Hypersonix Launch Systems has secured its first investors in a Series A funding round. The raise comes as the company prepares for a landmark NASA backed hypersonic flight.
Global Investors Join Hypersonix
The round brings three major defence-focused investors onto Hypersonix’s cap table. This includes the High Tor Capital as lead investor, Swedish giant Saab, and Polish RKKVC.
High Tor Capital specialises in dual-use technologies supporting national security. Saab is a leading global defence and security company. They have a strong footprint in aeronautics, weapons, and sensors. RKKVC also has extensive exposure to space-qualified AI and secure communications.
North Ridge Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor on the transaction. Moreover, Christin Burns lead the advisory team alongside Dr Smart and Hypersonix CEO Matt Hill.
SPARTAN Scramjet: Green Hydrogen and 3D Printing
Hypersonix was founded in 2019 by Dr Smart and commercial strategist David Waterhouse. Hypersonix is, now, developing the SPARTAN scramjet engine. It is a fully 3D-printed engine and is powered by green hydrogen. SPARTAN contains no moving parts, reducing complexity compared with traditional propulsion systems.
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Later this year, SPARTAN will be tested aboard Hypersonix’s DART AE test vehicle. The test will be delivered through the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). It will see DART AE launched on Rocket Lab’s HASTE booster to Mach 7 from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
A Paradigm Shift in Hypersonic Flight
DIU Program Manager Major Ryan Weed described HyCAT as a “paradigm shift in viewing the hypersonic realm as a place for aircraft.”
Under HyCAT, Hypersonix is the first, out of 60 applicants, to win the first prototype contract. The company’s work is seen as advancing reusable hypersonic flight. This is a capability critical to both defence and commercial aerospace.
Industry Leaders Back Australian Innovation
Dr Smart said the raise would accelerate the company’s growth. “We will use these funds to support Hypersonix’s expanding global commercial footprint. This includes significant US contracts with the Department of Defense and NASDAQ-listed Kratos. Moreover, it includes the establishment of advanced manufacturing capabilities in Queensland,” he said.
CEO Matt Hill also added that the transition from grant funding to institutional investment is a major milestone. “This transaction represents an important step as Hypersonix scales with the support of defence-focused investors,” Hill said.
Chair Arthur Sinodinos also praised the team’s achievement. “I commend the team for attracting world-class global investors,” he noted.
Javeria Sajid is an Aerospace Engineering student from NUST with a background in technology and a sharp focus on the global political landscape and defence innovation. She writes to make complex defence technologies understandable, and aspires to bridge journalism, policy, and engineering in her work.
