Chief Technology Officer - Aerospace & GeoAI

A European deep-tech startup is seeking a hands-on CTO to own the technology stack, focusing on aerospace hardware and mission-critical systems. The role demands oversight of system development, testing, and integration with AI platforms. Ideal candidates have a senior background in aerospace or defence, with experience in taking hardware from prototype to production. This position emphasizes ownership and hands-on involvement within a dynamic startup environment. Own the technology vision and execution end-to-end. Lead development of stratospheric platforms and avionics. Oversee testing, qualification, reliability, and certification. Build and lead a small, high-quality engineering team. Coordinate system-level integration with AI and data platforms. Build and lead a small, high-quality engineering team. Act as a technical reference with institutional and defence partners. Senior background in aerospace, satellites, or defence. Experience taking complex hardware from prototype to operations. Hands-on, pragmatic, and comfortable making technical decisions. Startup mindset: hands-on, pragmatic, systems-driven.