Aviataix is not a passive capital allocator. Our value to founders is access — to DoD program offices, prime contractor networks, and government contracting expertise unavailable through most investment channels.
Autonomous systems and unmanned platforms. Defense autonomy, command and control, ISR. Hypersonic propulsion and munitions. Precision manufacturing for aerospace. Space systems and configurable satellite buses. Software supply-chain security for DoD environments. We invest sector-focused — we do not write checks into consumer, fintech, or enterprise SaaS.
Seed through Series A. Occasionally Series B for companies in Fund I's portfolio exercising follow-on rights. Initial check sizes range from approximately $6M at seed to $41M for lead Series A positions. We lead rounds — we do not write small-check follow-on positions into rounds led by others.
No geographic restrictions. Portfolio companies are headquartered across the US, with a natural concentration in the Mid-Atlantic defense corridor (Virginia, Maryland, DC), California (Los Angeles, San Diego), Texas, and Colorado. We invest wherever the technology is, not where the capital is.
Fund I ($35M, closed September 2018) is fully deployed. Fund II ($60M, closed November 2022) is actively deploying. We are not currently raising a third fund. If you are an LP interested in future vehicles, reach us at [email protected].
Defense technology companies fail for predictable reasons: founders who understand the technology but not the procurement cycle, or founders who understand government contracting but have built in the wrong technical direction. We evaluate both axes rigorously.
Founders with first-person experience inside the DoD, prime contractor, or national lab system — not founders who have studied it from the outside.
Proprietary technical advances with defensible IP. We are not interested in systems integrators or government IT services — we invest in companies building technology that would require significant R&D to replicate.
A credible roadmap from prototype to DoD program of record or prime contractor supply chain. SBIR/STTR traction, OTA agreements, and existing program relationships are strong signals.
The largest outcomes in this sector often come from companies whose technology finds commercial applications alongside the defense mission. We look for genuine dual-use markets, not forced civilian pivots.
We do not hold open office hours or accept cold inbound through a web form. Our deal flow comes from direct outreach to founders we have tracked, referrals from our portfolio company CEOs and the defense-sector network we have built over three decades, and co-investment relationships with other defense-focused VCs and CVC arms of defense primes.
Our due-diligence process is technical-first. Ravi Khanna leads technical assessment for autonomous systems and robotics investments. Maria Esposito leads hardware and advanced manufacturing assessments. Colonel Whitfield leads operational and government-alignment assessments. All three partners participate in investment committee review.
We make initial decisions quickly — usually within four weeks of first meeting for investments that fit our mandate — and we move to term sheet without extensive committee escalation. We take board seats at initial investment and stay through exit, whether that is a strategic acquisition, secondary, or public offering.
For investment inquiries, LP discussions, or general correspondence. We respond to every email that comes from someone building in our sectors.
Phone
Address
1775 Tysons Boulevard, Suite 800
Tysons, VA 22102