Radical AI is Transforming Aerospace! In aerospace and defense, every breakthrough is built on material science. From the alloys powering jet engines to the composites shielding spacecraft, innovation isn’t just about design—it’s about what the machines are made of.
Yet the way we discover and scale new materials hasn’t meaningfully changed in more than a century. Research cycles drag on for decades, costs skyrocket, and supply chains remain fragile. Meanwhile, competitors are pouring resources into advanced alloys and rare earth elements—in many ways, weaponizing the periodic table.
This leaves the U.S. and its allies with a critical question: how do you compete with adversaries accelerating discovery while trapped in outdated cycles? The future of hypersonic flight, space defense, and even energy security depends on faster, smarter breakthroughs in material science.
That’s where Radical AI comes in. The New York–based startup, founded by Joe Krause, is combining AI, autonomy, and materials expertise to compress R&D timelines from years to weeks—and slash costs along the way.
In this episode of The Aerospace Executive Podcast, Joe shares how a cold call to a VC led to the founding of Radical AI, why aerospace innovation is fundamentally a materials problem, and what’s at stake in a world where control of supply chains may decide the balance of power.
Key Takeaways:
- How Radical AI’s “materials flywheel” is redefining discovery and deployment
- Why rare earths and advanced alloys are now a geopolitical flashpoint
- What it takes to build a deep-tech culture driven by speed and mission
- Joe’s journey from PhD researcher to founder—and how it reshape the future of defense and space
- How Radical AI is transforming Aerospace
Co-founder and Managing Partner for CRAIG PICKEN Executive Search, a boutique executive search firm based in Wilmington, NC, Craig is focused on recruiting senior level leadership, sales and operations executives for some of the most prominent companies in the aviation and aerospace industry. Clients include well known aircraft OEM’s, aircraft operators, leasing / financial organizations, and Maintenance / Repair / Overhaul (MRO) providers. Since 2009 he has personally concluded several hundred executive level searches in a variety of disciplines.
Craig’s professional career started out with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time and 325 aircraft carrier landings – he sought challenges in business aviation where he spent more than seven years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft.