COMPANY INFO
Agile Space Industries, founded in 2009 by Daudi Barnes, is an aerospace and defense company headquartered in Durango, Colorado. With around 76 employees, the company designs, tests, and manufactures in-space chemical propulsion systems for satellites and spacecraft using advanced 3D metal alloy printing techniques. Their vertically integrated process enables rapid development and high-performance thrusters that support commercial, civil, and defense space missions. Website: https://agilespaceindustries.com
Agile Space Industries is a leading aerospace and defense company headquartered in Durango, Colorado. The company specializes in designing, testing, and manufacturing advanced in-space chemical propulsion systems for satellites and spacecraft, leveraging state-of-the-art 3D metal printing.
Agile Space Industries’ executive team brings together deep technical expertise in aerospace engineering, proven leadership in commercial and national security sectors, and experience in scaling high-tech manufacturing operations. The Agile Space Industries management team is noted for its blend of seasoned industry veterans and pioneering founders, whose backgrounds span global aerospace corporations, U.S. defense leadership, entrepreneurial startups, and advanced research organizations. This collective proficiency allows the Agile Space Industries leadership to drive constant innovation, operational excellence, and strategic growth, securing Agile’s status as a propulsion partner for commercial, civil, and defense space missions.
As CEO since late 2022, Chris Pearson has steered Agile Space Industries through rapid commercialization of its thruster products and built strong strategic alliances with defense and commercial clients. Under his leadership, the company’s growth has accelerated across U.S. and European markets, strengthening the Agile Space Industries management team’s operational effectiveness and market presence.
Pearson brings more than 25 years of experience in the space industry, including executive roles at Airbus, Moog, and Redwire. He successfully led two Colorado startups—ABSL Space Products and Roccor—through significant growth and acquisition. Chris holds a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Manchester, two MSc degrees in Astronautics & Space Engineering and Control Engineering from Cranfield University and Imperial College respectively, and an Executive MBA from the University of Colorado.
Daudi Barnes, the founder, president, and CTO, has been the visionary force behind Agile Space Industries since 2009. Barnes established the company to advance innovative propulsion technologies and led the development of critical hypergolic propellants testing, supporting national security programs such as EKV and Europa Clipper.
Barnes began his career as a development engineer at Rocketdyne, contributed to the RS-25 main combustion chamber, and became a leading expert in hypergolic test operations. He holds a Master’s in Aerospace Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and previously launched Agile Space Propulsion Company, Advanced Mobile Propulsion Test, and DMX Engineering, bringing over 14 years of propulsion expertise and a portfolio of patents to the Agile Space Industries founders group.
Andrew Thompson served as COO (2019–2023) and Interim CEO for 11 months, where he optimized operational workflows and navigated Agile Space Industries through a leadership transition. Thompson was instrumental in enhancing test and manufacturing efficiency and expanding the company’s production capabilities.
Thompson is a West Point graduate with a BS in Engineering and a former U.S. Army officer. With more than 20 years in operations leadership, his background includes serving as COO at Hayden Data Corporation, Board Member, and Director of Operations at Revolution Space, further reinforcing the strength of Agile Space Industries leadership.
As CCO since 2023, William Francis has focused on aligning Agile’s engineering expertise with evolving customer needs, significantly expanding Agile’s commercial propulsion pipeline and securing major defense contracts.
Francis holds an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder. He began his career as a space structures architect, holds over 25 patents, and co-founded Roccor in 2011, guiding its engineering and business development teams through acquisition by Redwire, where he later served as VP of Advanced Programs.
Since joining as CFO in 2024, Kristin Schaa has managed Agile Space’s financial strategy, planning, and capital allocations, supporting research, development investments, and scalable growth. Her leadership strengthens the Agile Space Industries management team by ensuring fiscal discipline and enabling strategic expansion.
Schaa is a CPA and holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Colorado Boulder. Prior to Agile, she was VP Finance at a defense contractor and Senior Financial Analyst with satellite communications firms, providing a robust financial foundation for the company’s long-term ambitions.
Greg Ewing, in his position since mid-2025, is responsible for driving Agile’s strategic growth initiatives, including mergers and acquisitions, capital raises, and market expansion. His work positions the company for sustained scale in the competitive aerospace industry.
Ewing has a Master’s from the University of Texas McCombs School of Business and over 15 years in consulting and corporate development, including with Bridge Partners, Ewing Venture Consulting, and International Accelerator, where he advised technology startups on strategic finance and business development.
As Vice President of Strategic Defense Products, Kara Grubis leads development and deployment of propulsion technologies tailored to national security applications, and has secured substantial multi-million-dollar defense contracts for Agile.
Grubis holds a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and has more than 10 years of experience with Raytheon and Textron, where she led propulsion integration programs—further reinforcing the Agile Space Industries executives’ defense and aerospace acumen.
As Chief Engineer, Lars Osborne directs technical design standards for Agile Space’s propulsion products, championing innovations in combustion diagnostic systems and manufacturing methodologies.
Osborne earned a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from University of Colorado Boulder and previously conducted research at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and engineering at Dynetics, significantly contributing to Agile Space Industries leadership in engineering excellence.
Prashanth Bangalore Venkatesh oversees all propulsion system modeling and test data analysis, enabling rapid iteration and optimization of Agile’s thruster designs.
He holds an MS in Aerospace Engineering from University of Florida, and has experience as a test engineer at SpaceX and in analytical roles at Aerojet Rocketdyne, reinforcing the scientific rigor of Agile Space Industries’ management team.
Caroline Corwine manages Agile’s comprehensive test operations, ensuring efficient throughput and unwavering standards in hot-fire testing, safety, and quality.
Corwine holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from Colorado School of Mines, with eight years of propulsion test experience at Blue Origin and Sierra Nevada Corporation, contributing to the robustness and safety culture of the Agile Space Industries executives.
The Agile Space Industries leadership team is a dynamic mix of engineers, entrepreneurs, and business strategists who collectively foster innovation, operational discipline, and sector leadership. Their vertically integrated model and diverse management backgrounds—from leading startups through acquisition to steering large defense programs and pioneering technical R&D—position Agile Space Industries as a recognized authority in propulsion systems for space missions. As Agile continues to grow, the company’s management team and founders remain focused on delivering high-performance, reliable solutions to a broad spectrum of customers in the aerospace and defense industries.
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