In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, host Neal Bloom sits down with Aleksey Matyushev, co-founder and CEO of Natilus, the San Diego-based aerospace company reinventing air freight and passenger travel with next-gen aircraft. With over $39 billion in orders and a growing footprint in South County, Natilus is bringing cutting-edge manufacturing back to San Diego.

Aleksey shares his journey from growing up near a Soviet airfield to becoming an aerodynamicist at Piper and Kratos. He walks us through the founding story of Natilus, early pivots from seaplanes to blended wing bodies, and how customer feedback (and cold emails) helped shape the company’s strategy. Plus, we dive into capital efficiency, certification pathways, and how Natilus is carving out space in a market long dominated by Boeing and Airbus.

Key Topics Covered:

• The legacy of aerospace in San Diego and why Natilus is doubling down here

• Aleksey’s path from Piper Aircraft to Kratos to Natilus

• Lessons learned from military-grade drones and commercial aviation

• The first MVP: a 30-foot autonomous seaplane built in 14 months

• Why cargo came first - and how airlines asked for passenger planes next

• The Kona and Horizon: aircraft designed for freight and people, optimized for fuel, volume, and cost

• Navigating testing, tooling, and certification with just $15M in capital raised

• Why wind tunnels, FAA approvals, and Brown Field are key San Diego assets

• How India became a fast-moving market for commercial orders

• The future of aviation as seen from South County, San Diego

Links & Resources

• Natilus

• Learn more about Rising Tide Partners

Connect with Aleksey & Neal

• Connect with Aleksey on LinkedIn

• Connect with Neal Bloom on LinkedIn