September 16, 2025 · Entrepreneurs, Innovation, Program Impact, Stories
Meet the Founders: Innovate Alabama Supplemental Grant Recipient Hyperion Aerospace
As part of Innovate Alabama’s mission to support high-growth, high-impact startups across the state, the SBIR/STTR Supplemental Grant Program provides matching funds to Alabama companies that have received federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards.
In the most recent round of funding, Innovate Alabama awarded $3.3 million to 20 companies across the state. These founders are building the future — right here in Alabama.
Get to know them in our “Meet the Founders” Q&A series.
Company: Hyperion Aerospace LLC
Founder(s): Tomas Hasanof
City: Huntsville/Madison
Q&A with Tomas Hasanof, Hyperion Aerospace
In simple terms, what does your company do?
Hyperion Aerospace is a small business based in Madison, Alabama. Think of us as building a better, cleaner kind of rocket fuel and the engines that use it. Our “green” propellant rocket engines help satellites move, power deep-space missions, and get things from point A to B in space more efficiently and safely than what’s currently out there. We’re excited to be pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
Why are you building and growing your business in Alabama?
Huntsville is the place to be if you’re serious about rockets. It’s not just called “Rocket City” for nothing! Being surrounded by NASA Marshall, the Missile Defense Agency and all the big players in the space industry – like Blue Origin and Raytheon – creates incredible energy and opportunity. Plus, the talent pool here, especially coming out of UAH’s strong aerospace programs, is second to none. We feel right at home in this innovative environment.
Tell us about a recent success that you’re particularly proud of.
We’re really excited about the progress we’re making in developing large thrusters for the Department of Defense. It feels good to be contributing directly to the security of our nation’s assets in space. Knowing that our “green” technology can play a vital role in such an important area is something we take a lot of pride in.
How will the Innovate Alabama SBIR/STTR matching funds help your company?
The Innovate Alabama funds are a game-changer for us. They’ll allow us to build our own in-house testing facility for our flight thrusters. Right now, we have to go elsewhere for this critical step, which adds time and cost. Having our own testing capability will speed things up dramatically and give us much more control over our development process. Plus, it means we can grow our team right here in Madison, bringing in more smart people to help us achieve our goals.
What’s next for your business?
Looking ahead, we’re laser-focused on continuing to advance our green propulsion technology. We see a huge potential for it across the space industry. Being based in North Alabama, we also plan to expand our local operations, creating more jobs and deepening our commitment to this community. We believe the future of space is green, and we’re determined to be at the forefront of that revolution right here in “Rocket City.”
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