Stony Lonesome Group

Stony Lonesome Group

Stony Lonesome Group was founded in 2011 by Sean Drake and operates from Tampa, Florida. The firm focuses on early-stage and growth companies developing dual-use technology — products with both government and commercial applications — with over 80% of its portfolio companies led by military veterans. Since inception, the firm has deployed $125M across more than 70 companies, targeting sectors including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, healthtech, quantum computing, unmanned aerial vehicles, and deep tech (per the firm, 2025). The firm invests primarily through direct equity and co-investment structures, covering seed through late-stage rounds. Geographic concentration is domestic, with portfolio operations spanning the United States. Exits and active positions are not publicly itemized, though confirmed peer recognition includes ID.me and Upskill, both named Washington DC Tech Titans in 2018. Stony Lonesome Group operates with a lean core team led by Drake, supported by Partners Brooks Bash and Don Noble, and a network of military and medical advisory boards. General Partner Patrick Murphy anchors the Military Advisory Board. The firm relocated its headquarters to Tampa in 2021. In 2024, the firm renewed its emphasis on veteran-led startups, a through-line since launch — three of its founders were named to the Inc. Magazine Top 20 Military Veteran Tech Entrepreneurs list in 2016. Stony Lonesome Group’s structural differentiator is its embedded military-operating model. Rather than sourcing deals through a conventional VC network, the firm builds a dedicated “SLG Deal Team” for each portfolio company, drawing on former Special Forces, intelligence, and defense-acquisition professionals to diligence and actively manage investments — a sourcing and oversight architecture uncommon outside of dedicated government-contracting funds.