Lauren Knausenberger Named Chief Business Officer at Defense Unicorns

Knausenberger arrives at the San Antonio-based company following a tenure at SAIC, where she served as Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer. Her background involves managing a $17 billion technology portfolio and overseeing cyber operations for 20,000 personnel. At the Department of the Air Force, she was instrumental in scaling enterprise cloud networks and overhauling security accreditation processes to support a software-defined military force.

Defense Unicorns CEO Dr. Rob Slaughter noted that Knausenberger’s transition is timed to help the company scale its airgap-native software delivery. The firm, founded in 2021, focuses on secure, open-source technology for the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force, and Space Force. Knausenberger stated that her priority remains the same as it was during her government service: deploying software that functions as a deterrent to conflict by providing warfighters with superior speed and technological resilience.