Chris O’Connor

Chris leads the NIF’s technology adoption for our companies who see government as a customer, collaborator or competitor. He invests in and supports founders who accept the mission to build solutions for today’s most critical challenges. He helps companies navigate regulated environments, develop go-to-market strategy, and hire top talent in aerospace, defence, autonomy, energy, supply chain and more.

Prior to joining the NIF, Chris was a Partner at Harpoon Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund investing in enterprise and deep technology. He worked closely with founders to close over €500M in total contract value from customers in government, defense, and large corporates. Earlier, Chris served his country as an officer in the US Air Force, procuring aerospace capabilities from satellites to launch vehicles and helicopters. He has a BS in Systems Engineering from the US Air Force Academy, ME in the same from the Air Force Institute of Technology and an MBA from the University of California Los Angeles. Chris enjoys time with his 3 year old Australian Shepherd, getting lost in the mountains, and eating his way through new places.