Nick Narodny

Defense aviation is entering a new chapter, one where AI flies alongside, and eventually instead of, human pilots. Harpoon portfolio company Merlin has signed an agreement to go public via an Inflection Point–led SPAC at an $800M pre-money valuation, paired with $125M+ in committed capital. It’s fuel for a mission years in the making: certifying autonomy with the FAA, fielding it with USSOCOM on the C-130J, and integrating on the KC-135, aircraft that form the backbone of U.S. and allied airpower. A big step toward making autonomy a standard capability in military and cargo aviation. Congrats to Matt George and the entire Merlin team! Link to the release in the comments.

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🚀 Turning Space Ambition into Venture-Ready Companies I’m thrilled to see Seraphim Space partner with Space Florida to launch the #SpaceTech Investor Readiness Program, an initiative designed to help high-potential SpaceTech founders transition from breakthrough innovation to scalable, investable businesses. Florida’s space ecosystem combines deep heritage, world-class infrastructure, and ambitious founders. By bringing together Seraphim’s global investor network and SpaceTech investment expertise with Space Florida’s ecosystem leadership, this program focuses on a pivotal moment for founders: connecting the right companies with the right capital at the right time. The pilot program brings experienced investors together with seven standout Florida-based SpaceTech companies, while also engaging local investors to deepen understanding of the opportunities emerging from the state. Seraphim are delighted to support: Aloft Biotechnologies AMROK Arachnid Systems BlackStar Orbital Eta Space Micro-gRx X-Lumin At Seraphim, we’ve always believed that SpaceTech ecosystems thrive when investor readiness, global connectivity, and strong local leadership come together. Florida is a powerful example of what’s possible and it’s exciting to see the momentum building. 🚀 The journey is just beginning... Reach out to our team if you'd like to find out more: Alexander Holt, Ellie Gyaurova, Alessandro Braglia, Aida Khalil. Isabella Simmonds Read the full release here: https://lnkd.in/ewXSXx8w #SpaceTech #VentureReady #NewSpace #Aerospace #Investing #GlobalCapital #Startups #SeraphimSpace #SpaceFlorida

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🚀 We’re thrilled to announce our investment in Samara Aerospace’s $10 million Seed round to help bring more stability to satellites in orbit and enable high-sensitivity radio frequency (RF) detection for defense (e.g. hypersonic missiles) and commercial (e.g. vessels) applications.  The round was led by Balerion Space Ventures, with participation from IllinoisVentures GP LLC, MFV Partners, and Access Holdings Samara’s vision: Samara is building a new generation of high-stability satellites, called Hummingbirds, designed to detect the faintest RF emissions from Earth and its atmosphere. The problem: Modern satellites are optimized for cost and speed, at the expense of: ⚠️ Signal instability reducing data quality and reliability ⚠️ Limited ability to detect aircraft radar, ship transponders, and advanced weather systems ⚠️ Inefficiencies that translate into lost time, resources, and data What Samara does differently: At the core of Hummingbird is MSAC (Multifunctional Structures for Attitude Control), an active vibration-cancellation system. Instead of passively damping movements and jitters, MSAC actively eliminates them, allowing for: ✅ Extreme satellite stability for ultra-weak RF signal detection ✅ Support for much larger antennas and solar arrays without sacrificing agility ✅ Cut satellite size and weight without impacting performance Traction: Samara recently launched its technology demonstrator, “Cicada” with SpaceX and received Non-dilutive funding including a $4M SpaceWERX Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) award and a NASA Phase I contract. These are in addition to more than $800m in LOIs that Samara holds with aerospace contractors and companies. Samara's plans to deploy a full constellation of these stabilised satellites, enabling faint radio signals detection for dual-use application: Defence: tracking fast-moving targets, including hypersonic missiles, with precision beyond existing technology.  Commercial/Civil: providing continuous monitoring and awareness of assets across the globe such as vessels and airplanes. What’s next: 🚀 First mission Hummingbird-1 planned for 2027 🏭 Scaling operations with a new 11,200-sq-ft production facility We’re excited to back Samara Aerospace alongside Balerion Space Ventures and What If Ventures, and are excited for what’s to come. You can read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/enZyy2Xu 💡 Want access to breakthrough ventures like Samara Aerospace? Join our investor network 👉 https://lnkd.in/g4AedRck Note: This announcement is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy securities. #SpaceTech #Aerospace #DefenseTech #DeepTech #VentureCapital

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Impressive progress from our portfolio Array Labs with a $20m Series A to scale radar manufacturing and prepare for launch. Designing radar systems for mass manufacturing, borrowing from consumer electronics and telecoms, is a powerful unlock for cost, speed, and deployment at scale. The traction speaks for itself: nine-figure contracted revenue, multiple government awards, and expanding product lines. Exciting to see this next phase of execution begin. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/e93jz4k8 #SpaceTech #DualUse #Radar #DefenceTech #NewSpace

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Check out the latest funding news from across the Techstars portfolio. → Zipline (Techstars 2011), a drone delivery and logistics startup, raises more than $600M in new funding, boosting its valuation to $7.6B, as it expands commercial deployments. → Language learning startup Preply (Techstars 2015) raises $150M and becomes the 23rd known unicorn from Techstars accelerators. → Hydrosat (Techstars 2019) raises $60M in Series B funding → Tive (Techstars 2017) receives a $20M investment, valuing the shipment-tracking systems developer at slightly more than $500M. → Parambil (Techstars 2023) raises an additional $6M in seed funding ($8M to date). → Seasats (Techstars 2021) receives $24M in Department of War APFIT funding to accelerate the fielding of its autonomous surface vessels. → Hawaiian Airlines’ newly announced $600M Kahuʻewai Hawai‘i Investment Plan features a strategic investment in Ampaire (Techstars 2018) to support hybrid-electric aviation in the islands. → Fintalo (Techstars 2025) secures $500K+ in oversubscribed Pre-Seed funding. → PraxisPro (Techstars 2024) closes an oversubscribed $6M seed round. → Samara Aerospace (Techstars 2024) closes $10M seed round to help bring more stability to sats in orbit. → MyARC (Techstars 2022), a platform that enables fitness creators to train their communities at scale, secures £1.5M investment. Massive congratulations to these incredible portfolio companies!   🔗  Read more at https://lnkd.in/dxtCTvrg 

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🚀 Turning Space Ambition into Venture-Ready Companies I’m excited to see Seraphim partner with Space Florida to launch the #SpaceTech Investor Readiness Program, an initiative helping high-potential SpaceTech startups become investment-ready. By combining Seraphim’s global investor network with Florida’s rich space ecosystem, this program connects founders with the right investors, partners, and guidance to scale. The pilot brings together seven standout Florida-based companies and will culminate in a showcase at SpaceCom Orlando in January. Congratulations to: Aloft Biotechnologies AMROK Arachnid Systems BlackStar Orbital Eta Space Micro-gRx X-Lumin Florida is a great example of how strong local ecosystems and global connectivity create the conditions for lasting SpaceTech success. 🚀 Exciting times ahead for SpaceTech innovation... For more info reach out to the team: Alexander Holt, Ellie Gyaurova, Alessandro Braglia, Aida Khalil, Isabella Simmonds Read the full release here: https://lnkd.in/eFUA2QNe #SpaceTech #VentureReady #NewSpace #Aerospace #Investing #GlobalCapital #Startups #SeraphimSpace #SpaceFlorida

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🚀Initiation of Coverage: Firestorm 🚀 We’ve initiated coverage on Firestorm for IPO CLUB’s flagship fund, America2030, within the defense sector, covered by Board Member Eva Cassman. Firestorm is a San Diego–based defense technology company pioneering modular unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and expeditionary manufacturing for the next generation of military and critical commercial missions. Founded in 2022 by Dan Magy 🏴‍☠️, Ian Muceus, Chad McCoy and Matthew McCord Firestorm combines additive manufacturing, AI-driven autonomy, and open-architecture systems to deliver drones that can be built, repaired, and deployed directly in the field — cutting costs, timelines, and logistical dependence. 🔍 Why we like Firestorm Modular innovation: The Tempest UAS and Armory platform enable flexible mission profiles — ISR, EW, or kinetic payload — with rapid assembly and swappable propulsion systems. Expeditionary production: The xCell Factory-in-a-Box brings HP’s industrial 3D printing to forward bases, enabling mobile drone manufacturing at the point of need. Proven traction: Over $100 million in United States Air Force contracts across autonomy, swarm technology, and field production — validating strong defense adoption. 💡Notable Investors New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Lockheed Martin, Booz Allen Hamilton, Decisive Point, Washington Harbour Partners LP and HP. ⚔️ Competitive Landscape Operating alongside Anduril Industries, Shield AI and DroneUp, Firestorm differentiates through field-deployable manufacturing, rapid mission reconfiguration, and MOSA/FACE-compliant architecture — achieving “Affordable Mass” at unprecedented speed and scale. 🌍 With a new production facility three times larger than before and a rapidly expanding workforce, Firestorm Labs is shaping the future of modular autonomy and defense manufacturing — delivering faster, smarter, and more adaptable aerial capabilities for modern warfare and humanitarian missions alike.

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We just announced the first-ever tokenized Opportunity Zone investment at Primior. First Harbor Square is a $106 million mixed-use development in the heart of Santa Ana. It is not just another project. It is a milestone that integrates OZ tax benefits with blockchain-backed compliance and digital asset structure. For years, OZs have been underutilized because of complexity and capital requirements. Tokenization changes that. Now investors can access a fully underwritten, yield-driven development while also benefiting from tax deferral and potential exclusion under the Qualified Opportunity Zone framework. And they can do it with greater flexibility, transparency, and accessibility than ever before. This is the kind of model that opens up high-quality real estate to more capital without compromising on fundamentals. Follow Johnney Zhang for more insights. #OpportunityZone #TokenizedAssets #RealEstateInnovation #SmartTaxStrategy #FirstHarborSquare

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