NS1 engages US advisory firm to drive US defence strategy

Our Investment Nodestream (ASX: NS1) just appointed US advisors for its US defence strategy.

NS1 engaged Waypoint Strategic Partners to provide “executive leadership and operational support” in the US.

(source)

Waypoint is led by Nate Notargiacomo, who previously ran the US arm of Australian space technology company HEO Robotics.

Here is Nate’s CV (solid experience in the area’s NS1 is looking to sell its tech).

(source)

And this as his “About” section:

(source)

Waypoint will be helping NS1 with:

• US corporate and compliance setup,
• Partnering opportunities with defence contractors
• Partnering opportunities with Aerospace contractors, and
• Program-readiness steps (registrations and certification).

The engagement also follows recent introductory meetings in the US, where NS1's CEO and Executive Chair met US Government stakeholders and prospective defence primes.

So it is positive to see NS1 now getting in front of the right types of groups and people to be able to show off its tech and look to convert this into what matters most, contracts and revenues.

How NS1's tech works

(NS1/Nodestream recently changed its trading code/name from HTG/Harvest Technology Group)

NS1’s Nodestream tech keeps mission-critical video, voice and data flowing over the thinnest, most degraded or jammed comms link.

It uses around 90% less bandwidth and works across satellite, cellular or radio (or any combination), whatever it takes to get a message through.

(source)

That is a problem that's becoming more important on a battlefield dominated by unmanned drones, robots and vehicles.

All of which the enemy is trying to scramble and cut connectivity too…

HTG’s tech is already commercially proven with a TRL 9 rating - the US Department of Defence's highest "deployed and proven in operations" readiness level, backed by >500,000 operational hours of commercial use.

HTG is now pivoting that proven technology into defence, aiming to convert trials, tests and early orders into materially larger paid contracts.

(source)

We are Invested to see HTG pivot its commercially tried, tested and revenue generating “communications link resilience” tech to sell into the defence space…

The 8 Reasons We Invested in NS1

(NS1/Nodestream recently changed its trading code/name from HTG/Harvest Technology Group)

Here are the key reasons why we are Invested from our HTG Investment Memo - you can see our launch note from 3 weeks ago here which include the expanded reasons and more: Our New Investment: Harvest Technology Group (ASX: HTG)

1. HTG’s tech enables remotely operated and unmanned drones, robots, boats, submarines and vehicles
2. We are backing the defence focused team
3. Tired, stale shareholder base means opportunity for new Investors like us 
4. HTG’s tech has >500,000 operational hours and is TRL 9 certified.
5. Full focus moving to defence
6. HTG already has defence market traction
7. ASX listed peer has gone from 30c to $7 per share on defence pivot
8. Small $18M market cap - leveraged to a re-rate

(NS1/Nodestream recently changed its trading code/name from HTG/Harvest Technology Group)

Around three weeks ago NS1 also signed a (non-binding) MoU in Ukraine to field test its tech under real electronic warfare conditions, we covered that here: HTG signs MoU in Ukraine to test its tech on the real battlefield

What we want to see next from NS1?

🔄 Land a major US or NATO defence contract

1. ✅ CEO hire (done - Veronica Bainton appointed)
2. 🔄 CFO hire
3. 🔄 Convert the existing NATO defence-force trial into a paid contract
4. 🔲 Sign a follow-on order with the existing Five-Eyes customer at a materially larger size
5. 🔲 Contract with US defence contractors
6. 🔲 Contract with EU defence contractors

🔄 Brave1 accreditation & Ukraine live deployment

1. 🔄 Secure Brave1 accreditation
2. 🔄 (NEW - via recent Ukraine MOU) Establish a direct Ukrainian testing partnership (source)
3. 🔄 Convert the MOU into a binding agreement (with export approvals in place)
4. 🔲 Deploy NS1's tech into a live Ukrainian defence-tech use case
5. 🔲 Publish independent benchmarking results from Brave1 testing

Every box ticked here is match footage for the scouts in NATO and AUKUS procurement.