The Ayna Insights podcast features prominent leaders and influencers shaping the industrial and industrial technology sectors, discussing topics that are critical for executives, boards, and investors. Ayna Insights is brought to you by Ayna, a premier advisory and implementation firm in the industrial technology space, providing transformation and consulting services to its clients.
To learn more about Ayna, please visit our website at www.ayna.ai.
The views, information, and opinions presented in this podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Ayna.AI or its affiliates. This podcast should not be considered financial or investment advice. Ayna.AI or its affiliates do not verify for accuracy any of the information contained in this podcast.
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The Ayna Insights podcast features prominent leaders and influencers shaping the industrial and industrial technology sectors, discussing topics that are critical for executives, boards, and investors. Ayna Insights is brought to you by Ayna, a premier advisory and implementation firm in the industrial technology space, providing transformation and consulting services to its clients.
To learn more about Ayna, please visit our website at www.ayna.ai.
The views, information, and opinions presented in this podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Ayna.AI or its affiliates. This podcast should not be considered financial or investment advice. Ayna.AI or its affiliates do not verify for accuracy any of the information contained in this podcast.
In this episode, Vineet Gupta, President and Head of Semiconductor at Ayna, speaks with Wahid Nawabi, Chairman, President & CEO of AeroVironment, on how the company is redefining defense tech through innovation and customer focus. Wahid highlights AeroVironment’s portfolio of unmanned systems, the Blue Halo acquisition, and advances in AI-driven autonomy. The conversation also touches on leadership, product development speed, and military-grade quality, with Wahid sharing his decade-ahead vision for the industry.
Wahid Nawabi has led AeroVironment for 15+ years, building it into a full-spectrum defense technology prime. With prior leadership roles at American Power Conversion, he brings cross-sector experience. Under his watch, AeroVironment has driven new categories like loitering munitions, executed strategic acquisitions, and sustained innovation investments of 12–13% of revenue while scaling production.
Discussion Points
AeroVironment’s Defense Leadership – Established as a leading multi-domain defense technology provider, with a focus on integrating unmanned systems and AI capabilities
Engineering Legacy & Innovation – With seven vehicles in the Smithsonian, AeroVironment combines heritage with rapid development cycles and sustained R&D investment
Building High-Performing Teams – Success comes from balancing freedom to experiment with mission-driven discipline, while preserving culture and employee engagement
Comprehensive Solutions – From underwater robotics to space communications and cyber, strategic acquisitions close capability gaps and strengthen the tech portfolio
Military-Grade Reliability – Meeting exponentially higher standards than consumer tech, with advanced autonomy powered by proprietary annotated datasets in computer vision
Ayna is a premier advisory and implementation firm in the industrial technology space, leveraging a team of experienced leaders to help companies and investors drive performance improvement and value creation. The host of this episode Vineet Gupta is a President at Ayna.
For More Information
Aerovironment
Wahid Nawabi LinkedIn
Titanium Economy
Ayna.AI Website
Vineet Gupta
Ayna Insights
The Ayna Insights podcast features prominent leaders and influencers shaping the industrial and industrial technology sectors, discussing topics that are critical for executives, boards, and investors. Ayna Insights is brought to you by Ayna, a premier advisory and implementation firm in the industrial technology space, providing transformation and consulting services to its clients.
To learn more about Ayna, please visit our website at www.ayna.ai.
The views, information, and opinions presented in this podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Ayna.AI or its affiliates. This podcast should not be considered financial or investment advice. Ayna.AI or its affiliates do not verify for accuracy any of the information contained in this podcast.
