Co-Founder and Chief Executive, Relativity Space Inc.

Ellis co-founded Relativity with Jordan Noone in 2016. Prior to that, he worked as a propulsion development engineer at Blue Origin, overseeing the rocket manufacturer’ s 3D-printing operations. In 2018, Ellis was named to the National Space Council Users Advisory Group. The following year Relativity became one of 56 companies designated as technology pioneers by the World Economic Forum. Under Ellis’ guidance, Relativity raised about $1.3 billion in funding, bringing its valuation to $4.2 billion. The company has about 1,000 employees working at two facilities in Long Beach. Relativity’s first rocket, Terran 1, lifted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida in March but failed to reach orbit.

YEARS ON THE LA500: 3