Sassie Duggleby is CEO and co-founder of Venus Aerospace, a deep-tech company founded in 2020 that is revolutionizing rocket engine propulsion. She has led the company from concept to global recognition, securing over $180M in venture capital, building partnerships with NASA, DARPA, and the U.S. Air Force, and assembling the team behind multiple industry firsts — including the world’s first test flight of a high-thrust rotating detonation rocket engine.

Sassie’s career spans engineering, manufacturing, and high-growth startups, including her role as a Launch Systems Engineer and Mission Management Consultant at Virgin Orbit and leadership positions in fiber optics, biotechnology, and manufacturing. She is a board member of the Texas Space Commission and has been recognized on Inc.’s Female Founders 200 list for three consecutive years. She holds a B.S., summa cum laude, in Biomedical Engineering from Texas A&M University and an MBA from Virginia Tech.