Nelson Smith is Co-Founder of Aquila, an Australasian deep tech startup pioneering wireless energy transmission via laser beams to create the 'internet of energy' and accelerate the global clean energy transition.

Nelson earned a degree in Mechatronics and Product Development from the University of Auckland and Massey University, before spending 3 years as a Guidance, Navigation and Control Engineer at Rocket Lab, where he built Electron rockets and networked systems.

Nelson brings a rare blend of aerospace engineering and systems thinking to Aquila, having also managed IoT systems at Teknique and developed computer vision systems at ControlVision. He and co-founder Billy Jeremijenko met through the Startmate Engineering Fellowship, bonding over a shared passion for space, lasers, and renewable energy.

Aquila raised a $3M AUD seed round led by Blackbird Ventures alongside Icehouse Ventures, Possible Ventures, and Startmate, followed by an additional $2M raise led by Alua Group. In under 6 months with only $75K, the team built a wireless drone-charging prototype and negotiated Rocket Lab IP.

Aquila achieved a world first by wirelessly charging a drone from 50 metres at Latrobe Regional Airport, and has since powered a warehouse robot for 24 hours straight via laser-transmitted energy. The company has attracted interest from global customers including DARPA and is progressing toward satellite-scale energy beaming.