Starburst Ventures

Aerix Systems specializes in the manufacture of advanced drones. Their products are distinguished by their ability to navigate in any direction and orientation, pushing the boundaries of traditional flight capabilities. These drones are designed to withstand harsh weather conditions and can achieve high speeds, making them suitable for diverse applications in civil, military, and naval sectors. They excel in complex environments like mountains or at sea, offering enhanced safety and the ability to perform both passive and active missions.

Atomic-6 is an advanced manufacturing startup established in 2018 and located in Atlanta, Georgia. The company focuses on the development and mass production of next-generation composite products, particularly carbon fiber materials, tailored for the aerospace, military, and logistics industries. In addition to its manufacturing capabilities, Atomic-6 provides engineering consultancy services, assisting organizations in the space and aerospace sectors to integrate advanced composite solutions into their operations. Through its innovative approach, Atomic-6 aims to enhance the efficiency and performance of critical applications within these high-demand industries.

Canopy Aerospace is a specialized producer of thermal protection systems, primarily focusing on heat shields for the emerging space and hypersonic industries. The company employs advanced manufacturing techniques, utilizing robotics and additive manufacturing to develop advanced materials, particularly in ceramics and composites. By integrating software into their manufacturing processes, Canopy Aerospace enhances optimization and efficiency, facilitating the rapid production of critical components. This innovative approach allows vehicle manufacturers across various sectors—including hypersonics, space launch, propulsion, medical, semiconductors, automotive, and power generation—to make informed decisions during the design phase, thereby improving mission capabilities in challenging environments and minimizing costly last-minute revisions.

Exosonic is an early-stage aerospace start-up based in Los Angeles, California, focused on developing supersonic unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to enhance adversary air training missions for both commercial and government clients. Founded in 2019, the company aims to evolve these supersonic UAVs into collaborative combat aircraft, with aspirations to create quiet supersonic airliners informed by the insights and revenues generated from its UAV endeavors. Exosonic has secured over $4.5 million in private capital and over $2 million in funding from AFWERX. The company's team of 15 full-time employees is currently working on a subscale flight test vehicle designed to showcase autonomous capabilities and explore crewed-uncrewed cooperation, with the first flight anticipated in the second quarter of 2023.

F-drones is a developer and manufacturer of innovative transition drones specifically designed for aerial deliveries to ships and offshore platforms. Their drones combine heavy payload and long-range capabilities, enabling them to take off vertically, fly like fixed-wing aircraft, and land on moving targets. This unique design aims to revolutionize logistics in the shipping industry by significantly reducing costs, time, manpower, and carbon emissions. F-drones aspires to set new safety and reliability standards in aviation-grade drone technology, positioning itself as a leader in heavy payload drone logistics across various industries within five years.

Archangel Lightworks is a laser communications company specializing in the development of secure, wireless technology aimed at addressing the challenges of space-ground connectivity. The company focuses on creating innovative laser transmission systems that facilitate efficient communication within the aerospace sector. Its product offerings include space terminals designed for satellites, air terminals for drones and manned aircraft, and ground communications terminals. By providing these advanced solutions, Archangel Lightworks enables resilient connectivity that overcomes the limitations of traditional radio communications, which are often bandwidth-constrained and less secure.

ResilienX is a software development company focused on enhancing the resilience and efficiency of autonomous ecosystems. Their software platform is designed to monitor the health, integrity, and performance of complex systems, particularly in the realm of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations. By providing comprehensive oversight of safety-critical systems, ResilienX helps organizations, including federal, state, and commercial entities, manage and mitigate off-nominal situations effectively. Their technology also aids in automated contingency management, ultimately reducing maintenance costs and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, such as those set by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Optimized Electrotech specializes in the development of advanced electro-optic surveillance systems tailored for strategic and commercial clients. Their products are designed to recognize individuals from considerable distances and can automatically match detected images with alert databases. These surveillance systems are engineered to operate effectively in challenging atmospheric conditions, utilizing longer wavelengths to penetrate fog, smoke, and other obstructions. Optimized Electrotech's technology is employed in various applications, including perimeter security and airport safety, providing essential monitoring capabilities for businesses and government entities involved in homeland security and defense intelligence. The company is currently in the process of raising funds to initiate commercial production of its sophisticated surveillance solutions.

Atomic-6 is an advanced manufacturing startup established in 2018 and located in Atlanta, Georgia. The company focuses on the development and mass production of next-generation composite products, particularly carbon fiber materials, tailored for the aerospace, military, and logistics industries. In addition to its manufacturing capabilities, Atomic-6 provides engineering consultancy services, assisting organizations in the space and aerospace sectors to integrate advanced composite solutions into their operations. Through its innovative approach, Atomic-6 aims to enhance the efficiency and performance of critical applications within these high-demand industries.

Limatech is a manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries specifically designed for the aviation sector, with applications in space and defense. The company produces batteries suitable for various types of aircraft, including ultralight and light-sport airplanes, helicopters, and drones, as well as marine and land applications. Limatech's batteries are utilized for starting piston and turbine engines, employing proprietary technology to enhance safety, reliability, and longevity. This innovative approach provides the aeronautics and defense industries with advanced energy storage solutions that surpass traditional lead and nickel-cadmium battery technologies.

Polyverse Corporation, established in 2012 and based in Bellevue, Washington, specializes in advanced cybersecurity solutions designed to protect companies from large-scale data breaches. The company's core product is its Polymorphing technology, which safeguards systems even on unpatched or legacy software. Polyverse offers solutions such as Polymorphing-Linux for Linux OS protection against memory-based vulnerabilities, Polymorphic Build Farm for Open Source to control the software supply chain, and Polyscripting for PHP and WordPress security against code-injection attacks. Serving industries like DoD, finance, government, and healthcare, Polyverse aims to provide robust cybersecurity without impacting system performance or functionality.

Skyways is a Texas-based company that specializes in the development and construction of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones aimed at enhancing military logistics. Founded in 2017 and backed by Y Combinator, Skyways focuses on creating autonomous delivery drones capable of carrying payloads of up to 45 pounds. These drones are designed to facilitate the safe transport of goods, minimizing risks to personnel during operations. With an emphasis on software innovation, Skyways aims to achieve full autonomy and large-scale fleet operations, starting with cargo transportation and eventually expanding into personal air transportation services. The company's core mission is to revolutionize transportation and logistics while ensuring the safety and efficiency of military supply chains.

Cluster Technologies, Inc., established in 2018 and based in Culver City, California, operates a platform that specializes in staffing and workforce management solutions. The company connects qualified candidates, including various types of mechanical and electrical engineers, with full-time roles in industries such as aviation, aerospace, defense, automotive, electric vehicles, and consumer electronics. Cluster's platform matches companies with vetted, ready-to-interview candidates from top original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers, at no cost to the talent.

C4 Systems Inc., headquartered in Israel, specializes in developing airborne systems that integrate mission-critical information into a unified platform. This system provides real-time situational awareness for all participating units, enhancing decision-making capabilities for aerial and ground forces in homeland security and paramilitary domains.

Deepwave Digital, Inc. specializes in manufacturing artificial intelligence-based hardware and software sensor solutions tailored for radio frequency (RF) and wireless system applications. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the company provides integrated solutions that facilitate the incorporation of AI into RF systems. Their flagship product, the Artificial Intelligence Radio Transceiver (AIR-T), is a software-defined radio, complemented by software offerings such as AirPack, AirStack Sandbox, and Spectrum Sensing. These products enable RF and wireless systems to effectively receive, detect, and identify signals within the spectral environment. By positioning the AI computation engine at the signal edge of the RF system, Deepwave Digital aims to minimize network bandwidth, reduce latency, and lessen the reliance on human-driven analysis, thereby delivering cost-effective, high-performance computing solutions to both commercial and defense sectors. The team comprises RF industry experts with extensive experience in digital signal processing.

Sightec specializes in developing visual intelligence technologies for autonomous flights, utilizing advanced computer vision and artificial intelligence. The company offers a comprehensive suite of products designed to provide camera-based visual situation awareness at all times, including capabilities for navigation, object detection, and 3D change detection, all without reliance on GPS. Its flagship product, NavSight, is a GPS-free visual aerial navigation system that processes drone camera feeds—both RGB and thermal—to deliver visual positioning in GPS-denied environments. Sightec serves a diverse clientele, including governments, original equipment manufacturers, integrators, and service providers across various unmanned aerial system applications such as aerospace, public safety, security, inspection, and delivery. The company's vision is to enhance the autonomous flights market by offering an affordable and lightweight solution for visual situation awareness, aiming to ultimately reduce the need for human pilots.

Ravyn Technology Corporation, established in 2019 and headquartered in Mountain View, California, specializes in aerospace and defense engineering services. The company caters to the needs of the U.S. government, offering a range of products including solid-fuel and cruise missiles, artillery, precision-guided munitions, and related subsystems. Ravyn's focus is on providing rapid prototype, fieldable weapon systems to government organizations.

RED 6 INC. is a company that specializes in outdoor augmented reality solutions specifically designed for air combat training. Founded in 2017 and based in Santa Monica, California, RED 6 has developed the Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS), which allows pilots and ground operators to visualize synthetic threats in real-time during high-speed outdoor environments. This innovative platform integrates augmented reality technology into military training, enabling real pilots in actual aircraft to engage with computer-generated enemies effectively. By utilizing an augmented reality visor, an AI-driven multiplayer network, and biometric feedback loops, RED 6 enhances training experiences, thereby improving readiness and operational capabilities for military applications. The company's technology is not only pivotal for defense but also has potential applications across various industries, including entertainment, sports, and medicine.

WhiteFox Defense Technologies, Inc. is a counter-drone airspace defense company focused on developing solutions to manage drones in sensitive airspace globally. Established in 2015 and headquartered in San Luis Obispo, California, the company offers a range of products including DroneFox, a software designed for automatic detection and mitigation of drone threats, and Scorpion, a technology that identifies and neutralizes drone threats for mobile units. Additionally, WhiteFox provides WISDM, a system that ensures trust and authentication of drones for various UTM systems, available as both a physical attachment and a software protocol. The company's clientele spans critical infrastructure protection, homeland security, public safety, and defense sectors, reflecting its commitment to enhancing airspace security.

Internest is a developer of advanced positioning systems specifically tailored for rotating winged vehicles, such as drones and helicopters. The company designs a local landing system that integrates both firmware and hardware to deliver precise and reliable positioning information, regardless of visibility, weather, or environmental conditions. This technology is particularly beneficial for security, military, and maritime sectors, enhancing operational safety and efficacy during critical missions. By focusing on robust positioning solutions, Internest aims to improve the safety and effectiveness of aerial operations.

Optisys is a manufacturer specializing in RF design and metal additive manufacturing, focusing on the production of 3D printed antenna products for aerospace and defense applications. The company emphasizes creating integrated antenna and radar products that optimize size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C), thus enhancing overall system performance. By employing innovative design processes and advanced metal additive manufacturing techniques, Optisys allows clients to maintain control over the design and manufacturing process, ensuring high product performance and consistency.

Preligens is a technology company that specializes in artificial intelligence-driven solutions aimed at enhancing operational decision-making in defense and intelligence sectors. The company focuses on automating the analysis of geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) workflows, employing advanced machine learning and computer vision techniques. By aggregating information from various multi-intelligence sources such as imagery, electromagnetic signals, and open-source data, Preligens provides its clients with strategic insights into mission-critical areas. This capability enables intelligence agencies to make informed decisions quickly and anticipate potential threats, ultimately contributing to a safer world.