Dr. Michael Keidar
Co Founder & Chair of Scientific Advisory Board
A globally recognized expert in plasma science, Dr. Keidar holds over 30 patents and has published extensively on both electric propulsion and biomedical plasma applications. His breakthroughs in air-breathing plasma thrusters and cold atmospheric plasma have formed the backbone of JivaJet’s dual-division model. He continues to advise JivaJet’s R&D roadmap while leading academic research at GWU.
Barry Tilton
Chief Strategy Officer
Barry Tilton is an accomplished technology leader with over 35 years of experience in aerospace systems, geospatial intelligence, and engineering management. He currently serves as President of IEEE-USA (2026), where he provides leadership on technology policy, innovation advocacy, and professional development for engineers across the United States. With more than three decades of experience across the U.S. intelligence community, defense, and commercial space sector, Barry brings deep expertise in space systems, geospatial intelligence, ISR architectures, and multi-INT integration. His career spans senior leadership roles supporting the National Reconnaissance Office, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, U.S. Air Force, and leading commercial space firms, where he helped translate cutting-edge research into operational capability.
Barry Tilton advises the company’s leadership on long-term strategy, government engagement, and the integration of advanced space technologies into national security and commercial architectures.
Dr. Anmol Taploo
Co Founder & Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
A propulsion systems innovator, Dr. Taploo is the architect behind JivaJet’s Self-Neutralizing Air-Breathing Plasma Thruster (SABPT). His work focuses on extending satellite mission life in VLEO, designing propulsion systems that adapt to atmospheric drag and require no onboard propellant — a leap forward in sustainable space mobility. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, during which he invented the Self-Neutralizing Air-Breathing Plasma Thruster (SABPT)—a breakthrough propulsion system enabling sustained satellite operation in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). His innovation inspired DARPA’s Charge Harmony program and has been recognized with multiple awards and patents.
Dr. Vikas Soni
Founder, Chief Scientific Officer (CSO)
With a specialization in cold atmospheric plasma for therapeutic use, Dr. Soni bridges fundamental science with real-world clinical application. He leads JIVAMED’s device design and biological validation efforts, working toward FDA approvals and animal trials for non-invasive treatments of skin infections and wound care. He holds a PhD in plasma medicine and a master’s in biochemistry, cellular, and molecular biology. His interdisciplinary research focuses on the development of Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) technologies for the non-invasive treatment of cancer, viral infections, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. His research interests span plasma medicine, cancer biology, space medicine, and astrobiology. Dr. Soni has extensive experience in cancer research and has worked at both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). At the NIH, he contributed to studies on cancer gene regulation, while at the FDA, he led research on CAP treatment for multidrug-resistant pathogens such as MRSA and E. coli, as well as plasma-based decontamination of PPE and surfaces. His work has also explored CAP applications for inactivating viruses like influenza and SARS-CoV-2.
Shashank Kaul
Chief Executive Officer
Shashank Kaul is a deep-tech entrepreneur and systems architect with a strong foundation in public-sector innovation and mission enablement. A Cisco veteran with a degree in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering from the College of Engineering Roorkee, he has led modernization initiatives across U.S. federal agencies, blending engineering precision with scalable execution. A former Chair of IEEE’s Computer Society (DC-NOVA Chapter) and a Forbes Technology Council member, Shashank brings award-winning leadership and a proven record in secure communications, government contracting, and dual-use commercialization. At JivaJet, he leads strategy, partnerships, and execution across defense, space, and healthcare.
Jake Spinelli
Aerospace Design Engineer
Jake Spinelli is an Aerospace Design Engineer at JivaJet, working hands-on across plasma propulsion hardware for air-breathing and MPD thrusters, as well as cold atmospheric plasma devices. His work spans mechanical design, materials selection, manufacturing, vacuum testing, and experimental validation, translating plasma concepts into flight-relevant and application-ready hardware.