Tagup is a defense technology company that utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning to optimize logistics and equipment operations, predicting failures, reducing waste, and improving readiness across defense. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Tagup founder and CEO Jon Garrity to gain a deeper understanding of the company.
Jon Garrity’s Background
Could you tell me more about your background? Garrity said:
“I studied physics and economics at MIT, which gave me a strong foundation for thinking about complex systems and optimization, skills that are essential in solving large-scale logistical challenges. After graduating, I focused on applying data and analytics to improve how mission-critical assets are managed and maintained, which showed me both the power and challenges of scaling these solutions. From there, I went on to earn my MBA at Harvard Business School and taught economics for a couple of years at Harvard College.”
Formation Of The Company
How did the idea for the company come together? Garrity shared:
“Tagup was born from a shared passion for efficiency and optimization by my co-founder, Will Vega-Brown, and me. We met as undergrads at MIT and spent countless hours discussing how technology was reshaping decision-making.”
“After graduating, we separately encountered the same problem: high-stakes decision-making in mission-critical environments lagged far behind available technology, creating massive inefficiencies. While I was GE, I saw advanced optimization deployed only for the most expensive assets, while Will had gone for his PhD at MIT CSAIL, where he was developing advanced AI planning and decision-making tools. We knew that mission-critical environments needed better tools for high-stakes decision-making. With that, we founded Tagup.”
“We recognized the military as a critical, high-stakes environment where logistics and optimization challenges were underserved yet vital. This view was confirmed when we worked hand-in-hand with a Marine Corps officer as part of a National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) fellowship, who saw the value our solutions could bring to military supply and maintenance operations. From there, we expanded across classes of supply and service branches, including Marine Aircraft Group 39 and a Marine medical logistics unit, delivering measurable gains for national security.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? Garrity reflected:
“My favorite memory is visiting a Marine Corps medical warehouse at Camp Pendleton, where our AI replaced spreadsheets, clipboards, and whiteboards with an 85-inch interactive touchscreen providing unprecedented visibility across the supply chain. Watching Marines light up as they realized how our system simplified their work – converting siloed logistics information into real-time, mission-ready decisions in seconds, not hours or days. This efficiency means that critical medical equipment, life-saving supplies, and mission-essential gear will be in the right place at the right time. These moments remind me why our technology matters.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Garrity explained:
“Our AI platform, Manifest, combines human expertise with our proprietary Generative Reinforcement Learning™ engine to simulate logistics outcomes across millions of scenarios, delivering optimized defense logistics decisions, allowing defense teams to respond to mission-critical needs in real-time. It integrates seamlessly with existing military systems to avoid IT overhauls.
Key capabilities include:
- Inventory optimization: Determining the right quantities and locations for critical parts to maximize readiness per dollar spent.
- Mobilization planning: Selecting the optimal equipment mix for missions or exercises.
- Maintenance scheduling: Prioritizing repair and maintenance decisions to maximize fleet readiness.
- Resourcing optimization: Assigning personnel, equipment and funds to the highest-impact tasks.
All of this is delivered in a way that integrates with existing military data systems and workflows – no need for wholesale IT overhauls.”
Challenges Faced
Have you faced any challenges in your sector of work recently? Garrity acknowledged:
“Logistics doesn’t have the same visibility as combat operations, yet it’s the foundation of military power. This lack of visibility slows the advancement of vital logistics capabilities, particularly critical as the battlefield evolves and adversaries adopt emerging technologies to deny and disrupt logistics operations.”
“This visibility challenge is shifting. We’ve worked to make the logistics backbone of military power visible and measurable, focusing on the needs of the tactical end user to deliver immediate value to those on the ground. When leaders see fewer stockouts and faster decision cycles, logistics becomes recognized as a combat multiplier and lever for decisive advantage.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Garrity cited:
- Awarded $2.1 million contract with Marine Aircraft Group 39 for aircraft supply and maintenance optimization (2025)
- Secured contract renewal with Marine Corps medical unit for medical supplies optimization (2025)
- Established Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with elite medical unit (2024)
- Selected for 2024 National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) Propel Hawaii Program (2024)
- Established defense advisory board with general officers from three branches of the military: Lt. General Brad Webb (U.S. Air Force, retired); Lt. General Neil Thurgood (U.S. Army, retired); and Rear Admiral John Neagley (U.S. Navy, retired) (2023)
- Awarded SBIR Phase I and Phase II awards for LAV25 logistics optimization using machine learning (2020)
- Granted two patents:
- US 11,265,688 B2: Systems and Methods for Anomaly Detection and Survival Analysis for Physical Assets (2022)
- US 10,521,845 B2: Systems and Methods for Network Product Identification and Service Delivery (2019)
Customer Success Stories
Can you share any specific customer success stories? Garrity highlighted:
“For a Marine Corps medical unit:
- 20% reduction in purchasing costs without compromising readiness.
- 40% reduction in materiel handled without compromising readiness.
- 6% increase in order fill rate for the same level of budget, based on operational simulations.
- 13% increase in readiness for the same level of budget, based on operational simulations.
- Reduction in mobilization planning from hours or days to under one minute (100x+ faster decision cycles).
By optimizing stock levels in a medical warehouse, we’ve eliminated years-old overstock and ensured the right materiel is on hand for Indo-Pacific deployments.”
Total Addressable Market (TAM)
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? Garrity assessed:
“The DoD manages over $220B in operating materials and supplies. This leaves vast potential to scale within defense and extend our AI-driven logistics solutions to dual-use commercial markets like industrial supply chains or commercial aircraft.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Garrity affirmed:
“Our Manifest platform is a battlefield-tested logistics solution built with warfighters, for warfighters. Manifest combines limited real-world data with human expertise to deliver AI-powered decisions in data-scarce, high-stakes environments with high levels of accuracy. Our proprietary Generative Reinforcement Learning™ engine simulates every possible course of action to make mission-critical decisions without the need for risky real-world experimentation.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future goals? Garrity emphasized:
“Our goals include:
- Near-term, we would like to scale to manage enterprise-wide Marine Corps logistics, optimizing billions in assets.
- We are also looking to expand to other branches and military units.
- We are looking to enable dynamic, in-the-field supply optimization, like flexible production and distributed sourcing, to reduce inefficiencies.
- We are building a very strong foundation with our work in defense and we know this innovation will be able to support and impact other industries in the future.”
Additional Thoughts
Any other topics you would like to discuss? Garrity concluded:
“Advanced weapons systems may capture the spotlight, but without effective logistics, they can’t fight, can’t move, and can’t win. Logistics is the lifeblood of sustained combat power, and often the difference between mission success and failure. By applying cutting-edge AI to these ‘quiet but decisive’ challenges, we’re delivering measurable gains for national security today while building the innovation base that will redefine logistics for both defense and industry tomorrow.”
