Daniel Ateya, the 48-year-old President and Managing Director of RTX Ventures, is at the forefront of a revolution in emergency response technology. As the leader of RTX’s comprehensive venture capital unit, Ateya is guiding investments in start-ups developing technologies to drive transformation in aerospace and defense. His unique background, combining engineering expertise with financial acumen, has positioned him to spearhead innovative solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of our time.
Ateya’s journey to this pivotal role is as diverse as it is impressive. Growing up in Rochester, New York, he was surrounded by influences that shaped his future. “My father was an engineer, and really taught me a lot about mathematics, engineering and technology,” Ateya recalls. “I had an uncle and a grandfather that were in the military, so that was always close to my heart as well.”
This early exposure led Ateya through mechanical and aerospace engineering to a PhD and eventually to the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington DC, where he spent several years working on cutting-edge military technology. But Ateya’s curiosity didn’t stop at engineering. He developed a passion for the intersection of technology and investment, pursuing an MBA in finance from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.
“I really started to develop a love for technology and investing and wanted to find a way to get involved with early-stage tech companies,” Ateya explains. This desire led him to 3M Ventures where he spent nearly a dozen years overseeing investments in transformative technologies before taking on his current role at RTX Ventures.
It’s this unique combination of technical knowledge and investment expertise that has led Ateya and RTX to support GoAERO, a groundbreaking competition aimed at revolutionizing emergency response through advanced aerial vehicles. Ateya’s enthusiasm for GoAERO is palpable. “GoAERO is an exciting opportunity where you see this broad set of creative entrepreneurs leveraging technology, their creativity and problem-solving skills to come up with new solutions to some major challenge ," he says.
GoAERO challenges teams to design, build, and test emergency response aircraft – advanced flying vehicles capable of revolutionizing how first responders operate in disaster scenarios and everyday life. The goal is to create solutions that can navigate hazardous conditions, provide real-time data, and potentially deliver supplies or evacuate individuals from dangerous situations.
Ateya believes now is the perfect time for an initiative like GoAERO, citing two crucial factors: technological advancements and increasing market need. “Technology has developed in the last decade and a half to have a number of tools at a cost point that allow them to penetrate into new market applications,” Ateya explains. He points to recent developments in miniaturized electronic sensors and cameras as examples of technologies that have become cost-effective for new applications.
But it’s the increasing frequency and severity of climate-related disasters that make GoAERO not just timely but essential. In 2023 alone, the United States faced 28 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, straining our emergency response systems to their limits. “If you look at the number of wildfires and weather-related disasters that have caused a billion dollars of damage or more, it’s like a hockey stick in the last 20 years,” Ateya notes.
As climate change exacerbates extreme weather events, the need for revolutionary emergency response technologies becomes increasingly urgent. Ateya believes rapid adaptation is necessary for natural disaster response. “The significance and size of the damage in these natural disasters has increased at such a rate that we must adopt and adapt technology to battle these issues,” he warns.
“I’m really interested in the creative solutions that these teams come up with that leverage electrification, new mechanisms for propulsion, new ways to sense and detect and analyze a problem,” Ateya says. But it’s not just about technology. Ateya emphasizes practical application and business viability. “How do they convert this technological solution into useful reality that could be monetized and really become of mutual value for their business, the emergency responder, and for the public good?” he asks.
From providing real-time situational awareness during wildfires to facilitating rapid medical supply delivery after hurricanes, GoAERO’s flyers could transform disaster response, leading to faster response times, improved safety for first responders, and ultimately, more lives saved.
When asked for advice for GoAERO teams, Ateya emphasizes user-centric design: “Beyond just the physical solution, really spend a lot of time on how the user is going to engage and utilize the product or solution that they are developing. To me, that’s the real key.”
The challenge is set, and the stakes are high. GoAERO represents a unique opportunity to make a real difference in emergency response. Whether you’re an engineer, designer, entrepreneur, or simply passionate about saving lives, GoAERO needs your innovative spirit.
The future of emergency response is being written now, and you can be part of it. Form a team, join the GoAERO challenge, and help create the next generation of life-saving technology. Together, we can revolutionize emergency response and build a safer future for all.
To learn more about GoAERO and how you can participate, visit www.herox.com/goaero. The world is waiting for your ideas – are you ready to answer the call?
