astertech

What astertech does

AsterTech LLC is a Dayton, Ohio-based defense engineering services firm founded in 2017 that delivers applied R&D to U.S. government and defense clients, including NASA, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and Department of Defense (DoD) programs. The company works across microelectronics, hypersonics, advanced materials, defense-critical materials supply chain, digital engineering, clean energy, and AR-VR training, and also runs a side education brand, the Young AI Innovators Lab summer program, priced at $50 per student. Its technology stack combines hardware capabilities—additive manufacturing, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), thin-film processing, and prototype development—with AI/ML software capabilities including agentic workflows, knowledge agents, computer vision, a "digital triplet" platform, and process automation tools.

The company is privately held and founder-led by Dr. Santanu Bag, with a team of roughly 10–15 people including a COO (Mr. Trent Fisher, founder of SAS Automation), a Sr. Business Advisor with military and FBI background, staff scientists, AI engineers, and chemical/materials engineers. Revenue is generated primarily through professional services contracts and government R&D awards (mission-focused, quote-based pricing) rather than product sales, with an immaterial education sub-brand stream. Customer relationships are deep and direct—recognized at the AFRL Commander and Materials Directorate Director level and selected as a Top 10 NASA iTech Energy Cycle finalist—suggesting reliance on a small number of federal customers for essentially all operating revenue.

The operating model is sales-led enterprise field sales into federal agencies, with technical credibility supported by Dr. Bag's personal track record (25+ patents, publications in Science and Nature, $250M+ in research contracts won across his career), the company's published work on high-temperature electronics and 3D additive manufacturing of optoelectronic devices, and a broad ecosystem of university and national-lab collaborators. The firm is currently hiring multiple Materials Engineers with CVD expertise (U.S. citizens only), consistent with multi-project contract execution.

Name

astertech

Legal name

AsterTech LLC

Website

https://astertechs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AsterTech LLC is a Dayton, Ohio-based defense engineering services firm integrating AI/ML with advanced materials, additive manufacturing, CVD/ALD coatings, and thin-film processing to deliver R&D solutions to NASA, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the Department of Defense.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Defense Engineering R&D Services

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641), Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing (333242), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom & Application-Specific ASIC Design Services (HDAHABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Instrumentation & Process Control (I&C) (EDAOABAF), Custom Corporate IT Training & Upskilling Programs (BPAEANAB)

Keywords

• Defense engineering services
• Advanced materials manufacturing
• Hypersonics research
• Microelectronics development
• Additive manufacturing solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Dayton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Defense R&D Contracts: Government contracts for research and development in microelectronics, hypersonics, advanced materials, and defense-critical systems. Dr. Bag has won and managed new research contracts exceeding $250 million.
2. Prototype Development: Prototypes for defense-critical systems and tech maturation, low-volume direct-to-customer solutions for niche applications.
3. Education Program Fees: Summer certification program (Young AI Innovators Lab) at $50 per participant.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AsterTech provides mission-focused R&D engineering services to U.S. defense and government agencies, integrating AI/ML software capabilities with advanced hardware technologies including additive manufacturing, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), and thin-film processing. The company delivers prototyping, materials research, and digital engineering solutions for defense-critical systems in microelectronics, hypersonics, and supply chain security. It also operates a summer AI education program for students.

Product overview

AsterTech is a defense-focused engineering services provider offering an integrated portfolio of hardware and software solutions. The Hardware Division provides advanced materials and manufacturing technologies including Additive Manufacturing, CVD/ALD coatings, and prototype development. The Software Division delivers AI/ML Solutions, Process Automation, and System Engineering Tools. Core service offerings include Defense, Hypersonics, Microelectronics, Defense Critical Materials Supply Chain, Digital Engineering (Digital Triplet Platform), Clean Energy, and AR-VR Based Training. The company also operates Young AI Innovators Lab as an educational sub-brand. This unified platform integrates hardware-software capabilities to deliver faster, smarter solutions for defense-critical systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Defense Services Mission-focused R&D services creating future defense technologies and solutions for U.S. government agencies, starting with customers' toughest technical problems.
• Hypersonics Advanced science, precision manufacturing, and dynamic modeling services for hypersonics technology applications, including speed and accuracy systems.
• Microelectronics Innovative process engineering services enabling miniaturized future technology nodes in the semiconductor industry, including supply chain security solutions.
• Defense Critical Materials Supply Chain Integrated hardware and software solutions for defense critical materials supply chains, ensuring secure and efficient operations.
• Digital Engineering (Digital Triplet Platform) Next-generation AI-driven digital triplet platform beyond current digital twins industry trend, for modeling and simulation of defense systems.
• Clean Energy Next-generation low-cost solar technologies development, raw materials challenges solutions, and environmental toxin removal services.
• AR-VR Based Training Immersive and interactive training experiences leveraging augmented and virtual reality to enhance skill development and knowledge retention.
• Young AI Innovators Lab Summer certification program for incoming college freshmen (2024-2025 school year) offering hands-on learning in AI, machine learning, image processing, object detection, and digital designing at $50 per participant.
• Project HEAT (High-temperature Electronics in Advanced Thermostructures) NASA collaborative project developing high-temperature electronics designed to dramatically extend operational lifetimes for Venus surface missions and other defense-critical aerospace applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dr. Bag has won and managed new research contracts exceeding $250 million
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• NSTXLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration partner listed in AsterTech's Partners & Collaborators section
• NortDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration partner listed in AsterTech's Partners & Collaborators section
• MMEC (Montgomery County Educational Compact)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational and research collaboration partner
• SSC (Shared Services Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration partner listed in AsterTech's Partners & Collaborators section
• CREaTecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration partner listed in AsterTech's Partners & Collaborators section
• UTN (University of Tennessee)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity research collaboration partner
• PNNL (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational laboratory research collaboration partner
• University of FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity research collaboration partner
• Duke UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity research collaboration partner
• IBMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partner listed in AsterTech's Partners & Collaborators section; Dr. Bag has working experience with IBM
• SonotekcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration partner listed in AsterTech's Partners & Collaborators section
• University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity research collaboration partner; past member Reagan Maddalone graduated from here
• Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlagship partner - recognized by Major General William T. Cooley and Colonel Charles D. Ormsby for research work; projects in hypersonics and microelectronics
• The Ohio State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity research collaboration partner
• University of DaytoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity research collaboration partner; past members Lauren Doorley and Ethan Mason are students/alumni
• Tech-DaytoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal technology ecosystem partner

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Anduril Industries: Anduril builds AI-enabled hardware/software defense systems and is a comparable vertically-integrated, tech-forward defense contractor pursuing DoD primes and adjacent programs at higher scale.
• Battelle Memorial Institute: Battelle operates as a large-scale, mission-driven R&D organization serving DoD, NASA, and intelligence clients in materials, microelectronics, and systems engineering — analogous to an at-scale version of AsterTech's integrated model.
• Shield AI: Shield AI is an AI-for-defense company delivering autonomy, computer vision, and intelligent agent systems to DoD; comparable as a small, capital-backed defense AI specialist with a similar go-to-market.
• Applied Research Associates (ARA): ARA is an employee-owned defense R&D firm delivering engineering, materials, and systems work for DoD and intelligence customers, closely matching AsterTech's R&D services business model and customer mix.
• Forge Nano: Forge Nano commercializes atomic layer deposition (ALD) coatings for defense, energy, and semiconductor applications, directly overlapping AsterTech's CVD/ALD and thin-film processing capabilities.
• Rebellion Defense: Rebellion Defense builds AI/ML software products for DoD mission systems, comparable as a defense-AI specialist that sells into the same procurement channels and customer set as AsterTech's AI/ML work.
• CesiumAstro: CesiumAstro develops advanced electronics and communication systems for space and defense, with overlap in microelectronics, additive manufacturing, and ruggedized hardware for aerospace customers.

Broad incumbents

• Leidos: Leidos is a large defense and government engineering services prime with deep AFRL/DoD relationships across hypersonics, microelectronics, and mission systems, representing the scaled incumbent AsterTech competes with for program share.
• SAIC: SAIC is a major defense IT and engineering services prime serving AFRL, NASA, and DoD across microelectronics, hypersonics, and digital engineering — the larger incumbent peer in AsterTech's primary customer set.
• CACI International: CACI is a large defense IT and engineering services prime with strong presence at AFRL, NASA, and DoD, providing a scaled-services comparator for AsterTech's defense engineering services and digital engineering work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/astertech-us

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about astertech