Kodiak AI Appoints Chet Gryczan to Lead Its Defense Vertical
Rhea-AI Summary
Kodiak AI (Nasdaq: KDK) appointed Chet Gryczan as Vice President and Managing Director of Defense, effective Feb 18, 2026. Gryczan brings 20+ years of defense and automotive experience, scaling Detroit Defense to $157 million revenue and a 230-person workforce.
He reportedly helped secure a multi-year $500 million Congressional modernization program and will lead Kodiak’s defense strategy to integrate the Kodiak Driver into military vehicles. Kodiak holds defense awards including an Army contract worth about $30 million and a U.S. Marine Corps ROGUE-Fires contract.
Positive
- Experienced hire: Chet Gryczan with 20+ years in defense and automotive leadership
- Proven scale: Gryczan scaled prior business to $157 million revenue and 230 employees
- Defense contract wins: Kodiak received ~$30 million Army contract and a Marine Corps award
- Strategic focus: Dedicated defense vertical to integrate the Kodiak Driver into military platforms
Negative
- None.
News Market Reaction – KDK
On the day this news was published, KDK gained 1.37%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
No peers in the sector momentum scanner and no same-day peer headlines, indicating this move appears stock-specific rather than sector-driven.
Previous AI Reports
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 11 | Defense AI contract | Positive | -1.5% | New U.S. Marine Corps contract to integrate Kodiak Driver into ROGUE-Fires. |
| Dec 31 | Debt refinancing | Positive | +0.9% | New $30M senior secured term loan improving liquidity and extending runway. |
| Dec 18 | 5G connectivity deal | Positive | +6.5% | Commercial agreement with Verizon to integrate 5G/LTE and IoT with Kodiak Driver. |
| Nov 4 | Hardware partnership | Positive | -4.1% | Expansion of ZF steering partnership for 100 driverless trucks’ redundant systems. |
AI-related announcements have produced mixed reactions, with an even split between aligned and divergent price moves.
Recent AI-tagged news for Kodiak shows ongoing commercialization of the Kodiak Driver and deepening strategic ties. On Feb 11, 2026, a U.S. Marine Corps contract update drew a modest negative reaction, while a Verizon connectivity agreement on Dec 18, 2025 saw a 6.51% gain. An AI-tagged debt refinancing on Dec 31, 2025 was received slightly positively. The current leadership appointment in defense fits the ongoing expansion of AI-driven autonomy into military and commercial fleets.
Historical Comparison
AI-tagged news historically moved KDK about 0.46% on average. Today’s 1.86% gain sits moderately above that norm, suggesting a modestly stronger reaction.
AI-tagged releases show Kodiak advancing from platform partnerships and connectivity deals into defense contracts and now dedicated leadership to scale its defense-focused autonomy efforts.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights Kodiak’s push to deepen its defense vertical by hiring an executive who grew a defense firm to $157 million in annual revenue and helped secure a $500 million modernization program. It builds on prior military contracts, including an Army RCV award of about $30 million. Investors may track future defense wins, integration of Kodiak Driver into military fleets, and how this leadership change shapes strategy and execution.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Gryczan, Vice President and Managing Director of Defense, has spent 20 years as a leader at defense and automotive-tech organizations
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Feb. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kodiak AI, Inc. ("Kodiak") (Nasdaq: KDK), a leading provider of AI-powered autonomous vehicle technology, today announced the appointment of Chet Gryczan as Vice President and Managing Director of Defense, effective immediately. Gryczan brings more than two decades of experience building and leading defense and automotive programs.
Most recently, Gryczan served as President of Detroit Defense, an engineering and systems integration firm serving the U.S. Military and some of the largest American defense contractors. In this role, Gryczan scaled the business, formerly known as Ricardo Defense, from a pre-profit startup into a
During his tenure, Gryczan conceived and directed multi-hundred-million-dollar defense programs. Notably, he played a key role in securing a multi-year
In his new role, Gryczan will lead Kodiak’s defense vertical, overseeing strategy, customer engagement, and program execution across defense programs. He will lead Kodiak’s continued expansion into the defense market, focusing on integrating the Kodiak Driver, the company's AI-powered autonomous driving system, into a wide range of vehicles for military use. His experience scaling defense organizations, aligning technology roadmaps with Pentagon priorities, and transitioning commercial technologies into mission-ready solutions enhances Kodiak’s work delivering autonomous capabilities for national security applications.
“Chet understands how to build a durable defense business, combining operational credibility and deep customer trust with financial discipline,” said Don Burnette, Founder and CEO of Kodiak. “He has deep experience bringing advanced technology to military programs and has done it at scale. Chet’s leadership strengthens our ability to execute for our defense customers while expanding our defense portfolio.”
Today, the Kodiak Driver is making deliveries day and night for Atlas Energy Solutions in the Permian Basin of West Texas and eastern New Mexico, without a driver in the cab. Kodiak has applied this expertise in commercial autonomous trucking to establish itself as a trusted dual-use autonomy partner for the U.S. military. In 2022, Kodiak was selected for a contract with the U.S. Army to deliver an end-to-end autonomous solution for the Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) program, under which it received approximately
“Kodiak has already demonstrated that its autonomous system can operate in demanding military environments and deliver measurable capability,” said Gryczan. “I joined Kodiak to help build on that foundation and scale our defense vertical and the company’s impact. This role brings together my career focus on adapting advanced commercial technologies for defense use with Kodiak’s proven autonomous platform and growing defense footprint.”
About Kodiak AI, Inc.
Kodiak AI was founded in 2018 and is a leading provider of AI-powered autonomous vehicle technology that is designed to help tackle some of the toughest driving jobs. Kodiak's driverless solution can help address the critical problem of safely transporting goods in the face of unprecedented supply chain challenges. Kodiak's vision is to become the trusted world leader in autonomous ground transportation. Kodiak is committed to a safer and more efficient future for all through the commercialization of driverless trucking at scale. To that end, Kodiak developed the Kodiak Driver, a virtual driver that combines advanced AI-powered software with modular and vehicle-agnostic hardware designed to help address Kodiak's customers' needs. The Kodiak Driver is not just an idea—it is operating without a human driver today. Kodiak serves customers in both commercial trucking and the public sector. In 2024, Kodiak believes it achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first company to deploy customer-owned and -operated driverless trucks in commercial service. The Kodiak Driver is also being utilized in the public sector, where Kodiak believes it can support national security initiatives and critical government applications.
Kodiak’s press kit with videos and images can be found HERE.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements including regarding Kodiak's or its management teams' expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "forecast," "intend," "expect," "may," "plan," "potential," "project," "seek," "should," "will," "would" and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: expectations related to Kodiak’s continued expansion into the defense market, expectations regarding the benefits and performance of Kodiak’s technology, and Kodiak's expectations with respect to its future performance and success. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of Kodiak's management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied upon by any investors as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of Kodiak. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; risks related to the rollout of Kodiak's business and the timing of expected business milestones; the effects of competition on Kodiak's business; supply shortages in the materials necessary for the production of the Kodiak Driver; risks related to working with third-party manufacturers for key components of the Kodiak Driver; risks related to the retrofitting of Kodiak's vehicles by third parties; the termination or suspension of any of Kodiak's contracts or the reduction in counterparty spending; and delays in Kodiak's operational roadmap with key partners and customers. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact such forward-looking statements can be found in filings and potential filings by Kodiak with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the heading "Risk Factors." If any of these risks materialize or any assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that Kodiak does not presently know, or that Kodiak currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements.
In addition, forward-looking statements reflect Kodiak's expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date they are made. Kodiak anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause Kodiak's assessments to change. However, while Kodiak may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Kodiak specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Kodiak's assessments as of any date subsequent to the date they are made. In addition, this press release contains certain information about the historical performance of Kodiak. You should not view information related to the past performance of Kodiak as indicative of future results.
Kodiak Media Contacts
Daniel Goff
+1-646-515-3933, dan@kodiak.ai
Stacy Morris
+1-310-415-9188, stacy.morris@futuristacommunications.com
Kodiak AI Investor Relations
Lauren Sloane
The Blueshirt Group for Kodiak
Lauren@blueshirtgroup.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1836d1da-1027-445c-9609-0f6f55110ea5
FAQ
Who is Chet Gryczan and what role did Kodiak AI (KDK) appoint him to on Feb 18, 2026?
What relevant experience does Chet Gryczan bring to Kodiak AI (KDK) for defense programs?
How will Gryczan’s appointment affect Kodiak AI’s (KDK) defense strategy and products?
What defense contracts has Kodiak AI (KDK) won prior to Chet Gryczan’s appointment?
What specific program did Gryczan help secure in his prior role that Kodiak (KDK) highlighted?
Does Kodiak AI (KDK) already operate its autonomous system in commercial environments?
