Vannevar Appoints Shands Pickett as Chief Growth Officer to Accelerate AI Deployment Across National Security Missions

Appointment follows record business growth and operational successes across key defense missions

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vannevar Labs, a technology company building AI and advanced systems for national security missions, today announced the appointment of Shands Pickett as Chief Growth Officer. Pickett brings deep experience leading defense technology strategy and mission-driven growth across both U.S. government and venture-backed companies.

Pickett will lead Vannevar's new business expansion across the federal market, accelerating the deployment of operational AI to improve the U.S. deterrence posture with China. He will focus on driving mission impact, forging strategic partnerships, and scaling new mission areas aligned with the top national security priorities.

"Shands has dedicated his career to building a technological edge for the country," said Nini Hamrick, President of Vannevar. "He knows how to embed with the operator, understand the challenges of their mission, and turn emerging technology into real-world impact. We're thrilled to have him drive future growth as we seek to redefine what it means to build for defense."

Pickett joins from Booz Allen Hamilton, where as SVP of Defense Technology and Strategy he advanced the firm's mission system integration and modernization business and directed growth and investments aligned to national defense priorities. At Scale AI, he stood up the national security business practice, deploying enterprise wide AI programs and driving federal growth through the Donovan platform. He served on two theater deployments in Afghanistan as part of the U.S. Army Human Terrain System. He joins Vannevar to combine his experience building large strategic programs and successfully operationalizing AI to support the company's next phase of growth.

"Bringing AI to the fight will require top U.S. technical talent and mission expertise. You need a company that is fast, flexible, and built for the realities of modern conflict. Vannevar is operating at the cutting edge of these principles and capabilities," said Pickett. "I'm honored to join a team that is mission-first, operator-informed, and moving fast where it matters most."

The company's agentic AI tools are capable of highly accurate adversarial modeling, scenario simulations, and course of action recommendations - all powered by hard-to-access foundational data. Its current missions include information operations, physical sensing, counter narcotics, and economic competition - all self-funded, as the company announced profitability in early 2025 as well as its $80M 2024 ACV and $1.5B valuation.

In March, the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit cited Vannevar's GenAI as a force multiplier in the Pacific. In July, Vannevar operated the first AI agents at Exercise Talisman Sabre 25 and successfully deployed a JWICS accessible application. Next, the company aims to expand into new mission areas, convert prototypes into production OTs, and establish itself with programs of record.

About Vannevar Labs

Vannevar builds AI to deter our adversaries. In the 21st century, conflict moves at algorithmic speed and foresight equals firepower. Our agentic AI is purpose-built to compete with China—from cross-Strait conflict to gray zone coercion. Trained on the most mission-relevant datasets in defense, our technology models adversary behavior, simulates campaigns, and recommends the best course of action to decision makers. Our AI systems are some of the most trusted in the industry and actively used on the front lines of the Indo-Pacific to keep the peace and save lives. 

Exceptional technology starts with exceptional people. Vannevar is a small agile team combining world-class engineers with veteran strategists who bring deep expertise in defense and tradecraft. We're building a company defined by mission impact, user empathy, and disciplined growth. In just three years, we grew from $3M to $80M in ARR, achieved early profitability, and reached unicorn status—proving that disruption doesn't require an ego, and staying power doesn't mean standing still.

Learn how we're supporting operational deployments in the Pacific and other contested theaters at www.vannevarlabs.com.

Media contact
Hayley Menser
[email protected]

SOURCE Vannevar Labs