Episode 54 - Mike LeBlanc - Foundation Future Industries Co-Founder, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, and Author

Podcast
Written By Hannah Becker

In this episode of Tipping Spears with Hannah Becker, I sit down with Mike LeBlanc - a decorated Marine officer turned defense technology entrepreneur. During 13 years in the Marine Corps, Mike deployed three times, led 150 Marines in combat operations against ISIS, and later served as an economic and technology advisor to the Pentagon. After his military service, he graduated from Harvard Business School and went on to co-found Cobalt Robotics, a venture-backed startup acquired in 2024, before launching Foundation Future Industries, a defense-focused robotics company building autonomous systems for the Department of Defense.

Mike’s journey bridges warfighting, elite business education, and frontier innovation. We explore the formative experiences that shaped his leadership philosophy—from leading Marines in high-stakes combat environments to navigating venture capital, scaling technology companies, and building teams at the edge of autonomy and robotics. He shares candid insights on the realities of entrepreneurship, the misconceptions that hold aspiring founders back, and why veterans often excel in building companies under uncertainty.

We also tackle one of the most consequential questions facing modern defense: the role of humanoids and autonomous systems in the future of warfare. As adversaries accelerate investment in military robotics, Mike offers a grounded perspective on ethical concerns, strategic imperatives, and operational realities. He closes by discussing his forthcoming book, “What If Anger Is the Answer?”, and the deeper leadership lessons behind his drive to build, serve, and innovate.

Guest Bio

Mike LeBlanc is a decorated Marine Corps major, Harvard Business School graduate, and accomplished entrepreneur. He co-founded Foundation Future Industries, a defense-focused robotics company building autonomous systems for the Department of Defense, and previously co founded Cobalt Robotics, a Sequoia, Founders Fund, and Coatue-backed startup acquired in 2024. During 13 years in the Marines, he deployed three times, led 150 troops against ISIS, and served as an economic and technology advisor to the Pentagon. His work and leadership have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Fast Company, and Business Insider. Mike resides in Newport Beach, CA with his wife and three children.

Catch the podcast episode online:

Subscribe to the newsletter to receive email updates on new Tipping Spears Podcast episodes!

Hannah Becker
Previous

Episode 55 - Bob Ashley, LTG, USA (Ret.): Intelligence, Warfighting, and Developing the Next Generation of Leaders
Next

Episode 53 - LTG Robert Caslen, USA (Ret.): Character, Leadership, and “The Impossible Mission”