Biden sec. of state pick tied to fund involved in US national security contracts

[Elderberry]

American Military News by  Liz George  December 10, 2020

Antony Blinken, presumptive President-elect Joe Biden’s secretary of state nominee, is the co-founder of a firm that helped launch the venture capital fund Ridgeline Partners which has a portfolio of national security-connected companies.

In 2017, Biden’s pick for secretary of State co-founded WestExec Advisors with a number of former government officials, including former undersecretary of Defense for policy under former-President Obama Michele Flournoy, CNBC reported. WestExec helped create the venture capital fund Ridgeline Partners, which “provides strategic insight on U.S. & allied national security capability needs and emerging opportunities to help grow” the fund’s portfolio, the WestExec website stated.

NBC reported that data and tech start-ups which have received government contracts, including Department of Defense deals, are part of Ridgeline’s portfolio. According to Ridgeline’s website, the fund “invests in commercially viable technology companies that are critical to national security.”

At least three of the thirteen companies in Ridgeline’s portfolio have gotten substantial government contracts. The New York-based start-up Opentrons, a company that builds robots for biologists, secured nearly $90,000 in government contracts since late last year. The Departments of Agriculture, Commerce and Interior have each purchased Opentrons’ services.

More: https://americanmilitarynews.com/2020/12/biden-sec-of-state-pick-tied-to-fund-involved-in-us-national-security-contracts/