From RAF Pilot to Deep Tech Founder: Building the Trust Layer for Autonomy at SAIF | Kyle Thomas
Former RAF pilot turned deep-tech founder, Kyle Thomas is building SAIF Autonomy—the “application firewall” for autonomous systems. We get into embodied AI vs deterministic autonomy, what it takes to certify and deploy robots in the real world, the UK vs US VC mindset, nearly running out of cash (with £22 left in the bank), and why veterans often thrive in startups.
What's in the episode:
- Embodied AI in the physical world (and why “trust layers” matter)
- Defense to startup: decision-making under uncertainty
- Real use cases: drones, logistics, shipping, aviation, space
- Public perception & regulation: earning societal trust
- Raising $1.2M from Silicon Valley as a UK deep-tech startup
- Culture design: borrowing the best of military leadership
- Practical founder advice: start sooner, ignore the naysayers
Chapters:
0:00 Cold open — embodied AI, safety & “wrappers”
1:12 Intro — Kyle’s RAF background & SAIF’s mission
2:23 Military → startup: decision-making & stress tolerance
4:09 UK vs US mindset on speed, growth & work ethic
6:30 Meeting co-founder Matt; origins in RAF programs
7:22 Rapid Capabilities Office & TRL (3→7 fast)
8:42 From scripted autonomy to embodied, goal-based systems
10:03 Real-world examples (drones, Waymo, sidewalk bots)
11:01 Autonomy vs AI — clear definitions
12:53 Deterministic vs embodied AI (and their failure modes)
13:53 Today’s drone deliveries (hospitals, corridors, BVLOS)
14:10 Scaling without city-wide infrastructure
15:52 Proving it on land, sea, air… and space
18:19 Public perception, safety cases & building trust
19:13 Logistics, shipping & aviation use cases
20:06 “Application firewall” for autonomy (trust layer)
22:19 Fundraise story — $1.2M pre-revenue from Silicon Valley
24:03 Why UK/EU VC often feels like PE (risk appetite)
25:59 US lead, diligence, patents & why it clicked
27:12 UK engineering talent vs US scaling capital
29:05 CEO self-awareness: when to level up or step aside
30:39 Targeting specialist US funds next
33:17 Sponsor break — Opus community
33:49 Near-death runway tale: £22 in the bank
36:50 Money lands at 8:22pm on New Year’s Eve
43:17 Split-second RAF story — refuelling saves lives
47:49 Why veterans can excel in startups
49:17 Culture & leadership: high trust, high standards
52:04 Practical rituals (socials, flexibility, outcomes)
55:11 Advice to younger self: start sooner, be bold
58:07 Founder communities: Opus, ICE, Founders Pledge
1:00:12 Be in the room — why London matters
1:01:12 Trust over impressions (in-person beats ads)
1:02:30 Luck vs talent (and timing)
1:03:55 Where to find Kyle (LinkedIn, site, IG)
1:04:45 Blog & updates coming soon
1:05:08 Outro
About Kyle / SAIF Autonomy
Kyle Thomas, Co-founder & CEO, SAIF Autonomy
Mission: a safety & assurance “trust layer” so autonomous systems can operate safely at the edge (air, land, sea, space)
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