Participated · Seed · Nov 2022

Gravitics develops large-format, standardized orbital infrastructure and logistics solutions intended to support cargo transport and in-orbit operations. Its programs include Orbital Carrier and Viper OTX, which aim to provide pre-deployed, on-demand transportation capabilities for military, government, and commercial operators. The company holds a STRATFI contract with the U.S. Space Force and is pursuing commercial partnerships in low Earth orbit logistics. Gravitics plans to expand its architecture by adding return-capability innovations such as the proposed Multiple-Downmass Hangar to enable more frequent, predictable downmass services. The firm's immediate activities include a six-month NASA SBIR Phase I study to assess the feasibility and technical requirements of that hangar concept. The article does not provide revenue, user, or valuation metrics.

Led · Equity · Feb 2022

Xplore offers Space as a Service®, providing data as a service, sensors as a service and satellites as a service to collect data from space for commercial, intelligence and climate customers. The company is accelerating hardware development of the Xcraft satellite data-collection platform at its 22,000 sq ft satellite manufacturing facility in Redmond. Leadership includes CEO Jeff Rich and Founder/COO Lisa Rich. Xplore plans to use new funding to accelerate growth, expand operations, hire additional team members and advance product development. In the past 24 months the company has received approximately $4M in non-dilutive funding and was selected for a $2M contract from the Pentagon’s National Security Innovation Capital. It has completed milestones on contracts from the U.S. Air Force, NOAA and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and has multiple flight programs in progress. Xplore provides Space as a Service via its Xcraft and LightCraft multi-mission platforms, offering hosted payloads, communications relay services and exclusive datasets. Its Xcraft ESPA-class platform is designed for LEO, cislunar space and destinations including Venus, Mars and asteroids. The company plans an Xcraft LEO (XLEO) mission in 2023 and is developing a family of Xplore Space Telescopes (XST) with missions planned in LEO and cislunar regions. Xplore has a Memorandum of Understanding with Accion Systems to host the TILE ion thruster on XLEO and has collaborated with W. M. Keck Observatory to accelerate XST timelines. Financially, Xplore announced a $2M contract award from National Security Innovation Capital (NSIC) within the Defense Innovation Unit to accelerate Xcraft development. The company operates from a 22,000 square foot campus in Redmond, Wash., and is recruiting space professionals for its flight programs.

Participated · Seed · Jan 2022

Radian Aerospace is developing Radian One, a fully reusable horizontal takeoff-and-landing, single-stage-to-orbit spaceplane designed to carry people and light cargo to low Earth orbit with aircraft-like operations. The company emphasizes rapid turnaround—fly, perform a mission, return, refuel, and fly again—to enable high-cadence missions and capabilities not possible with traditional vertical rockets. Radian’s winged configuration targets mission types such as research, in-space manufacturing, terrestrial observation, and rapid global delivery. The company says it is leveraging mature enabling technologies and recent advances in materials science, miniaturization, and manufacturing to make the design feasible. Radian emerged from stealth with $27.5 million in seed funding to advance development of Radian One and has launch service agreements with commercial space stations, in-space manufacturers, satellite and cargo companies, as well as agreements with the U.S. government and selected foreign governments. Founded in 2016 and based in Renton, Washington, Radian intends to mature its core technologies toward aircraft-like flight cadence and lower per-mission costs.

Participated · Series A · May 2021

EnergyX, founded by Teague Egan in 2018, develops advanced lithium production and critical mineral supply chain infrastructure. The company deploys its GET-Lit™ Direct Lithium Extraction technology platform, which it states is supported by over 150 patents. EnergyX is leading Project Black Giant™ in Antofagasta, Chile, which is planned to produce 52,500 tpa of lithium carbonate across two phases and may be expanded through additional phases. In July 2026 EnergyX announced a $225 million strategic equity investment from Eni into Project Black Giant™ and has a $690 million debt financing LOI from the U.S. EXIM Bank for commercialization and operation. Eni’s investment includes offtake rights with an option to lift 25% of the project’s lithium materials. The company is associated with operations or offices in Santiago, Chile and Austin, Texas.

Participated · Seed · May 2021

Cosmic Shielding is an Atlanta-based space technology company whose technologies aim to enable the use of high-performance electronics in orbit and to support safe travel for astronauts. The articles refer to the company as Cosmic Shielding Corporation and describe its goal of enabling a long-term human presence on the moon and beyond. The company closed a $1 million pre-seed capital raise. The round was led by SpaceFund with participation from WorldQuant Ventures, Helios Capital, Starbridge Venture Capital, Batshit Crazy Ventures, and Space.VC. The financing is described as a pre-seed capital raise; the articles do not detail other instrument types or operating metrics.