- “Bcore and CEO Chad Kim have benefited from this new Pentagon era of faster, more innovative acquisition
- Bcore is a mission-driven technology and national security services provider
- Hear directly from Kim during the New Power Players in Defense Tech panel discussion at the 2026 GovCon Executive Leadership Summit this Thursday—Feb. 26!
Bcore CEO Chad Kim has spent the last few years building his business for this new era of faster, more streamlined defense acquisition. Now he’s ready to meet the moment.
Kim spoke with GovCon Wire for an exclusive interview ahead of his appearance at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 GovCon Executive Leadership Summit this Thursday, Feb. 26. Kim will participate in the “Digital Warfighters: The New Power Players in Defense Tech” panel discussion, where panelists will dive into competing and partnering in a commercial-capital defense market and the rise of software-first and product-driven defense primes.
Kim said that the federal government’s shift to alternative procurement pathways, such as other transaction authorities and commercial solutions openings, has benefited Bcore. The company’s rinse-and-repeat formula, he said, is building what the customers need, and proving and scaling it through flexible contract vehicles.
But these innovative contracting vehicles require companies to prove they can do the work.
“You hear … rapid prototyping vehicles, they’re really cool, but they’re also risky because you have to actually have the goods to demonstrate that you can do it,” Kim said. “As a private company, you have to do it profitably so you don’t lose a lot of money. That shift has helped companies like ours because we’re nimble.”
Dig into the rise of software-first and product-driven defense primes during the Digital Warfighters: the New Power Players in Defense Tech panel at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 GovCon Executive Leadership Summit this Thursday—Feb. 26! Hear directly from the brightest minds in GovCon about how Palantir, Anduril and peers are shifting procurement norms. Get actionable intelligence on competing and partnering in a commercial-capital defense market. Sign up today!
Who Is Chad Kim?
As Bcore CEO, Kim accelerates decisive advantages for warfighters and intelligence professionals by fusing human insight, rapid-fire engineering and precision-measured outcomes into mission-ready solutions. Bcore provides tech services such as advanced analysis and mission integration, data engineering and data ops and software engineering and DevSecOps, among others. The company, with 200 staffers, is backed by the NewSpring private equity firm.
Kim is seeing lots of broad agency announcements, blanket purchase agreements and Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 12 vehicles being used in new solicitations. FAR Part 12 was rewritten last year, expanding simplified commercial procedures and allowing contracting officers to use streamlined methods for procurements valued up to $7.5 million, according to the Coley.
What Are Chad Kim’s Goals for 2026?
One of Kim’s top goals for 2026 is not just building, but scaling artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions for Pentagon and intelligence community customers. Part of that challenge, he said, will be having a measurable return on investment. Kim said every solution that Bcore builds is developed with the goal of reducing analytical workload, accelerating decision timelines or improving mission outcomes.
Kim said the key to scaling in a volatile GovCon business environment is to take it one solution at a time. Companies need to be steely-eyed on what matters: taking care of your people and mission, always learning and being ready to be a partner to government counterparts and to mission practitioners.
Bcore’s expertise is in the targeting and analysis portion of data exploitation. Kim said the company has AI and ML tools that can extract knowledge from nascent data sets as well as those that can establish patterns of life based on behaviors and transactions happening in commercial or publicly-available information.
Kim will be speaking on The New Power Players in Defense Tech panel at the 2026 GovCon Executive Leadership Summit. He’s excited for this panel because he wants to share what he’s learned about building software-centric teams and defense businesses.
Kim also wants to hear from his peers who are navigating this space, because it’s not easy.
“The defense industrial base [and] the intelligence industrial base needs more companies like ours that are willing to take technology risks,” he said. “Those conversations matter for national security.”
Who Are the Defense Tech Leaders in 2026?
Discover what digital warfighters mean for the future prime contracting model at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 GovCon Executive Leadership Summit this Thursday—Feb. 26! Hear how speed, iteration and continuous upgrades are redefining fielding. Engage with these leading CEOs and spark collaborations with other GovCon titans. Secure your seat now!
Let’s dive into the backgrounds of the panelists.
Andy Maner (moderator)
Advisory Partner, NewSpring Capital
Andy Maner is the executive chairman of NewSpring Holdings’ federal sector. He has spent more than 25 years growing companies that regularly deliver success to clients while maintaining an impressive culture of professional development and future growth.
He is the former CEO and chairman of Avantus, a NewSpring Holdings Fund I portfolio firm that was sold to QinetiQ for $590 million in 2022.
Chad Kim
CEO, Bcore
Chad Kim is a technology executive with wide-ranging experience across the commercial and national security sectors. Respected as an AI and predictive analytics thought leader, he prides himself on solving complex challenges. Kim builds elite teams in critical emerging technologies, including AI and ML, intelligence and cybersecurity, engineering, data and software, and client engagement.
Yusuf Abdul-Salaam
CEO, Xpect Solutions
Yusuf Abdul-Salaam is an innovative executive who has worked in the federal law enforcement space for 15 years. He leads companies to deliver mission technology solutions across a variety of federal law enforcement agencies.
Abdul-Salaam was previously chief operating officer at Paradyme and senior vice president for law enforcement at ECS.
Kevin McLaughlin
CEO, C Speed
Kevin McLaughlin, a retired Air Force lieutenant general, has 42 years of government and private sector leadership experience. Prior to becoming CEO of C Speed, he was a director at Avantus. His operational experience encompasses all warfighting domains, including deployments as the U.S. Central Command director of space forces and the deputy J-3 at U.S. Strategic Command.
Rob Clark
President, Seekr
Rob Clark is a global technology executive with more than 20 years of experience providing software, AI, data center and high-performance computing innovations. He’s directed the launch of many highly-successful national-scale search and AI solutions for the largest telecommunications, publishing and e-commerce firms in the world.
He’s celebrated for building high-performing launch-and-growth strategies. Clark is known for building Türkiye’s national search engine.
Robert Turner
Vice President of Government, Strider Technologies
Robert Turner spent over 22 years with the FBI, most recently as chief security officer, where he led the bureau’s worldwide personnel and physical security mission. Here, he directed enterprise-wide programs such as insider threat detection, access control, threat assessments and background investigations.
Turner previously served as chief of counterespionage at the FBI, leading national-level programs to identify, disrupt and reduce foreign intelligence threats.
