Emerging KC space tech startup relocating to Colorado to build autonomous factory
August 12, 2025 | Tommy Felts
A space tech startup that shot into orbit from its West Bottoms headquarters in Kansas City has announced plans to build its first smart factory in Colorado — relocating operations to Broomfield to join the Centennial State’s “robust aerospace and defense ecosystem.”
“Colorado is home to some of the best aerospace, defense, and manufacturing talent in the country,” Raven Space Systems said in a LinkedIn post announcing the relocation and hiring efforts. “As we scale our production of high-performance composite parts with our MAD 3D printing technology, proximity to industry partners and top-tier talent is critical.”
The company is developing 3D printed hypersonic flight testbed vehicles for the defense and space industries to accelerate the development of hypersonic materials and technologies.
Raven expects to create up to 392 net new jobs at the Colorado site, at an average annual wage of $130,867, according to a press release from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.
The Colorado Economic Development Commission approved up to $5,852,666 in a performance-based Job Growth Incentive Tax Credit for the company over an eight-year period — contingent on Raven meeting net new job creation and salary requirements, the economic development agency said.
One of Startland News’ Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2024, Raven announced a $1.8 million STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) Phase II contract — awarded by AFWERX, an innovation arm within the Air Force Research Laboratory — in November. It also logged a $2 million pre-seed round and landed a patent for its Microwave Assisted Deposition (MAD) 3D printing innovation.
Blake Herren, Raven Space Systems, speaks in January 2024 at UMKC during a founder panel conversation during Startland News’ Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2024 seminar and reception; photo by Tommy Felts, Startland News
Co-founders Blake Herren and Ryan Cowdrey later were honored by Forbes 30 Under 30 in the 2025 Manufacturing and Industry category.
LaunchKC winners in November 2023: Steven Coen, SaRA Health; Jannae Gammage, Foresight; Neelima Parasker, Lotus TMS; Learie Hercules, Heft IQ; Holly Andra Small, Lotus TMS; Triumfia Houmbie Fulks and Sedric Hibler, CodeAlgo Academy; Ryan Cowdrey and Blake Herren, Raven Space Systems; photo by Mark McDonald, Downtown Council
Herren declined to further discuss the relocation and Raven’s plans for building the autonomous composite manufacturing facility in Broomfield, though he expressed gratitude for support shown to the startup during its time in Kansas City.
The startup was founded as Raven 3D Printing in 2020 after Herren and Cowdrey, an Overland Park native, met at the University of Oklahoma, each exploring the possibilities of 3D printing.
They relocated the company to Kansas City in 2021, eventually earning local funding through LaunchKC and Digital Sandbox KC.
“When we moved to KC, we had a very early-stage proof of concept 3D printing innovation,” Herren told Startland News previously. “We didn’t know what it was truly capable of. … While developing this revolutionary innovation, we discovered a growing need in the space industry.”
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Kauffman: U.S. entrepreneurial growth on upward trend
For the third year in a row, U.S. entrepreneurial ventures are growing, indicating that domestic entrepreneurship growth has rebounded since the Great Recession, according to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The “2016 Kauffman Index of Growth Entrepreneurship” found the improvement was in large part thanks to startups growing faster in their first five years than…
Greg Kratofil shows how startups can tap new crowdfunding law
Kansas City startups are already interested in tapping new crowdfunding rules that allow them to trade equity for investment funds. Polsinelli tech attorney Greg Kratofil said that he’s fielded several calls from entrepreneurs hoping to raise capital via recent changes to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s equity crowdfunding regulations. The changes, which took effect on…
The Bunker Labs KC lands funding to help veteran entrepreneurs
The area’s go-to organization for military veteran entrepreneurs, Bunker Labs KC, will boost its impact in the area with new financial support. The local organization, which is a part of the national network of Bunker Labs, announced Wednesday that it received $100,000 from the Missouri Technology Corporation. The funds will primarily be used to bring…
Fading passion compels in-the-black Creelio to shut down
Kansas City-based storytelling startup Creelio is closing its doors after three years of helping executives write custom content. Founded in 2013, Creelio was born out of a 2012 Startup Weekend competition and led by Julie Edge and Steve Stava. The six-person firm company co-wrote blogs and content with more than 60 area executives, helping them…