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Orbital Composites
Founded 2015 · 11 employees on LinkedIn · 4 known investors
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Orbital Composites develops composite materials and structures for aerospace applications, including the STARFIGHTER X modular drone platform designed for efficient flight across various regimes and speeds.
Founders & leadership
Orbital Composites was founded in 2015 by Cole Nielsen-Cole and Amolak B..
CN
Cole Nielsen-ColeFounder CTOCole Nielsen-Cole is Chief Technology Officer and Founder of Orbital Composites, which develops composite materials and structures for aerospace applications. He holds dual degrees in Satellite Physics and Computational Mathematics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and has patents in coaxial extrusion and in-situ consolidation processes for additive manufacturing.
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Amolak B.CEO / Co-FounderCEO and co-founder of Orbital Composites, which develops composite materials and structures for aerospace applications. Amolak brings over 20 years of experience from the semiconductor industry, where he led cross-functional initiatives including M&A, strategy, and R&D, and holds a background in electrical engineering.
Investors · 4
Actuate Ventureslisted by Actuate VenturesSeattle
How we know: Actuate Ventures's portfolio page · Not right? Tell us
Seraphim Spacelisted by Seraphim SpaceLondon · $1.3M – $3.8M
How we know: the VCSheet dataset · Not right? Tell us
Related companies · 8
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Loft OrbitalLoft Orbital operates space infrastructure, providing satellites equipped with sensing resources, onboard edge compute, and connectivity that let customers run missions without deploying their own hardware. It serves commercial and government customers, including national security stakeholders, through virtual missions on its satellite constellation.
OrbitalOrbital builds commercial AI compute infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit, deploying satellite-hosted GPU payloads with high-bandwidth ground links for AI inference. The company positions space-based data centers as a way to bypass terrestrial power grid constraints.
Terran OrbitalTerran Orbital manufactures small satellites and provides end-to-end satellite services including design, production, launch planning, mission operations, and in-orbit support. It serves military, civil, and commercial customers, primarily in the United States and allied aerospace and defense sectors.
Orbital OperationsOrbital Ops develops propulsion systems and related aerospace hardware for airborne vehicles. The company draws on deep expertise in turbomachinery and propulsion integration.
Orb Aerospace
Capella SpaceCapella Space designs, builds, and operates synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellations that provide all-weather, day-and-night Earth observation imagery at sub-0.25m resolution. It offers an automated end-to-end tasking and data delivery platform serving defense and intelligence, maritime, disaster response, and infrastructure monitoring customers.
Applied CompositesApplied Composites manufactures and engineers composite structures for aerospace applications, including airframes, engines, defense systems, launch vehicles, and satellites. The company operates five facilities totaling 500,000 square feet with autoclaves, CNC machining, and clean room capabilities to deliver full-service composite solutions.
Companies working in the same space as Orbital Composites.
Non-dilutive funding · 7 SBIR/STTR awards
Federal grants — no equity taken| Agency | Phase | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Air ForceAir Force | Phase II | 2023 | $1.7M |
| U.S. Air ForceAir Force | Phase II | 2023 | $1.2M |
| U.S. Air ForceAir Force | Phase II | 2023 | $1.2M |
| U.S. Air ForceAir Force | Phase I | 2023 | $75K |
| U.S. Air ForceAir Force | Phase IISTTR | 2022 | $749.8K |
| U.S. Air ForceAir Force | Phase ISTTR | 2022 | $250K |
| U.S. Air ForceAir Force | Phase ISTTR | 2021 | $147.1K |
Source: SBIR.gov award data (U.S. Small Business Administration). SBIR/STTR awards are competitive federal R&D grants and contracts — non-dilutive capital alongside any venture rounds above.
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Frequently asked questions
- What does Orbital Composites do?
- Orbital Composites develops composite materials and structures for aerospace applications, including the STARFIGHTER X modular drone platform designed for efficient flight across various regimes and speeds.
- Who founded Orbital Composites?
- Orbital Composites was founded by Cole Nielsen-Cole, Amolak B. in 2015.
- Who are Orbital Composites's investors?
- Orbital Composites's investors include Actuate Ventures, Evolution VC Partners, Sand Hill Angels, Seraphim Space.