In a bold move, three former engineers from Anduril Technologies—Vishaal Mali, Kai Yin, and Aiden Jenkins—made a lifestyle shift that many only dream of: they swapped their high-tech office for a two-car garage. Trading in their corporate stability for the unpredictable world of startups, they dedicated themselves to creating Salient Motion, a defense tech company aiming to disrupt the aerospace component industry. Most startup stories highlight the chaotic yet exhilarating journey of innovation; Salient Motion’s inception was no different. With days stretching as long as 15 hours, the team persisted through the frigid air, relying on a propane tank heater to stave off the cold while passionately crafting airplane parts. They balanced their high aspirations with the urgent need to secure funding, all while navigating the nascent stages of a startup environment.
Their vision was ambitious: redesign thousands of software-driven aircraft components, reusing code to significantly reduce manufacturing costs and time. By May 2023, they had shown enough progress to secure a more conventional office space, but their attempts to change the game in aerospace tech would soon face a major hurdle.
The Lawsuit: A Test of Resolve
In September 2023, just as the founders began to gain traction, they faced a lawsuit from Anduril, filed by co-founder Palmer Luckey. The indictment alleged that Salient Motion had illicitly acquired and repurposed proprietary code from Anduril. The lawsuit painted a bleak picture of the startup’s legitimacy, implying that they had little intellectual capital of their own and generally undermined the team’s capabilities. As Luckey allegedly stated, Anduril would show “no mercy” to those suspected of theft, pushing the pressure even further on the young founders.
The lawsuit not only challenged the startup’s integrity but also severely strained its co-founding team. Lines of trust blurred as Yin departed from Salient Motion in early 2023, later pursuing legal action against his former comrades to recover legal fees incurred during the lawsuit. This fallout highlighted the harsh realities of the entrepreneurial world, where relationships can fracture under pressure.
While the legal challenges might have seemed overwhelming, they didn’t stymie all potential investors. Katherine Boyle, a partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and an initial champion for Salient Motion, recognized the startup’s potential against the backdrop of Anduril’s aggressive posturing. Her long-standing ties with the Anduril leadership did not prevent her from supporting Salient; instead, she provided invaluable guidance throughout the ordeal. This illustrates the dichotomy often found in startups—a delicate balance between mentorship and competition.
During his tenure at Anduril, Mali discovered some troubling truths hidden beneath the surface of the aerospace sector, particularly the monopoly-like practices of major contractors. Many components are sourced from only a handful of manufacturers, creating barriers that inflate prices and stifle competition. Mali recounted how suppliers often cling to outdated parts—certifications from decades past—due to the lack of competitors willing to disrupt their hold on the market. The result? Exorbitant prices, such as a $90,000 plastic bag containing inch-long metal tubes or a $52,000 airplane trash can.
Salient Motion’s mission is to address this cost inflation head-on by leveraging code-sharing strategies across various components. The idea is ingeniously simple yet revolutionary: if components share software logic, efficiencies can be achieved that streamline the production timeline while minimizing costs. Mali identified surprising overlaps between various airplane parts, such as those related to recline mechanisms and toilet pumps, demonstrating that they could reuse nearly 70% of the underlying software code. This approach effectively cuts the typical FAA design timeline from two years to under six months, making Salient Motion uniquely positioned to meet market needs.
Despite the ups and downs of the past two years, Salient Motion successfully concluded its legal disputes and managed to raise $4 million in seed funding, irrevocably boosting its financial position to $12 million. With this fresh capital infusion, the company aims to scale its workforce and establish a factory in Torrance, California, which will enable it to maintain full control over the assembly of its components.
Mali’s vision for the future remains clear: he is committed to pursuing collaborations with major aircraft manufacturers while navigating the winding paths of regulatory approval. As Salient Motion gears up to certify its first designed component next year, the team stands ready to break barriers within the aerospace sector.
Salient Motion’s story is one of resilience against adversity—both within the industry and in personal relationships. With an unwavering commitment to their mission, the founders are on the precipice of transforming an archaic sector, showcasing the enduring spirit of innovation in the face of challenges.