Field of View (FOV) - March 2026

Early-Stage Aerospace & Defense Newsletter.

Author

Approach Venture
March 31, 2026

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Comprised of experienced startup operators and former military, Approach Venture was formed to enable founding teams building the future of frontier technology to achieve their full potential.

Approach supports frontier technology startups across fundraise, business development, proposal writing and recruiting efforts as well as larger organizations with technology scouting, due diligence, market intelligence and formulating investment theses.

CONTACT APPROACH to learn more. Follow us on LINKEDIN.

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FINANCIAL MODELING

In addition to business development, proposal writing and recruiting efforts, Approach also supports founders in building first-ever financial operating models (or revamping current).

For startup founders seeking financial granularity to scale with confidence, Approach partners with founders to develop comprehensive financial operating models that inform strategic decisions, forecast performance and support investor as well as Board communications.

CONTACT APPROACH to learn more.

COMMERCIAL COMPANIES EXPANDING USE CASE TO MEET DEFENSE NEEDS.

A growing number of startups are transitioning their commercial technologies to meet aerospace and defense applications driven by demand for scalable, cost-effective solutions, and rapid deployment timelines. Rather than building defense-first products from the start, these companies are repurposing mature commercial capabilities to address mission-critical use cases with reduced technical risk and accelerated timelines to field in support of the warfighter. This opening of customer-base aperture is particularly evident in sensing, autonomy, and data processing, where technologies originally developed for commercial markets are now being adapted for unmanned systems, battlefield awareness, and force protection. Prior commercial development and sales often enables rapid advancement in defense environments by reducing the need for early-stage R&D and acceleration of technology readiness (flight heritage box is already checked).

Increased demand for attritable, mass-deployable systems and funding pathways incentivize dual-use innovation. Drone and counter-drone technologies are a primary area of focus, with startups applying capabilities in computer vision, sensor fusion, and edge processing to detection, tracking, and classification of aerial threats. Relatedly, commercially-focused manufacturing shops are also receiving inbound requests from aerospace and defense buyers who are seeking reliable manufacturing partners for rapid prototyping and low-rate production experience to meet demand.

LIMITED ELECTRIC PROPULSION OPTIONS FOR U.S. SPACECRAFT OPERATORS.

Recent consolidation across the spacecraft electric propulsion market is reshaping supplier dynamics, highlighted by two of the industry’s leading providers (ExoTerra and Orbion) being acquired by Voyager Technologies and York Space Systems, respectively. Propulsion is often the longest lead item for spacecraft operators and bringing this capability in-house can help operators bring delivery timing to customers to the left. Relatedly, Muon Space recently acquired Starlight Engines to vertically integrate propulsion and Phase Four has effectively split into two across their propulsive roadmap and talent base between Apex Space and Quantum Space.

For the Space Development Agency and its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, this consolidation is particularly consequential given ExoTerra and Orbion are supporting the majority of their satellite providers across Tranche efforts. With fewer independent, US-based electric propulsion suppliers, spacecraft operators face reduced optionality and potential bottlenecks in subsystem procurement that directly impacts their ability to net new contracts (proposing a mission to government customers with non-flown propulsion introduces risk). Remember when RTX blocked Lockheed’s acquisition of Aerojet before L3Harris later acquired the Company? We expect to see Busek go next… Propulsion and propellant tanks continue to be the two most difficult aspects of spacecraft supply chain.

CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION DRIVES BETTER STARTUP HIRING OUTCOMES.

Early-stage teams can underestimate the impact of communication on hiring outcomes. Many candidates are coming from more structured environments where timelines, ownership, and updates are defined. At a startup, gaps in communication are often interpreted as a lack of interest or internal misalignment, even when that’s not the case. Consistent, proactive communication, including setting expectations, providing updates, and outlining next steps, has become a differentiator. Candidates are evaluating how the founder and the company operate.

Once strong talent is identified, process execution should become the priority. Unclear interview steps, inconsistent messaging, and unprepared interviewers are where things break down. Candidates are forming opinions throughout the entire process, not just at the offer stage. This is especially true when it comes to compensation and equity, where many candidates lack context and may discount the opportunity if it is not clearly explained. In many cases, it comes down to a lack of understanding around how pre-seed and seed-stage compensation and upside translate over time.

Losing a candidate late in the process resets the search and forces teams to rebuild pipeline and momentum. That risk does not stop once an offer is accepted. Consistent follow-up is important to ensure notice conversations are handled properly, start date details are clear, and there is some level of pre-start collaboration to keep candidates engaged. In tight, highly networked industries, candidate experience compounds over time. The teams that consistently close strong talent are not necessarily the fastest or highest paying, but the ones that operate with clarity, consistency, and intent from first touch through first day.

FEATURED JOB OPENINGS.

PHOTONIC INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DESIGNER: Optical hardware startup building next-generation photonic systems for high-speed data and scalable optical infrastructure. This role focuses on designing and validating core photonic components, including modulators, waveguides, and filters across silicon photonics and related platforms. You will work across simulation, lab testing, and system integration to bring designs from concept into production-ready hardware.

Location: Los Angeles, CA (on-site)

FOUNDING HEAD OF PROPULSION: Space-defense startup building space-based interceptor systems designed to counter hypersonic and ballistic threats. This role owns the chemical propulsion architecture, leading design and testing of high-energy propulsion systems that enable rapid response and precise maneuvering. You will take propulsion from first principles through hardware validation, working across combustion and high-pressure systems. It is a high-ownership opportunity to define and build the propulsion function while shaping a mission-critical platform.

Location: Los Angeles, CA (on-site)

SENIOR FLIGHT SOFTWARE ENGINEER: Space mobility startup developing next-generation spacecraft platforms for high-energy missions. This role owns the development of core flight software systems, including guidance, control, command and telemetry, and fault management. You will design, implement, and test real-time embedded software while working closely with avionics and hardware teams to ensure reliable on-orbit performance. It is a high-ownership opportunity to build flight-critical systems from early development through mission deployment.

Location: El Segundo, CA (on-site)

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: Hardware startup developing high-performance electro-optical systems where electrical design drives system performance and production readiness. This role supports high-speed PCB design, board bring-up, and lab validation while contributing to test infrastructure used in prototyping and manufacturing. You will work closely with experienced engineers across the full hardware lifecycle.

Location: Los Angeles, CA (on-site)

LEAD MECHATRONICS ENGINEER: Defense robotics startup developing autonomous systems designed to operate in high-speed, high-stakes environments where precision and reliability are critical. This role owns the integration of mechanical systems, electronics, and real-time control, translating software commands into precise physical motion. You will define actuator and motor systems, develop and tune control loops, and troubleshoot complex hardware-software interactions across the platform. It is a high-ownership opportunity to lead motion system development and ensure robotic performance from prototype through deployment.

Location: Austin, TX (on-site)

GNC ENGINEER: Space infrastructure startup advancing autonomous spacecraft platforms designed to assemble and operate complex structures in orbit. This role strengthens the GNC foundation across flight programs, refining algorithms, expanding high-fidelity simulations, and integrating GNC tightly with hardware and flight software systems. You will directly contribute to mission readiness by improving control robustness, advancing dynamic modeling, and supporting hardware-in-the-loop validation as systems transition from early development to operational deployment.

Location: Denver, CO (on-site)

TURBOMACHINERY ENGINEER: Energy startup building next-generation sCO₂ turbine systems designed to unlock higher efficiency and power density. This role leads the design and development of rotating machinery from first principles, owning aerodynamic, structural, and thermal performance from concept through hardware validation. You will work across analysis, design, and testing to bring clean-sheet turbomachinery systems into real-world operation. It is a high-ownership opportunity to shape both the core product and engineering foundation from day one.

Location: Los Angeles, CA (on-site)

LEAD CNC PROGRAMMER: High-growth defense manufacturing startup is scaling a proprietary composite production platform that enables faster, stronger, and more cost-effective hardware for mission-critical applications. This role leads day-to-day CNC machining operations, owning programming, setup, optimization, and quality execution for both prototype and early-production builds. You will play a direct role in producing precision tooling and hardware that supports advanced aerospace and defense systems, while helping establish the machining standards that define the shop’s long-term performance.

Location: Los Angeles, CA (on-site)

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING LEAD: Aerospace startup scaling next-generation unmanned aircraft systems designed for both government and commercial missions. This role owns the transition from design to production, ensuring aircraft structures and systems can be built reliably at scale. You will lead design for manufacturability, define assembly processes, and build production systems that move hardware from prototype into repeatable manufacturing. It is a high-impact opportunity to shape how advanced aircraft are produced while working across engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams.

Location: Fort Worth, TX (on-site)

SENIOR ROBOTICS AUTONOMY ENGINEER: Defense robotics startup building autonomous counter-UAS systems designed to detect, track, and respond to aerial threats in real time. This role leads the development of the autonomy stack, spanning perception, sensor fusion, decision logic, and real-time control. You will design and deploy AI models, build multi-sensor pipelines, and translate perception into actionable system behavior on embedded hardware. It is a high-ownership opportunity to take autonomy systems from development through field deployment in mission-critical environments.

Location: Austin, TX (on-site)

VP OF ENGINEERING: Space startup building next-generation spacecraft platforms designed for demanding orbital missions. This role leads the full engineering organization, owning system architecture and execution across avionics, flight software, guidance, and embedded systems. You will define technical strategy, guide major design decisions, and drive development from early architecture through flight readiness. It is a high-impact opportunity to build and scale an engineering team while shaping a new spacecraft platform from the ground up.

Location: Los Angeles, CA (on-site)

TRACKED SOLICITATIONS

Following near-unanimous congressional support, reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is expected to reopen soon. This is now pending POTUS approval.

ACTIVE.

UPCOMING.

  • 23 SBIR 2025.4 / 1 STTR 2025.D solicitations once SBIR Reauthorization occurs

  • The next Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT) window set to release August 2026

VENTURE UPDATE

OVERMATCH ANNOUNCES $250 MILLION FUND II.

OVERMATCH VENTURES recently announced a $250 million Fund II, marking a significant scale-up from its $70 million debut fund raised in 2024. The firm remains focused on backing early-stage companies across deep tech, defense, and space, with an emphasis on technologies critical to national security and global competition.

The raise reflects strong early performance from Fund I and growing investor appetite for defense-tech venture strategies tied to emerging geopolitical and technological competition. The team also recently onboarded a new General Partner following time at Venrock.

ALPHA DELTA INVESTMENT ANNOUNCEMENT.

ALPHA DELTA VENTURES (or “ADV”) announces investment in PURPLE RHOMBUS, a team who is building the next generation of low-cost, attritable UAS for national security missions.

Purple Rhombus is focused on delivering what the US and our allies desperately need: affordable mass at industrial scale, designing unmanned aircraft engineered for high-rate production and rapid deployment.

With ~10 employees, Purple Rhombus has already demonstrated meaningful traction, including an AFWERX SBIR Phase III (yes, 3) contract to deliver Group 2 attritable UAS to support our warfighters. We are proud to join the Cap Table alongside strong existing investors including ANORAK VENTURES and MANA VENTURES.

FOUNDER TIP

RE-ENGAGE WITH YOUR CHAMPIONS.

With SBIR Reauthorization set to occur soon, it is important to keep your respective government champions warm with substantive updates on your technical and business progress since your last discussion.

Link to Last Month’s Newsletter HERE.