybersecurity executive. Tune in to learn about the challenges and solutions that can help shape America’s technological future.
Key Takeaways:
– The problems and difficulties that must be tackled in relation to competing with China
– US government’s approach and collaboration with the private sectors on innovation and competitiveness
– Explaining pragmatic idealism and the inspiration behind it
The Intersection: Espionage Threats, Tech, and Algorithms
The history of the intelligence community is long and complex. As the world becomes increasingly digital, open communication is more important than ever. Today, intelligence agencies rely heavily on algorithms to analyze data and predict future events. But this approach has its drawbacks. For example, algorithms can be biased and easily manipulated by those in power. This history lesson is just the beginning of a much larger conversation about the future of American intelligence.
In this IQT Podcast episode we discuss this important topic with Dr. Amy Zegart, the Morris Arnold and Nona Jean Cox Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, professor of Political Science by courtesy at Stanford University, and a contributing writer at The Atlantic. She joins Steve Bowsher to discuss how technology is changing the nature of intelligence and explores the issues of traitors, congressional oversight, and covert action. Listen in to hear about the challenges and opportunities facing the intelligence community as it adapts to a world where emerging technologies are rapidly changing.