At just 46 years old, Dino Mavrookas’ career already looks more expansive than most, spanning three distinct roles: Navy SEAL, private-equity investor, and now cofounder and CEO of $9.25 defense-tech startup Saronic—proof that your first career doesn’t have to be your last.
His latest career pivot came just four years ago, when Mavrookas was a senior associate at Austin-based private equity firm Vista Equity Partners. However, after half a decade in finance—likely bringing in a six-figure salary—Mavrookas began to question whether he wanted to spend the rest of his career on the same path.
