Leon Alkalai
InvestorFounderCo-founder at Explorer 1 Fund · Founder at Mandalaspaceventures
Los Angeles, California
Writes $100K – $5M checks · typically $1.5M
FoundedMandalaspaceventures
Find your path to Leon
199 people in our graph share verified history with Leon — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
About
Leon Alkalai co-founded Explorer 1 in 2021, where he handles sourcing, evaluating, and managing the investment portfolio. Before that he spent his career at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which he joined in 1989 after earning a PhD from UCLA, where he led programs including the New Millennium Program, the Center for Integrated Space Microsystems, and capture efforts for GRAIL and INSIGHT, and became a JPL Fellow and member of the International Academy of Astronautics. He co-founded Verrix LLC in 2014 and founded Mandala Space Ventures in 2021, and has advised startups and venture firms on space investing.
Invests in
Space Tech
Founder at Mandalaspaceventures
Intro paths
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Mandalaspaceventures's investors · 1
Experience
- Sophia SpaceFounder, COB, CTOcurrent2025 — present
- Adranos, Inc.Investorcurrent2023 — present
- Mandala Space VenturesChief Executive Officercurrent2021 — presentLos Angeles County, California, United States
- Explorer 1 FundGeneral Partnercurrent2021 — presentLos Angeles County, California, United States
- Continuum Space SystemsInvestorcurrent2021 — presentLos Angeles County, California, United States
- VerrixCo-Founder, and Member of the Board of Directorscurrent2014 — presentSan Clemente, California, United States
- NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryJPL Tech Fellow1989 — 2021Pasadena, California, United States
Skills & more
+6 more
Project ManagementSoftware EngineeringSystems DesignTestingStrategySatelliteLanguages English · French · Hebrew · Serbian
From Leon's professional profile.
Colleagues at Explorer 1 Fund
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Leon Alkalai?
- Leon Alkalai co-founded Explorer 1 in 2021, where he handles sourcing, evaluating, and managing the investment portfolio. Before that he spent his career at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which he joined in 1989 after earning a PhD from UCLA, where he led programs including the New Millennium Program, the Center for Integrated Space Microsystems, and capture efforts for GRAIL and INSIGHT, and became a JPL Fellow and member of the International Academy of Astronautics. He co-founded Verrix LLC in 2014 and founded Mandala Space Ventures in 2021, and has advised startups and venture firms on space investing.
- Where does Leon Alkalai work?
- Leon Alkalai is Founder of Mandalaspaceventures and Co-founder at Explorer 1 Fund.
- What does Leon Alkalai invest in?
- Leon Alkalai invests in Space Tech.
- What check size does Leon Alkalai write?
- Leon Alkalai typically writes checks of $100K – $5M.
- What companies did Leon Alkalai found?
- Leon Alkalai founded Mandalaspaceventures.
- Where did Leon Alkalai go to school?
- Leon Alkalai studied at UCLA (Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Computer Science); UCLA (Master's Degree, Computer Science); University of Belgrade (Engineer's Degree, Electrical and Electronics Engineering).
Founder mafias
UCLA mafia357
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
+ 350 more
University of Belgrade mafia10
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
+ 3 more
Explorer 1 Fund mafia2
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Same school
Also attended UCLA833
+ 827 more
Also attended University of Belgrade19
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+ 13 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Sophia Space1
Also worked at Verrix1
Also worked at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory102
+ 96 more