# Hop Aero

[Hop Aero on Hacklab](https://hacklab.so/org/hop-aero)

Startup · 2 people on Hacklab

## Links

- [Website](https://hopaero.com/)
- [Y Combinator](https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/hop-aero)
- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/hop-aero/)

## About

<!-- hacklab:yc-profile -->

## YC company profile

Rocket cargo delivery to contested environments

Hop Aero is building rocket cargo vehicles that deliver to contested environments hundreds of miles away in minutes. Our rockets fly point-to-point into the most austere locations at hypersonic speeds. Hop Aero's goal is to provide the U.S. and allies the asymmetric advantage that deters a future major conflict.

- **YC batch:** Summer 2026
- **Founded:** 2024
- **Team size:** 6
- **Location:** Los Angeles, CA
- **Country:** US
- **Status:** Active
- **Industry:** Industrials
- **Stage:** Early
- **YC partner:** Tyler Bosmeny

## Founders

### Matija Milenovic — Founder/CEO

Founder at Hop Aero. Previously CEO at porkchop (electric propulsion for satellites), launched on SpaceX Transporter-3, built $400M+ sales pipeline, sold IP. System Engineer at Destinus leading 20+ person team on supersonic UAV. Scaled Ukrainian loitering munition production from 10 to 100+ units/month. MS Aerospace Engineering KTH Stockholm.

[LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/matija-milenovic/) · [X](https://x.com/mat_milenovic)

### Jacob Balaj — Founder/CTO

Founder at Hop Aero. Previously Integration & Test Engineer at SpinLaunch (satellites), Lead Systems Integration & Test at Masten Space Systems (lunar lander for NASA's CLPS program), and Integration & Test at Virgin Orbit (LauncherOne) and SpaceX (Falcon 9/Heavy—built booster refurbishment process, cut test time in half). Earlier avionics QA on MV-22 tiltrotors in the US Marine Corps.

[LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-balaj-6b4b061b5/)

[Source: Y Combinator](https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/hop-aero) · Retrieved 2026-11-02. Company information is self-reported on YC.

## Current staff

- [Jacob Balaj](https://hacklab.so/jacob-balaj) — Founder/CTO (Present)
- [Matija Milenovic](https://hacklab.so/matija-milenovic) — Founder/CEO (Present)