Beckett Jackson is an investing director at Boeing HorizonX Ventures, the corporate venture capital (CVC) arm of aerospace technology producer Boeing, who specialises in early-stage deals for space and connectivity companies.
HorizonX invests in four areas – mobility transformation, space and connectivity, industry 4.0 and digital acceleration. Jackson, who leads space and connectivity, said: “We have made six investments in my area, and I am the Boeing board observer for three of our portfolio companies.”
One of the investments he oversaw was a $20m deal in space exploration company Virgin Galactic. It became publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange in October 2019.
Another investment he is proud of is supersonic business jet developer Aerion, which required a considerable contribution from Boeing personnel and resources for the development of the aircraft.
Additionally, urban air mobility electric propulsion provider EP Systems doubled in size since the unit’s investment, while artificial intelligence technology developer Spark Cognition also completed a $100m series C round and increased its valuation.
Jackson added: “My initial involvement [with CVC] began as a member of corporate strategy where I had the responsibility of developing recommendations for Boeing’s CEO and board of directors on new structures the company could create to improve our approach to the innovation.
“This work paved the way for the establishment and stand up of HorizonX and our venture fund. Subsequently, I spent a year and a half on an expat assignment in Australia for our Phantom Works division, but continued support of our CVC through multiple startup engagement and sponsorship and mentorship for the Techstars Defence Accelerator in Adelaide. In early 2018, I returned to the US and joined the HorizonX Ventures team in my current role.”
Jackson began his career in US national security after receiving a degree in international relations from Johns Hopkins University. He transitioned to the private sector in 2010, taking a business analyst role at IHS Jane’s and completed a master’s degree in national security at Georgetown University, before joining Boeing in 2012 where he held strategy and M&A roles for seven years.
Damineh Mycroft is an investing director for Boeing HorizonX Ventures, the corporate venture capital (CVC) arm of aerospace technology producer Boeing.
Boeing hired Mycroft in 2003 and she has spent the past 16 years at the company, assuming different roles including government and commercial satellites’ financial planning and business executions.
HorizonX appointed her an investing principal in August 2016 and promoted her three years later to her current role. She is based in Silicon Valley and helps carry out Boeing’s CVC activities and establish strategic partnerships with disruptors.
Mycroft said: “In the early days of forming HorizonX, the venture group leadership needed an entrepreneurial team member to be the founding presence for the venture arm in Silicon Valley – I had the privilege of being the first person on the ground for [HorizonX’s office there].
“It was this entrepreneurial journey, a chance to build something new that attracted me to CVC. The company had just celebrated its centennial and with a new chief executive in place, we were putting the building blocks of the next 100 years.
“Identifying and partnering with innovative teams via a venture arm is a major component of this vision. As part of the founding team, I was instrumental in establishing the office, the culture, extending our brand and pushing the possibilities for Boeing in Silicon Valley.”
Most recently, Boeing HorizonX Ventures led a funding round of undisclosed size in June 2019 for Robotic Skies, online aerial drone repair marketplace operator, and invested another undisclosed amount in metal additive producer Morf3D three months after.
The unit also contributed to enterprise operations modelling technology developer SparkCognition’s $100m series C round and provided $20m for space exploration company Virgin Galactic, both in October 2019.
She said: “While we are still in the early days, long before anticipating an exit, we have seen tremendous growth and revenue traction in several of these partnerships, including our investment in [delivery service provider] Matternet which now delivers critical healthcare supplies via drone in many locations.”
Mycroft holds a bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Southern California and pursued both her MBA and PhD in organisational leadership at Pepperdine University. She has been a Kauffman Fellow Class 24 member since June 2019.
