At America’s Frontier Fund (AFF), we invest in frontier technologies that strengthen the U.S. economy and bolster our national security. We focus on visionary teams building breakthrough innovations that have the power to reshape industries, fuel economic growth, and create a more prosperous future for Americans and our allies. 

We’re proud to announce our latest investment in Venus Aerospace.

Venus Aerospace is on a mission to create the new “Hypersonic Age” allowing humans, products, and life-saving equipment to traverse the globe in half the time, saving precious minutes of our lives, speeding up commerce, and offering the U.S. military an unfathomable edge in combat. 

We first met Venus’s CEO Sassie Duggleby two years ago when we received a call from our good friend Dan Goldin. Dan told us that Venus had built a truly revolutionary hypersonic engine, one that he had been dreaming about for decades. He said this technology was not only vital to U.S. national security, but could fundamentally change the space and aerospace industries.

After spending time with Sassie and her team, we couldn’t agree more. We believe Venus will change how we experience the world, creating a new era of American-led speed and unlocking incredible new possibilities for businesses, defense, and everyday life. 

A Truly Revolutionary Technology

Many startups make big claims about revolutionary technology, but only a few make them happen. Venus Aerospace is one of those companies. Founded in 2020, Venus has already made history by designing, testing, and now producing a hypersonic engine capable of reducing a flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo to just two hours. The implications of this achievement are enormous. 

Hypersonic travel has long been a science and engineering challenge due to the extreme heat and pressure that can destroy advanced materials. Venus has made critical breakthroughs with their rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) for propulsion and heat management that enable much higher speeds with greater efficiency than any other engine in the market. This accomplishment cements Venus’s technological leadership and potential to transform the aerospace industry.

With Venus, travelers and goods will make connections across continents in ways that were never possible before. 

As a result, Venus’ RDRE has the potential to transform multiple sectors, from defense and space propulsion to energy turbines and logistics, driving massive gains for the American economy.  Research shows that cutting transit times by just one day can boost the value of air freight by 5-10%. Now imagine shipment times slashed by up to 90%, giving supply chains an unprecedented level of speed and flexibility. 

While the economic potential is exciting, for me this is much more personal. From 2011-2014, I served on two combat tours as a Marine in the Middle East where speed in our supply chain could mean the difference between life and death. Venus would have made an enormous difference back then. In the future, every unit serving overseas should have drones and aircrafts on standby with Venus’ engine ready to deliver whatever they need exactly when they need it.  

This is the future Venus Aerospace is building

Led by co-founders Sassie and Andrew Duggleby, the company has attracted a world-class team of engineers, operators, and innovators with experience across the military, commercial, and academic aerospace sectors to make this vision a reality. Their leadership cut their teeth at leading companies like SpaceX, Virgin Orbit, and Blue Origin, and are now applying that experience to Venus from the ground up.  

Having spent time with the team, it's clear that they hold a collective commitment to making hypersonic travel a reality. They don’t just want to build faster planes; they want to create a safer, more connected world. 

Advancing National Security

Venus’s hypersonic technology will give America a unique strategic advantage, and the importance of that edge cannot be overstated. At a moment when adversaries like China and Russia are racing to build their hypersonic capabilities, maintaining our technological edge is essential.

That’s why companies like Venus Aerospace are not just good for returns, but also vital for our national security. Venus’s engine offers dual-use applications, including reusable hypersonic platforms that could bring efficiency and flexibility to use in both military transportation and reconnaissance. The speed enabled by its engine supports faster deployment of critical systems and operational logistics. These advancements strengthen our deterrence capabilities and project power globally – important benefits to U.S. national security.

In just three years, the team at Venus has managed to design and prototype a hypersonic engine for under $70 million in capital, showcasing what small startups can achieve with the right support. They are now at an exciting inflection point – having de-risked the technology, Venus is now ready to win major government contracts and ultimately move into scaled production. We believe this is the best time for both the private sector and government to get behind these pioneering efforts. 

AFF’s investment in Venus Aerospace is an opportunity to redefine how we connect, compete, and defend our nation. We believe in that vision—not just for extraordinary financial gains, but for America’s future.

From the Wright Brothers to Chuck Yeager, there is something quintessentially American about going fast. Venus will make sure once again that we lead the world with American speed, creating a better, more exciting future for us all.