Dr. Tim Denning is a seasoned Growth Executive who has led organizations in achieving their strategic goals, as well as an accomplished academic. He has a strong servant-leader, service-oriented approach and experience leading both large organizations and small teams. He possesses extensive expertise in Federal and State level acquisition and is a corporate development, business development, contracting, and funding expert. Tim has led and been a critical part of teams that have closed many deals, winning billions of dollars in contract value and has supported nearly $2B of M&A and VC transactions.
Currently, Tim is at Ultratech Capital Partners. Ultratech is a venture capital firm that invests to support national security priorities, help improve resource efficient and energy sustainability, and enhance communication and knowledge. The firm is focused on innovative early-stage companies and teams that demonstrate compelling qualities, who are creating leading edge “dual use” technology which can achieve real scale and impact and is transferrable across multiple sectors. Tim leads the deal origination process at Ultratech, using an in-house tool he designed that provides significant proprietary deal flow. In addition, Tim spearheads diligence of targets, and once a company enters the portfolio, he leverages his significant business development background to help our companies drive growth and enhance their Business Development processes.
A seasoned business operator, Tim also mentors numerous entrepreneurs and startups through dual-use focused accelerators and university-based programs across the US, is a frequent panelist on early-stage dual use technology investing and is a trusted member of the dual-use technology ecosystem with a deep network that supports the US national security apparatus.
Prior to his role at Ultratech Capital Partners, Tim worked at GDEF, leading the Business Development function where he oversaw all aspects of GDEF’s organic growth strategy. As the lead for Growth at the $200M+ publicly traded Government Integrator, Tim oversaw all aspects of the organic growth strategy and business development, leading a team of nearly 20 professionals. Tim also assumed Corporate Development duties during his time at GDEF. Prior to the VP role, Tim served as the Director of IDIQ Management at STG when he joined STG in 2014.
Tim also held various positions within L-3 Communications, where he rose from an analyst position to become the youngest Director, then youngest Senior Director, at the company. His most notable roles were as Sr. Director and Deputy to the SVP of BD for the $4.5B L-3 Services Group, and after participating in the Engility spin-off, Tim continued serving as the Deputy for BD to the SVP of BD for the $1.5B STRATIS/National Security Solutions Group. Those roles required expertise in Corporate Development, Strategic BD, Operations, BD Information Systems, and Capture. He also managed L-3’s CRADA relationship with Virginia Tech and the Hume Center during that time, working across the entire TRL to insert technology into government.
Most recently, Tim served as Vice President for Synectics for Management Decisions (SMDI). As an Officer of the ~$20M revenue/~80 FTE Company with Profit and Loss responsibility, serving in a de-facto COO role, he led BD at SMDI having management and operational oversight of the Company’s organic growth strategy, excellence in capture, and proposal management across all business sectors, as well as contracts, financial, and profit/loss supervision.
Tim also was the Senior Director for Business Development (BD) within DSA, Inc.’s Information Solutions Group (ISG). He was responsible for all strategy and the execution of tactical growth activities within the business unit, which provided comprehensive cyber security, secure communications, and program management services to government agencies. In a previous stint at DSA in 2013, Tim was a crucial contributor, winning two contracts that allowed DSA to grow organically by 30%.
Tim completed his Doctoral studies in Public Administration at West Chester University in PA, with a focus on technology and services acquisition within the US DoD, and is a member of the Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society. He has an MA cert in Contracts and Procurement Management from the University of Virginia. He earned an MBA in Finance and MA in Political Science, as a Community Fellow, from Lehigh University, as well as a BA in Psychology from Johns Hopkins University.
Tim is also a frequent guest lecturer and Executive Educator, working with Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, Georgetown University, and numerous companies to teach the art and science of government business development. Tim also is on Lehigh University’s MBA Council, which works with the Dean and the administration of the College of Business to enhance the MBA program.
Tim is engaged in a variety of service-oriented endeavors. His service to the nation includes his Commission as a US Naval Reserve Supply Officer. Currently, Tim is the Administrative Officer and Training Officer for the Naval Reserve Command Naval Air Forces (CNAL) unit in Norfolk, VA. Previously he served as a staff officer to the Joint Reserve Forces Commander (J9) within the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) directly supporting the readiness mission for the nation’s combat logistics support agency.
His perspective is often sought by both the technology and services start-up community, as well as organizations supporting forward thinking in National Security. Tim is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the American Security Project, a nonpartisan organization created to educate the American public and the world about the changing nature of national security in the 21st Century. He is also a Term Member with the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). He serves actively as an advisor and Board member for numerous start-ups in the Northern Virginia area. Tim serves as the Chief Advisor to RoamingTails, a pet technology company, as well as EconPTW, a government contracting technology company.
Active in service to his community within the Arlington and greater DC area, Tim is a Graduate of Leadership Arlington’s Signature Program. He was named in 2016 as a DMV 40 Under 40 by the Leadership Center for Excellence. He also serves as Chair of the Arlington County Community Development Advisory Committee (CDCAC) and is a Commissioner of Economic Development (EDC) for Arlington County.
Tim is also on the Board of PathForward (formerly A-SPAN) serving as Chairman and the Board of the Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA) serving as Chairman. Tim also volunteers with the Humane Rescue Alliance, Offender Aid Restoration, the Arlington Economic Development Group, VA Supplier Diversity Program, the Federal Baseball League, and Rebuilding Together of Arlington/Fairfax.