LA

Leon Alkalai

Entrepreneur, Investor, Retired JPL Fellow

Los Angeles, California

Investor
VC

Invests in

Stages:

Series A
Seed

  • Min Investment:

    $100,000.00

  • Max Investment:

    $5,000,000.00

  • Target Investment:

    $1,500,000.00

Skills

Systems Engineering
Strategy
Aerospace
Space Systems
Security
Program Management
DoD
System Design
System Architecture
Satellite
Simulations
Software Development
Earned Value Management
Engineering Management
Project Management
Software Engineering
Systems Design
Testing

Education

Investments

Continuum Space Systems

Seed

Total Funding: $3M

Work Experience

Mandala Space Ventures

2021

  • Chief Executive Officer

    2021

    Mandala invests in Founders to launch new pathways to space, for the benefit of humanity.

Adranos, Inc.

2023

  • Investor

    2023

Explorer 1 Fund

2021

  • General Partner

    2021

    Explorer 1 invests in companies that are fundamental to the growth and success of the new space economy. As we explore the final frontier, we will unearth secrets to advance humanity.

Continuum Space Systems

2021

  • Investor

    2021

    Continuum is a Software as a Service Platform for space applications.

Verrix

2014

  • Co-Founder, and Member of the Board of Directors

    2014

    Verrix is a JPL-spinoff using NASA technology for planetary protection to monitor medical equipment sterilization in hospitals.

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

1989 - 2021

  • JPL Tech Fellow

    1989 - 2021

    Dr. Leon Alkalai worked at JPL for 32 years starting after receiving his PhD in Computer Science from UCLA. He worked at JPL as the lead for the Advanced Avionics Systems group (92-95), New Millennium Program (96-98), Center for Integrated Space Microsystems (CISM) (98-2001), Assistant Division Manager for Avionics Systems (2001-2002), Capture Lead for MoonLight, MoonRise and other proposals to the NASA Discovery and New Frontiers Program; Capture Lead for GRAIL (2005-2007); Capture Lead for MoonRise (2008-2010); Capture Lead for INSIGHT (2011-2012); JPL Fellow (2012); Manager Office of Strategic Planning (2016-2019), Office of Strategic Partnerships (2019-2021); Project Manager (VITAL Ventilator Project (2020).