Startup Battlefield Space & Physical AI Competitors | Disrupt 2026

In this talk

1. 5:25

   Space launch by accelerator

   Longshot Space CEO Mike Grace pitches a ground-based multi-injection launcher intended to lower the cost of sending heavy payloads to orbit. He says the company has raised about $20 million, has roughly $15 million in Department of War development bookings, and is targeting a two-ton payload system. Grace describes electronics and dense semiconductor payloads as a better fit than large optical instruments, given the forces involved.

2. 18:33

   Product authentication chips

   Veraritoss CEO Lucy Holland presents flexible, washable microchips that connect products to digital authenticity records and a brand dashboard. The company says its iOS app is live, its chips work with apparel and accessories, and a next generation is designed for glass, jewelry, and metal. Holland cites a partnership involving Athos and Tiffany & Co. championship crowns; she says the business charges a software subscription plus hardware costs.

3. 29:53

   Simulation for physical AI

   Llas Intelligence CEO Howie Sunoon demonstrates software that generates simulated environments and uses testing agents to propose difficult scenarios for robots and autonomous vehicles. He says creating an earlier Mcity digital twin cost about $250,000 and 15 person-months, while the current process costs about $600 and uses 300 GPU hours. The company says automotive and autonomous driving firms are paying customers, and it aims to expand into warehouse robots, robot arms, and humanoids.

4. 42:07

   AI to reduce wildlife conflicts

   Flock Intelligence CEO Sarah Nashkova describes an edge device that uses motion detection and computer vision to identify wildlife, then plays context-specific bioacoustic signals. She says the system is deployed across three continents, including at airports and with transport operators, and reports that an 80% reduction in collisions during the first year is a strong target it has surpassed so far. The company says airport deployments can range from an initial 10 to 50 devices to as many as 500 to 1,000 at larger airports.

5. 55:22

   Software for satellites in orbit

   Satellite founder and CEO Rama Aulu pitches software to run and manage applications on spacecraft, reduce data sent to Earth, and connect satellite resources. He says operators pay $4,200 per spacecraft per month, while software vendors pay $10,000 plus usage fees, and reports more than $500,000 in commercial contracts. Aulu says the company has demonstrated a 97% reduction in telemetry data on a satellite and is working toward a multi-node flight connecting different satellite systems.