Impact:

In November 2022, Eolian became one of two software companies to receive APFIT (Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies) funding from the US government, certifying deployment readiness and propelling the humble startup to established military contractor status with active defense partnerships. The fielded product is now serving DoD elite teams in actual operations: planning missions, gathering photogrammetry and geospatial intelligence, and conducting pre-and post-mission briefings through intuitive mixed reality interfaces. The design work met the DoD's stringent operational requirements, secured competitive APFIT funding that fundamentally changed Eolian's business trajectory, and achieved active deployment status. This validates how strategic design leadership can deliver not only mission-critical technology that performs when lives depend on it, but also the market credibility that transforms startups into trusted defense contractors.