Inside Anduril’s Executive Compensation: Defense Tech’s Competitive Pay Packages
Joining a cutting-edge defense startup like Anduril isn’t just about patriotism—it’s also a lucrative career move. Thanks to the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), we now have insight into the compensation packages of Anduril’s top executives, including co-founders like Palmer Luckey and CEO Brian Schimpf.
How Executive Compensation Data Becomes Public
Under FFATA, companies like Anduril must disclose top employee compensation if they meet two criteria:
- At least 80% of annual revenue comes from federal contracts
- Annual federal contract revenue exceeds $25 million
Anduril, which reportedly hit $500 million in revenue last year, shares this data via USASpending.gov. While the exact year of compensation isn’t always specified, TechCrunch analyzed 26 contracts from 2021–2024 to estimate the timeframes.
Key Notes on the Data:
- Figures include multi-year equity grants (vesting over 4–5 years)
- Compensation blends cash, bonuses, and stock options
- Anduril clarified these aren’t necessarily annual earnings
Why Defense Startups Pay Top Dollar
With $4.3 billion raised (per PitchBook), Anduril competes for talent against Big Tech and government roles. Their compensation strategy reflects shifting priorities—from founding teams in 2021 to autonomous vehicle specialists and policy experts by 2023.
Anduril’s Highest-Paid Executives (Estimated Years)
Brian Schimpf, Co-Founder & CEO
$19.17M (2021)
Former Palantir engineer, co-founded Anduril in 2017.
Matt Grimm, Co-Founder & COO
$13.77M (2021)
Ex-Palantir, instrumental in Anduril’s operational scaling.
Palmer Luckey, Co-Founder
$10.92M (2021)
Oculus VR creator (sold to Facebook for $2B), left in 2017 to launch Anduril.
Michael Galvin, Former CFO
$4.25M (2021)
Now advises defense tech and cybersecurity firms.
Tom Keane, Senior VP
$3.31M (2022)
Microsoft veteran (Office 365/Azure) joined in late 2022.
Adnan Esmail, Former Senior VP
$3.28M (2023)
Ex-Tesla autonomy engineer, left to start AI firm Physical Intelligence.
Burhan Muzaffar, VP of Vehicle Autonomy
$3.13M (2023)
Aurora alum, leads robotics at Anduril since 2023.
Shane Arnott, Senior VP
$2.95M (2023) / $2.21M (2022)
Boeing veteran, promoted to oversee engineering programs.
Zachary Mears, Senior VP
$2.58M (2023)
Policy expert with DoD and Covington & Burling experience.
Christian Brose, Chief Strategy Officer
$2.35M (2023)
Former Senate Armed Services Committee staff director.
Andrea Lessard, Former Senior VP
$2.01M (2022)
Ex-head of People & Culture, departed after year.
Lindsay Trice, VP of Engineering
$1.74M (2022)
Palantir alum, joined Anduril in 2020.
Gokul Subramanian, Senior VP
$1.63M (2022)
Leads software engineering; another Palantir graduate.
Joseph Chen, Co-Founder
$1.45M (2021)
Oculus VR early employee and U.S. Army paratrooper.
The Bigger Picture
These disclosures highlight how defense startups leverage equity-heavy packages to attract elite talent. While the numbers seem staggering, much of the value is tied to long-term incentives—emphasizing Anduril’s growth trajectory and potential IPO future.
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