With the help of NASAâ??s Jet Propulsion Lab, the U.S. Air Force,
Lockheed Martin, <span class="crunchbase-tooltip-indicator"/> Maxar Technologies, SAIC and the Israel
Aerospace Industries company,
Techstars <span class="crunchbase-tooltip-indicator"/> and
Starburst Aerospace are
launching an
accelerator focused on the
space industry in Los Angeles.
Already a major hub for the
space and
Aerospace startup industry, with companies like
SpaceX, <span class="crunchbase-tooltip-indicator"/> Relativity Space, Virgin Orbit,
Rocket Lab, <span class="crunchbase-tooltip-indicator"/> Phase Four, and others calling Los Angeles home, the new
accelerator will provide another booster for LAâ??s growing startup scene.
The new
Aerospace program, called the
Techstars Starburst space Accelerator, will be managed by longtime
Techstars managing director, Matt Kozlov, who previously helmed Techstarsâ?? efforts at its health-focused
accelerator done in partnership with Cedars Sinai.
Van Espahbodi, the co-founder and managing director of
Starburst Aerospace, a multinational
Aerospace investor and consultant, will be advising Kozlov on the program and bringing his firmâ??s expertise with government partners to the table.
Corporate sponsors for this program include, NASAâ??s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Lockheed Martin, Maxar Technologies, SAIC and Israel
Aerospace Industries, and the U.S. Air Force.
Investments in
space and
Aerospace technologies are picking up, thanks in part to estimates like the one from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, which put the size of the
space economy
at roughly $3 trillion by 2045.
Even if those estimates are overblown, investor have already backed companies developing reusable rockets, 3D printing technologies, advanced materials, miniature satellites and other space-related technologies to the tune of
at least $2.3 billion over the last year.
â??The
space industry is both massively exciting but also quite complex,â?* said Matt Kozlov, managing director of the
Techstars Starburst space accelerator program, in a statement. â??We are bringing together vital
industry leaders, both public and private, who will help entrepreneurs navigate the
industry and provide unprecedented commercial support and mentorship. We will help founders achieve two years of commercial traction in three months. Given the pedigree of our sponsors, I expect this program will very quickly become a vital resource for entrepreneurs building frontier tech.â?*
Applications for the
accelerator are open today and the program will begin in July. Andآ*startup companies looking to connect with program staff prior to applying, or get feedback on their companies â?? are welcome to request
Office Hours.
â??The list of incredible companies just keeps growing,â?* said Espahbodi, the co-founder and managing director of Starburst, in a statement. â??The broader
Aerospace industry has finally embraced the notion of â??open innovationâ?? by partnering with entrepreneurs to co-develop products, with a compelling business plan to match.
Starburst is excited to advise
the program to ensure early-stage businesses have the appropriate tools to compete in this emerging marketplace.â?*
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