# Viraj Aero

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

Startup · 2 people on Hacklab

## Links

- [Website](https://www.viraj-aero.com/)
- [Y Combinator](https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/viraj-aero)
- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/100603558)

## About

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

## YC company profile

Next generation gas turbines for data centers & aviation

Viraj Aero builds gas turbines that deliver both power and cooling water for data centers. It needs no grid connection and no water pipeline.

Burning natural gas already produces water. Our patented system captures that water from the exhaust. Part of it cools the data center. The rest is turned into steam and injected back into the turbine. That gives up to 40% more power from the same fuel (cheaper compute) and cuts NOx emissions by up to 99%, which cuts permit approvals from years to weeks.

We're building a genset around our first-of-its-kind gas turbine. It fits in a 10-foot container and runs anywhere, even in the desert. That matters because two-thirds of new data centers are being built in water-stressed regions.

We first built this steam-injected turbine for aircraft, where carrying water tanks isn't an option and efficiency is critical. We're currently integrating our full-scale prototype into an aircraft. The team comes from GE, Rolls-Royce and Formula 1, and we're already working with Safran, one of the world's largest aircraft engine manufacturers.

- **YC batch:** Fall 2026
- **Status:** Active
- **Industry:** Industrials
- **Stage:** Early
- **Tags:** Hard Tech, Energy, Aerospace, AI
- **YC partner:** Kulveer Taggar

## Founders

### Joseph Risson — Founder/CEO

Co-founder & CEO of Viraj Aero, building next-generation gas turbines for data centers and aviation. Aerospace engineer from ISAE-SUPAERO, where I majored in turbomachinery and fluid dynamics. Before Viraj, I worked on hybrid-electric propulsion at Ascendance Flight Technologies, hydrogen propulsion at Beyond Aero (YC W22). Glider pilot.

[LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-risson/)

### Mathilde Bouilloux — Founder/-

Co-Founder at Viraj Aero.
Engineer from École des Ponts ParisTech (Institut Polytechnique de Paris). Previously led the development of 6 large-scale power projects totaling 120+ MW (solar, electric and hydrogen) at VINCI Concessions and Neoen, and structured infrastructure and energy investments as an Investment Analyst at Banque des Territoires (French state bank).

[LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathilde-bouilloux/)

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

## Current staff

- [Joseph Risson](https://hacklab.so/joseph-risson) — Founder/CEO (Present)
- [Mathilde Bouilloux](https://hacklab.so/mathilde-bouilloux) — Founder/\- (Present)