CEO, Applied Atomics, Inc
Ben Kellie is an Alaskan entrepreneur, mechanical engineer, and writer whose career spans the frontiers of space, energy, and the Arctic. He is currently the Co-Founder and CEO of Applied Atomics, a deep tech company working to unlock the next era of advanced industry through fission power.
Kellie began his career at SpaceX, where he played an early role in developing launch infrastructure at Vandenburg AFB and helped pioneer the company’s efforts to land rockets on ocean barges by leading build and operations for the barges from first steel in the shipyard. He then founded The Launch Company, which delivered standardized flight hardware and autonomous launch systems to a new generation of aerospace ventures, successfully bootstrapping hardware to space. The company was acquired by Voyager Space in 2021.
After that acquisition, he served as the Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Alaska, where he mentored early-stage founders through the Upstart Alpha accelerator and advises deep-tech and hardware startups through TechStars mentorship. Kellie also writes The Next 30 Trips, a newsletter exploring resilience, purpose, and the art of doing hard things well. He is currently working on a memoir, The First 30 Trips, chronicling his journey from rural Alaska to the cutting edge of aerospace, and the personal transformation that followed.
A lifelong Alaskan, Kellie grew up flying with his family’s bush aviation business, delivering supplies to remote communities. This upbringing instilled in him a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities of life in the North. He is a passionate advocate for a sustainable, inclusive future in Alaska and the broader Arctic, supporting entrepreneurs and community leaders working toward a carbon-negative economy.