Understanding defence audiences

Defence startups often assume they have a single audience: “the military.” In reality, they face a constellation of stakeholders – each with different incentives, pressures, and decision criteria. Understanding these audiences is the foundation of effective storytelling. Without this insight, even the strongest narrative will miss its mark.

Your story must resonate across several distinct groups.

Each one evaluates solutions through a different lens.

Understanding operators

These are the people who will ultimately use the technology – like pilots, analysts, cyber defenders, infantry, or logisticians. They care about mission relevance, ease of use, and reliability under stress. They respond to stories grounded in real scenarios, not abstract benefits. And they are often the strongest internal champions if they believe in the capability.

Understanding procurement & acquisition officers

They’re the gatekeepers of budgets, contracts, and compliance. So they care mostly about risk reduction, integration, sustainment, and cost justification. They are looking for clarity on how just your solution fits into existing programs. You’ll find they respond best to narratives that show predictability, not just innovation.

Understanding program managers

Program managers oversee long‑term capability development. They think in terms of roadmaps, milestones, and lifecycle value. And they want to know how your technology evolves, scales, and stays relevant. For this audience, aim for stories that show strategic alignment with future needs.

Policymakers & senior leaders

Policymakers and senior leaders form a distinct defence audience because they shape doctrine, budgets and national priorities. Their concerns sit at the strategic level, where decisions are measured in terms of deterrence, readiness and geopolitical impact rather than features or technical detail. They respond best to narratives that show how an innovation strengthens national resilience, sharpens decision advantage or reinforces alliance commitments.

Defence investors

Investors such as dual‑use VCs, defence‑focused funds, and strategic investors tend to care about market timing, dual‑use potential, and regulatory barriers. They’re attracted to tailored narratives that show credible pathways to adoption. So, the key (or at least one of them!) is to avoid the common trap of “one‑size‑fits‑all” messaging.

Employees

Employees form the backbone of innovation and delivery. They often think in terms of purpose, impact, and personal alignment with company values. And most want to know how their work contributes to protecting lives and sustaining ways of living. So our advice, drawing upon plenty of experience of employee engagement issues, is to focus your efforts on stories that connect the mission to societal benefit and ethical responsibility.