JCATI Impact

Since 2013, the Joint Center for Aerospace Technology Innovation (JCATI) has invested more than $19.6 million in 219 industry–university projects, partnering 112 aerospace companies in 18 Washington counties with engineering faculty and students at the state's public universities. These collaborations help companies solve technology roadblocks, from composites and advanced manufacturing to propulsion, space systems, and sustainable aviation, while training the next generation of Washington's aerospace workforce.

The stories below show what happens when industry challenges meet university expertise. Interested in partnering? Learn about JCATI funding opportunities or submit an industry partner inquiry.

Yellow industrial robot arm holding a 16-nozzle plasma treatment head, connected to racks of cabled equipment in a lab

The power of plasma

UW Mechanical Engineering researchers and Mukilteo-based Electroimpact are testing whether plasma treatment during automated fiber placement can produce stronger aerospace composites, in a JCATI-funded project at the UW Advanced Composites Center.

JCATI partnership propels space startup to historic launch

In 2026, Juno Propulsion will launch the first rotating detonation engine (RDE) on an orbital flight. This space history milestone started with a simple problem: a startup needed expertise they couldn't afford, and a University of Washington aerospace lab needed a real-world application.