This US startup 3D-prints rocket fuel, and a European investor is backing it to bolster NATO and allied resilience and readiness

Firehawk Aerospace, a US-based defence tech firm, has closed an investment round with participation from European and US investors.

Firehawk Aerospace, a Texas-based defence technology company, has closed a $60M (nearly €50.87M) investment round. The amount of the investment was not disclosed.

The oversubscribed round was led by 1789 Capital, whose partners include Donald Trump Jr. It included participation from European VC firm Presto Tech Horizons (PTH). PTH is a defence and resilience technology fund formed by Presto Ventures and CSG (Czechoslovak Group).

Other participants in the round include Draper Associates, Decisive Point, Stellar Ventures, and additional venture capital firms. 

Presto Tech Horizons is the only European investor in the round and is expected to help connect Firehawk’s energetics technology with allied defence users in Europe. The fund invests in resilience tech projects from NATO countries and allied nations and targets companies developing technologies for defence, dual-use applications, and other critical areas.

The funding will support Firehawk’s move from research and development and prototyping to large-scale production.

Building the next generation of defence systems

Firehawk Aerospace develops rocket motors using 3D-printed propellant. The company uses 3D printing for propellant and solid rocket motors at scale. Its technology supports the production of rocket motors and can be applied to artillery charges to increase ammunition output.

Rocket propellant for missiles and space rockets is typically made by casting it into large molds and curing, a process that can take up to two months and limits production output. Firehawk replaces this process with additive manufacturing, using 3D printing to build propellant grains with complex geometries.

The company uses commercial equipment and proprietary processes to cut production time by more than 99 per cent compared to casting. This innovation enables the production of rocket motors at scale and supports their use across multiple weapon systems, thereby changing the way energetics are supplied and manufactured.

The company designs its products at its Dallas headquarters, is building a 340-acre production facility in Lawton, Oklahoma, and conducts static fire and flight tests at two West Texas sites, including a 30-square-mile launch range.

Expansion in Europe

The investment in Firehawk Aerospace is intended to increase Europe’s capacity to produce critical parts of the munitions supply chain within the region. This is meant to support sustained defence readiness for NATO and allied forces.

The fund behind the investment combines a venture capital firm and a defence contractor to connect new technologies with industry. The partnership aims to speed the adoption of technologies like Firehawk’s and support their deployment across allied defence industrial bases.

Will Edwards, CEO of Firehawk, says, “The conflict in Ukraine proves that while drones give warfighters a decisive edge, munitions like missiles and rockets are the core of combat power. A supply chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and propellant and energetics production are the biggest constraints on missile, rocket, and artillery manufacturing. Enabling the European defence industry to also produce these weapons quickly and at scale is the core of Firehawk’s mission.”

“We’re proud to partner with Presto Tech Horizons and CSG to help bolster the European energetics supply chain and ensure our allies can fuel the production of key defence equipment.”

Michal Strnad, Chairman of the Board and owner of CSG, mentions, “The current geopolitical situation underscores the need to invest in innovative defence technologies. Firehawk can play a crucial role in the future of not only rocket propulsion but also ammunition production.”

“This innovative project can strengthen cooperation between leaders of the American and European defence industries.” The parties are already exploring opportunities for industrial application of Firehawk’s technologies.

Matej Luhovy, newly appointed Partner at Presto Tech Horizons, adds, “Since the early 2010s, scientists and engineers have explored 3D printing as a way to unlock faster, safer, and more flexible solid propellant production. Firehawk is the first to truly deliver on that promise.” 

“They combine rapid manufacturing with complex grain designs that were once impossible, improving performance while enabling distributed production at scale. Firehawk’s technology doesn’t just speed up how propellants are made – it fundamentally reshapes the supply chain for missiles and rockets. That’s why this partnership is so important for Europe’s defence resilience.”