Raven Space Systems lands Forbes 30 Under 30 honor, re-entering spotlight after funding news
December 4, 2024 | Startland News Staff
One of Kansas City’s most promising startups of the year has seen its fortunes rocket to the skies over the past three weeks, capped by a high-profile honor in the national media: a spot on the coveted Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
“Building Raven Space Systems has been a very challenging journey and I am so grateful for the support of those around me,” said Ryan Cowdrey, who founded Raven in 2020 alongside Blake Herren to pioneer 3D printing for space exploration.
“Excited for the road ahead,” Cowdrey continued, joining Herren in thanking all the advisors, mentors, coworkers, friends, and family who helped the duo through the years.
Click here to see the Raven spotlight in Forbes.
Raven was lauded in the 2025 Manufacturing and Industry category for 30 Under 30.
The company — a LaunchKC winner in 2023 and one of Startland News’ Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2024 — uses 3D printed, light-weight, high heat-resistance thermoset composite components that can be used for such applications as reentry capsules for on-demand space cargo return.
Tuesday’s Forbes announcement came just weeks after the headline-grabbing Kansas City startup was profiled in the national tech publication TechCrunch and its founders announced a freshly won $1.8 million U.S. defense contract.
Click here to check out the TechCrunch feature on Raven.
ICYMI: KC-built Raven Space Systems awarded $1.8M contract via Air Force’s innovation arm
Fueled by its new funding, Raven is building aerospace-grade composite 3D printing smart factories that will drastically reduce lead times to days, lower the cost of critical components, and usher in a new era of composite manufacturing for the U.S. and its allies, Herren told Startland News previously.
The startup earlier this year received a patent for its Microwave Assisted Deposition (MAD) 3D printing innovation, as well as completing a $2 million pre-seed round.
2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Forget the war on drugs — Marijuana is a war on chronic pain, says founder in ProjectUK cohort
Don’t look at marijuana through a societal lens, said Jessica Sanders. Instead view the natural substance as a potential life-saving measure. “My mother had multiple sclerosis and seeing her suffer really changed a lot about me,” explained Sanders, founder of Lisa’s Gifts — a high-quality THC extraction facility named after Sanders’ mom, expected to provide and…
We Grow KC investment summit aims to harness opportunity zones to empower neighborhood social fabric
Investment is a two-way street that can have a positive impact on both investors and community residents, said Dianne Cleaver. A new gathering — the June 26-27 We Grow KC Opportunity Zones Investor Summit — aims to bridge the potential divide between such neighbors with the back of Cleaver’s Urban Neighborhoods Initiative, the Ewing Marion…
USDA moving two key agencies to KC, expected to bring 568 new jobs to the animal health corridor
Corporate and government leaders agree: Kansas City is positioned at the hub of innovation in the animal health space, they said Thursday, announcing the metro has been chosen as the new home of two federal agencies. “Kansas City is a city with a small town feel, which makes it a great place to build a…
Bellwethr grows $2.5M in seed funding, building two-city talent base between KC, Manhattan
A $2.5 million seed funding round will infuse Bellwethr with more than cash, said Matt Moody. “We’ve been able to find some high quality talent and the big thing now is to apply that, build out the product more and start selling even faster,” Moody, founder and CEO, said of Bellwethr’s alignment for rapid growth.…