Forward Deployed Venture Capital

Forward Deployed Venture Capital (FDVC) is a defense and security-focused venture capital firm founded in 2022 by Mark Scianna, headquartered in San Francisco. Scianna spent 11 years as a founding member of Palantir's defense team, deploying extensively with US and allied forces in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Horn of Africa. At Palantir he developed Forward — the basis for an $800 million Army contract — as well as Mobile, used by federal law enforcement, and contributed to Project Maven, an advanced AI defense initiative. That operational background defines FDVC's sourcing edge and investment focus. The firm has raised two funds totaling $65 million: Fund I of $10 to $20 million in 2022 and a $45 million Fund II in 2025, backed by 150 limited partners drawn from Palantir, SpaceX, and Anduril alumni, plus institutional investors including Bain Capital Ventures. FDVC writes checks of $100,000 to $5 million at seed and Series A, with a $1.5 million sweet spot. Scianna's personal track record from 2010 to 2021 across 28 companies showed top-decile returns of 43 percent IRR, 27x TVPI, and 25x DPI. Over half of the Fund I portfolio companies were founded by Palantir alumni. Notable portfolio companies include Anduril, Oklo (NYSE: OKLO), Adyton, Cape, Castelion, Chariot Defense, Govly, Biobot, Conductor AI, and Method Security. FDVC invests across defense, energy, industrials, and AI, focusing on mission-critical technologies where engineering rigor, regulatory understanding, and national security context determine success. The firm was selected as a top 50 emerging manager by Signature Block and RAISE Global, and its concentrated bet on a rising generation of defense-tech founders positions it as one of the most credentialed specialist funds in the sector.