Colorado Springs, Colorado, Aug. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Catalyst Accelerator is excited to announce the selection of 6 outstanding small businesses with innovative, complementary tech solutions. These companies will come together from across the world to participate in the Accelerator's 15th cohort focused on Directed Energy (DE) and Electromagnetic Warfare (EW).
The Catalyst Accelerator, powered by the Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/RV), exists to empower nontraditional technology companies to accelerate their involvement in the national defense ecosystem by providing connections, mentorship, and business development in a collaborative setting for a lasting national impact. The evolving nature of space and electromagnetic warfare necessitates the development and integration of advanced technologies to ensure mission success and strategic superiority. The U.S. Space Force and the Space Security and Defense Program (SSDP) are particularly interested in technologies that enable adaptive and predictive EW through AI/ML, Cognitive Electronic Support (ES) for robust signal identification, and real-time spectrum analysis for threat detection.
The DE & EW (#CADEW) cohort is the first Accelerator executed in partnership with the SSDP. Major Joshua Haneline, Deputy Division Chief of the Electromagnetic Warfare Division at the SSDP, shared his thoughts on pitch days for the #CADEW cohort: “The Space Security and Defense Program is excited to see such a diverse set of technologies in the Electromagnetic Warfare and Directed Energy Sector. We are looking forward to bringing these small businesses together to develop innovative solutions for the warfighter.”
The #CADEW cohort will meet two weeks per month beginning 19 August and end on 21 November 2025. During the program, each company will collaborate with subject matter experts, engage with Government and Commercial Navigators, and complete an intensive business development and customer discovery process. The cohort experience will culminate in a Demo Day on November 20th, where companies will pitch their technology to government, industry partners, and investors assessing the potential of the technologies.
The Catalyst Accelerator team, with technical advisement from government, industry, and academia, underwent a rigorous selection process in order to carefully choose the companies for the #CADEW cohort. The following startups were chosen based on their demonstrated potential and innovative capability solutions:
Aptos Orbital (Palo Alto, CA) Aptos Orbital is building the infrastructure to connect and compute across space. Our real-time RF mesh network enables satellites to exchange data directly, without needing ground stations, using a resilient, decentralized architecture inspired by the internet. We've flight-proven our compact, low-power terminals and are deploying them across a variety of missions and orbits to support our customers. With always-available connectivity and a space-first approach to networking, Aptos empowers the DoD to act faster and defend smarter in the electromagnetic domain.
Dcubed USA (Berthoud, CO) Dcubed's vision is to build the next generation of in-space manufactured (ISM) infrastructure, where the capabilities of space systems are uncoupled from the size of the spacecraft bus or launcher. Dcubed has built a reputation for providing reliable spacecraft actuators and mechanisms with responsive lead times, which we will uphold with new, more powerful solar array and antenna systems derived from common ISM structures technologies. In the near future, we see small spacecraft from both the defense and civil space domains taking on new challenging missions powered by Dcubed's ISM solar array and antenna products.
Millennial Software (Chantilly, VA) At Millennial Software, we accelerate decision advantage in space through AI-powered Space Battle Management and autonomous operations. Our vision is a world where space superiority is achieved through speed, clarity, and trusted machine intelligence. Millennial Software delivers next-generation Space Battle Management platforms that shrink decision timelines from minutes to seconds. Our flagship products–Skyward, a modular operations suite, and Keystone, a machine learning orchestration engine–enable warfighters to detect threats, assess intent, and execute rapid courses of action across dynamic orbital environments. We are actively demonstrating this capability in the SDA TAP Lab, our software equips government and commercial partners with the tools to maintain mission advantage through dynamic intelligence, intuitive workflows, and seamless integration across hybrid and classified environments.
Overwatch OT (Lakewood Ranch, FL) Overwatch OT is a technical innovator specializing in Artificial Intelligence, Electronic Warfare, and Cyber technical systems. We push the boundaries of what's possible, creating advanced solutions that redefine how critical missions are executed and secured. Our flagship system, TopHat, delivers next-generation EW and cyber training, empowering operators with unmatched speed, precision, and adaptability. At Overwatch OT, we make the impossible possible–turning cutting-edge concepts into mission-ready capabilities.
Quadsat (Odense, Denmark) Quadsat delivers agile solutions for RF spectrum testing, antenna validation, and electromagnetic environment monitoring tailored for the demands of modern defense operations. Our modular systems, designed for seamless integration across diverse operational platforms, enable EMCON testing, real-time spectrum mapping, RF geolocation, and advanced electromagnetic warfare (EW) signal analysis directly in the field. Bypassing the constraints of static infrastructure, Quadsat empowers multi-domain operational readiness by validating antenna and system performance in contested and congested spectral environments. Trusted by NATO partners and defense primes including SES and Viasat Government, our technology underpins spectrum dominance, system resilience, and mission assurance across a broad range of tactical scenarios.
RedTail Technology (Sydney, Australia) RedTail Technology (RTT) is an Australian defence startup specializing in artificial intelligence and directed energy laser technology. Our vision is to realise handheld energy weapons. RTT's current focus is the development of the Katoomba counter-uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) directed energy system, an AI-infused, handheld, lightweight and versatile protection system for critical infrastructure and Defense applications against hostile or unauthorised UAS platforms.
https://www.redtailtech.com.au
The Catalyst Accelerator is proud to help accelerate innovation and advance cutting-edge technologies in the space sector. By connecting promising startups with government and industry experts, the Accelerator supports the rapid development and transition of solutions that will influence the future of United States space superiority.
About Catalyst Accelerator
The Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate and United States Space Force's Catalyst Accelerator is a NewSpace-focused defense and national security industry accelerator, headquartered on the Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation (CCTI) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. CCTI, a Colorado 501(c)3), is a collaborative ecosystem where industry, small business, entrepreneurs, startups, government, academia, and investors intersect with Colorado's aerospace and defense industry to create community, spark innovation, and stimulate business growth.
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Shae ThomasCatalyst Accelerator Program Director719-465-7556Shae.Thomas@CatalystCampus.Org