Starburst, the leading global Aerospace and Defense (A&D) startup accelerator and strategic advisory practice, today announced its expansion into Washington, DC. With a new office and the addition of Rob Ganim, who has joined Starburst's DC office as Director of Government Affairs and Business Development, Starburst is developing deeper relationships within this significant region. These new routes of engagement with the US government and the greater entrepreneurial community strongly positions Starburst to continue leading innovation efforts throughout the industry.

The US Aerospace and Defense industry's wide-ranging activities, which include commercial aviation, national security, and space exploration, are critical to the economic health and strength of our nation. According to the Aerospace Industries Association, the industry's workforce generated $892 billion in combined sales in the past few years and is continuing to grow. The US government invests heavily across aviation, space, defense, and enabling technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing, but there are many challenges today that threaten existing systems. "To continue to meet the demands of today and rise to the future, it is imperative that we build new channels for the government to adopt cutting edge technologies from non-traditional sources, specifically startups," says Starburst's US Managing Director, Elizabeth Reynolds.

Given the fast rate in which the market is moving, sincere collaborations between startups and the government must keep pace in order to stay competitive and maintain a high level standard of readiness in defense. Government support of innovative A&D companies that capitalize on new emerging technologies will ensure economic growth and prosperity in addition to national security.

Starburst bridges the critical gap of emerging technologies through their continuous and consistent efforts of tackling different components within the innovation life cycles using their accelerator programs and investments. Starburst helps entrepreneurs who are building novel technologies have success within commercial industries and in government contracts. Starburst plans to continue to develop government relationships with the new hire of Rob Ganim, based in Washington, DC.

"Bridging the gap between startups and the US government brings forth the best technology and ultimately propels the flywheel of innovation in aerospace and defense on a macro scale for both the economic health and national security position for the entire nation," Reynolds adds.

Robert Ganim is a national security policy and business professional, bringing to Starburst over 13 years of experience rooted at the intersection of business, policy, and geopolitics. Throughout his career, Rob has worked on an array of topics within the national security policy portfolio in the US Senate, at the US Department of Defense, and as a government relations consultant and startup executive. Rob is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and holds certificates from the US Air Force's Air Command and Staff College and Harvard Law School's Program on Negotiation.

"In an era of great power competition, the United States' robust innovation ecosystem is a key competitive advantage. Starburst's accelerator programs put it in a prime position to leverage this advantage to help DoD deliver critical capabilities to the warfighter and address broader national security needs. I am excited to work with the Starburst team to develop and grow its partnerships with government and industry leaders," says Ganim.