The aerospace firm Firehawk Aerospace has secured an additional $1.2 million in seed funding, increasing the total investment for this round to $2.5 million. This latest funding originates from Harlow Capital Management, a Dallas-based investment company led by Colby Harlow, who will also be taking a seat on Firehawk’s board of directors.

Firehawk, a finalist in the inaugural all-virtual Startup Battlefield at TC Disrupt last September, has created an innovative hybrid rocket fuel designed to significantly improve the safety, affordability, and efficiency of rocket launches and transportation through the use of additive manufacturing – a sophisticated form of 3D printing. While hybrid rocket fuel, blending characteristics of liquid and solid propellants, is not a novel concept, previous iterations have struggled to offer competitive advantages in terms of cost and performance when compared to traditional fuel types.

Firehawk’s Chief Scientist, Ron Jones, overcame these challenges by implementing two key strategies: utilizing a fuel featuring a robust polymer structure and employing additive manufacturing processes instead of conventional casting methods involving liquid hardening.

With this new seed funding, Firehawk plans to conduct operational testing of its technology at a scale suitable for commercial applications, as well as expand its network of partnerships and clientele. The company also aims to broaden its research and development and manufacturing capabilities across its facilities in Texas and Oklahoma.