Techstars launches aerospace accelerator

BOULDER and LOS ANGELES — Techstars is launching a joint accelerator for entrepreneurs in aerospace.

The program is in conjunction with Starburst, a global aerospace accelerator and an innovation catalyst for the industry.

The Techstars Starburst Space Accelerator will be based in Los Angeles and will focus on the next generation of space-technology companies. It will be headed by Matt Kozlov, who previously led the Cedars Sinai accelerator in L.A. Van Espahbodi, co-founder and managing director of Starburst, will advise Kozlov and the program.

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The new mentorship-driven accelerator has a formal partnership with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Lockheed Martin, Maxar Technologies, SAIC, Israel Aerospace Industries and the U.S. Air Force, with support from The Aerospace Corp.

“The space industry is massively exciting but also quite complex,” Matt Kozlov, managing director of the Techstars Starburst Space Accelerator, said in a prepared statement. “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.”

The announcement for the accelerator comes at a time when the aerospace industry is going through technological breakthroughs such as reusable rockets, 3D printed materials and miniaturization of satellites. New business models will be a focus for the accelerator, and the consortium will be looking to work with startups with a use case for new space and related technologies in fields such as energy, communications, robotics and autonomy.

“The list of incredible companies just keeps growing,” Van Espahbodi, co-founder and managing director of Starburst, said in a statement. “The broader aerospace industry has finally embraced the notion of ‘open innovation’ 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.”

Applications for the accelerator are now open. The program will kick off in July.