Rebuilding America’s Industrial Base

America’s national security doesn’t just depend on weapons—it depends on what’s behind them. In this episode of Coffee with Ken, Ken Biberaj sits down with Will Quinn, Senior Policy Advisor at the Department of Defense’s Office of Strategic Capital (OSC), to explore how the Pentagon is rebuilding the industrial base by investing in dual-use technologies.

Filmed at National Landing in Northern Virginia—just steps from the Pentagon—the conversation unpacks how OSC is deploying billions in strategic loans to scale critical capabilities across sectors like semiconductors, critical minerals, shipbuilding, batteries, and advanced manufacturing.

Rather than focusing on traditional defense procurement, OSC operates more like a mission-driven investment bank—offering financing to startups and manufacturers working on technologies with both commercial and national security impact.

This episode offers a rare inside look at how the U.S. government is using innovative financing tools to strengthen supply chains, compete with China, and create a more resilient economic and industrial foundation.

Key Takeaways from the Conversation:

A Strategic Bank Inside the Pentagon
OSC isn’t buying weapons—it’s investing in the infrastructure behind them. Through federal credit programs, the office supports companies building the future of American industry.

Dual-Use by Design
Technologies with both commercial and military applications—from microelectronics to maritime infrastructure—are the sweet spot. OSC’s mission is to help them scale, not just survive.

Scaling Private Capital
With $4 billion in lending authority and growing, OSC leverages small appropriations to unlock massive private sector investment in emerging tech.

Rebuilding, Not Just Reshoring
From shipyards to semiconductor fabs, Will Quinn outlines the systemic challenges to rebuilding industrial capacity—and how smart capital is only part of the solution.

The Power of Public-Private Partnership
OSC isn’t working alone. It relies on engagement from industry, Congress, investors, and communities to identify bottlenecks, accelerate innovation, and ensure American leadership.

Why This Conversation Matters:

The U.S. spent decades outsourcing its industrial capacity. Now, with rising geopolitical threats and fragile supply chains, rebuilding that base is a national imperative. But it won’t happen with defense contracts alone. It takes long-term investment, risk-tolerant capital, and a clear strategy.

This episode demystifies how the Pentagon is stepping into that role—not with warships and missiles, but with loans and partnerships designed to future-proof the economy.

“We’re not in the business of pointy things that go boom—we’re building the infrastructure behind them.” — Will Quinn, Office of Strategic Capital

Whether you’re a policymaker, startup founder, investor, or engineer, this conversation offers a powerful glimpse into the future of defense innovation—and how America plans to win it.