Space Kinetic co-founders Ryan Sullivan, left, and Scott Ziegler. Courtesy photo

LANL News:

• Originating from a garage-built prototype and with a springboard from NM LEEP at Los Alamos National Laboratory, the company is now a venture-backed deep tech leader redefining what’s possible in national security innovation.

Space Kinetic, a startup founded in 2022 by UC Berkeley alumni Scott Ziegler, M.Eng, Principal Inventor, and New Mexico Lab-Embedded Entrepreneur Program (NM LEEP) fellow, and Ryan Sullivan, MBA, U.S. Peace Corps participant, just secured investment from CerraCap Ventures to accelerate its revolutionary propellant-free electromechanical payload deployment system.

Space Kinetic has raised $12M+ to build a new paradigm for space superiority and missile defense.  

This breakthrough technology — born in part through Ziegler’s NM LEEP fellowship at Los Alamos National Laboratory — is a major step forward for both space superiority and missile defense innovation. It demonstrates how New Mexico’s unique programs and research infrastructure are fueling deep-tech ventures with global impact.

CerraCap Ventures is a leading early-stage venture capital firm backing breakthrough frontier technologies worldwide. This deal with Space Kinetic marks a pivotal step in CerraCap’s mission to accelerate cutting-edge solutions in space defense and strengthen America’s strategic advantage in an increasingly contested environment.

Founded in 2022 by Ziegler and Sullivan, Space Kinetic is focused on enabling a new paradigm for space operations – one that unlocks game-changing capabilities across the space superiority and missile defense mission areas. Originating from a garage-built prototype and with a springboard from NM LEEP at Los Alamos National Laboratory, the company is now a venture-backed deep tech leader redefining what’s possible in national security innovation.

Space Kinetic’s core innovation is a patented, propellant-free electromechanical system that deploys a diverse range of smaller payloads at high velocities from a host satellite without firing a thruster. These deployable payloads can be customized to support a broad range of priorities across the space superiority and missile defense mission areas. With this innovation, Space Kinetic’s vision is to bring the economic and operational benefits demonstrated by proliferated drone technology on Earth to the space domain.

CerraCap Ventures Operating Partner Abhi Mukherjee said, “Through our partnership with the leadership at LANL and NM LEEP, I had the privilege of working closely with Scott and Ryan as their SLC Advisor during their Cohort 2 Fellowship. Space Kinetic emerged as a compelling investment in the multi-billion-dollar space superiority and missile defense mission markets – an arena shaped by rising geopolitical tensions and the urgent need for scalable defense architectures. At CerraCap, we pride ourselves on a disciplined investment approach, and Space Kinetic marks our fifth portfolio company with roots in the Land of Enchantment. In a sector where innovation is the first and last line of defense, Space Kinetic stands out for its technical depth and market potential. We’re excited to join the Space Kinetic team on their journey towards becoming a unicorn while building scalable systems that support our nation’s most urgent security priorities.”

“As a nation, we have a clear imperative to build a new kind of space architecture that enables true space superiority and robust missile defense,” Sullivan said. “Space Kinetic is committed to supporting this architecture. We have partnered with Abhi and the CerraCap team since our first day in the NM LEEP Program, and they have shown a deep commitment both to the national security tech ecosystem and to building on New Mexico’s legacy of innovation. As we work to deliver an asymmetric solution for U.S. space superiority and missile defense, we’re thrilled to deepen our relationship with CerraCap.”

Senior Director Duncan McBranch of LANL’s Partnerships and Pipeline Office said, “This investment underscores the strength of NM LEEP and the value of our deep tech venture partner network. Space Kinetic is proving how collaboration with Los Alamos experts can accelerate the path to market for commercial space companies tied to national security. CerraCap has been a vital partner as Space Kinetic has refined its technology.”

The investment comes amid surging global demand for scalable, cost-effective space security solutions, driven by escalating geopolitical tensions and the proliferation of adversary satellites. CerraCap’s partnership with Space Kinetic reinforces its track record of scaling mission-critical, dual-use technologies while positioning both organizations at the forefront of the next frontier in space superiority and mission defense innovation.

About CerraCap Ventures

CerraCap Ventures , a Southern California based early-stage venture capital firm, is dedicated to B2B enterprise-grade technology investments focused on the new fundamentals of digital innovation that are aligned to its core thesis of Healthier, Secure Planet. CerraCap Ventures enables rapid growth of startups by leveraging its distinctive Sales & Scale™ Business Model and driving revenue from large enterprises into its portfolio companies. For more information about CerraCap Ventures, visit www.cerracap.com.

About Space Kinetic

Space Kinetic Corp., founded in 2022, is a venture-backed startup focused on dual use space technology development to deliver asymmetric space-based capabilities and support key national security priorities. In a contested space domain and proliferated threat environment, there is a need for architectures that move beyond ‘one-to-one’ and enable ‘one-to-many’. Space Kinetic is committed to building that new architecture. For more information about Space Kinetic Corp., visit www.spacekinetic.com.