About LXI Collective
Who we are
LXI Collective is a strategic advisory firm based in Washington, D.C., helping defense companies, innovators, and investors navigate the intersection of national security policy, Pentagon acquisition, and congressional dynamics.
Founded by a combat-tested Master Army Aviator and former Senate national security advisor, LXI Collective provides strategic guidance to organizations operating within the United States defense ecosystem. Our work focuses on helping clients understand the forces shaping defense modernization, congressional funding priorities, and the evolving needs of the Department of Defense.
Washington’s national security environment is complex. Defense programs are shaped by operational requirements, acquisition pathways, congressional oversight, and broader geopolitical dynamics. LXI Collective helps clients navigate this landscape with clarity and strategic insight.
Founder
Chris Wingate is the founder and principal of LXI Collective and a national security advisor with experience spanning military operations, congressional defense policy, and strategic advisory services within the defense sector.
Chris served as an Army aviation officer and Master Army Aviator, flying aeromedical evacuation missions in support of combat operations, and is a retired active duty Army Lieutenant Colonel. His operational experience provides firsthand insight into the realities facing service members, their families, and the capabilities required on the modern battlefield.
Following his military service, Chris served on Capitol Hill as a military legislative assistant and national security advisor in the United States Senate, where he worked on national security, veterans policy, and military modernization, working closely with multiple committees to advance legislation. His work included advising on defense policy priorities, congressional oversight, and the legislative processes shaping the Department of War while supporting his boss's policy priorities and securing multiple provisions in the NDAA, appropriations, and standalone bills and resolutions.
Today, through LXI Collective, Chris advises defense innovators and industry leaders navigating Washington’s national security ecosystem. His work focuses on helping organizations align emerging technologies and capabilities with Pentagon priorities, congressional dynamics, the NDAA and appropriations process, and the broader defense industrial base.
Our Approach
LXI Collective believes that effective defense innovation requires more than technology alone. Success within the defense ecosystem requires an understanding of operational realities, policy priorities, acquisition processes, and congressional dynamics.
Our approach combines operational experience, legislative insight, and strategic analysis to help clients navigate Washington’s national security environment with clarity and purpose.
Our Values
LXI Collective was founded on the belief that leadership and service should extend beyond individual careers. Our work is guided by a commitment to integrity, service, and a desire to contribute to the strength and security of the United States, and the service members and the families that make our military great.
We believe that principled leadership and responsible innovation are essential to maintaining a strong national defense and supporting the men and women who serve.
Based in Washington, D.C.
LXI Collective operates at the center of the American national security ecosystem. From the Pentagon to Capitol Hill, our work focuses on helping defense innovators and industry leaders understand the dynamics shaping the future of U.S. defense policy and modernization.
Advisory Focus
LXI Collective works with a limited number of clients each year, providing strategic advisory support to organizations navigating Washington’s national security ecosystem. Our work focuses on helping defense companies and innovators understand Pentagon acquisition pathways, congressional defense priorities, and the evolving dynamics of the defense industrial base.
By combining operational military experience with congressional policy insight, LXI Collective helps clients better position emerging technologies and capabilities within the broader defense landscape.
