In the world of artificial intelligence, most solutions require constant internet connectivity and cloud computing power. But what happens when you need AI in environments where the internet isn’t available—or can’t be trusted? That’s the challenge EdgeRunner AI is tackling, and their story begins in some unlikely places: the halls of Congress and the battlefields of Eastern Europe.

An Unlikely Partnership

The founding story of EdgeRunner AI reads like a modern tech novel: Tyler Saltsman, a former Army logistician who ran supply missions during Operation Atlantic Resolve, and Colton Malkerson, with his Stanford MBA and experience working for House Speakers. Yet when these two met in the trenches of Stability AI—the company behind the popular Stable Diffusion model—they discovered something powerful: complementary strengths and a shared vision for the future of AI.

“We weren’t friends initially,” Tyler recalls with a laugh. “I was like, who’s this Stanford guy? I’m the AWS guy, but they’re bringing in this other AWS guy. I was sizing him up a little bit.”

But as they worked together through the challenges at Stability AI, something clicked. “Game recognizes game,” Tyler says, “and now here we are today.”

Military Meets Silicon Valley

Tyler’s military background proved instrumental in shaping EdgeRunner’s vision. As a logistics officer supporting forward-deployed troops, he witnessed firsthand how technology gaps could impact mission success. “The military isn’t in the stone ages, but it’s not as advanced as we would think,” he explains. “I saw the need for technology like what we’re building.”

Meanwhile, Colton’s political experience provided crucial insights into how to navigate complex organizational structures and build consensus—skills that translate directly to startup life. “Startups are like campaigns in many respects,” he notes. “You have to convince other people to buy into your idea, organize people behind you, and figure out how to message very well.”

The Edge Advantage

EdgeRunner AI’s core innovation addresses a critical gap in the AI landscape: the need for powerful AI capabilities that work without internet connectivity. Their solution is essentially “ChatGPT that doesn’t require the internet”—but with a crucial difference. It’s specifically tailored for military applications.

“If you’re a logistics officer, it’s an expert on all things logistics—the doctrine, the history, the acronyms,” Colton explains. “If you’re a combat medic, it’s going to be an expert in all things combat medicine. You have the power of a ChatGPT-like tool at your fingertips in a denied or disconnected environment.”

This specialization matters enormously. While general-purpose AI models like ChatGPT struggle with military-specific terminology and procedures, EdgeRunner’s models are trained on military doctrine and understand the unique language of defense operations.

Beyond the Battlefield

While EdgeRunner’s primary focus is military applications, their technology has broader implications. Their first commercial deal was actually with a major movie studio, where their AI helps write scripts—proving that the demand for secure, offline AI extends far beyond defense.

The company’s vision extends to what Tyler calls the “Jarvis future”—referencing Tony Stark’s AI assistant from the Iron Man films. “Imagine if your washing machine’s making a funny noise,” Tyler suggests. “You don’t want to watch YouTube for 20 minutes. You could just ask your washing machine, ‘Hey, why are you making that noise?’ It could respond back with exactly what you need to do.”

Lessons from the Fundraising Trenches

Building EdgeRunner hasn’t been without its challenges. The co-founders completed over 60 investor pitches and faced more than 40 rejections before securing their seed funding.

His advice to fellow entrepreneurs? “Pick a few VCs that you really like as people and that you trust, and don’t fall in love with the Tier 1s. Focus on finding people who understand your vision.”

The HP Partnership

EdgeRunner’s partnership with HP Tech Ventures represents more than just funding—it’s a strategic alignment around the future of AI-powered computing. “What we’re building really aligns with HP’s vision for bringing the AI PC forward,” Colton explains. The partnership opens doors for collaboration on go-to-market efforts, particularly in federal and defense sectors where HP has established relationships.

Tyler sees potential for even deeper integration: “I’d love to build an HP agent that knows everything about the computer, whether it’s a desktop or laptop. If I don’t know how to do something, I can just ask it, and it’ll tell me what I need to do.”

Advice for Aspiring Founders

When asked what advice they’d give to other early-stage founders, both co-founders emphasize the importance of solving real problems for real customers.

“You need to be customer-obsessed,” Tyler stresses. “Work backwards from that customer and pick one problem to solve. A lot of founders want to build really cool things and solve problems the market isn’t ready for yet.”

Colton adds the importance of persistence: “You can’t give up. We had 40+ rejections before we got our first term sheet. If you really believe in your idea, keep pushing ahead and don’t get discouraged.”

Perhaps most importantly, they emphasize the “why you?” question. “You can solve this problem, but why you?” Tyler asks. “VCs are betting on you as people first, then your technology second. You need to clearly explain why you’re the right person to solve this problem.”

Looking Forward

As EdgeRunner continues to grow—now with a team of 21 full-time employees—the co-founders remain focused on their core mission: supporting warfighters with AI technology that works where it’s needed most. But their vision extends beyond military applications to a future where AI assistants are embedded in every device, providing personalized, secure intelligence without compromising privacy or requiring internet connectivity.

“What excites me is what the future could look like,” Tyler reflects. “This technology is going to elevate everyone. Everyone will be able to be more efficient, more intelligent, and have more time to do things they enjoy.”

In a world increasingly concerned about AI privacy and security, EdgeRunner AI’s approach—keeping powerful AI capabilities local and secure—may well represent the future of artificial intelligence. And with their unique combination of military experience, technical expertise, and entrepreneurial drive, Colton and Tyler seem well-positioned to lead that charge.

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EdgeRunner AI is backed by HP Tech Ventures, Madrona, Four Rivers Ventures, and Alumni Ventures. They are focused on bringing secure, offline AI capabilities to defense and enterprise customers. Learn more about their mission to revolutionize AI at the edge.