Batch: Achievements
- Co-founded Pyka in 2017, building autonomous electric aircraft for agriculture and cargo
- Raised $37M in Series A (2022) and $40M in Series B (2024) to scale Pyka
- Led firmware and power systems teams at Joby Aviation, advancing electric flight tech
- Graduated with a B.S. in Applied Physics from UC Davis in 2014
- Participated in Y Combinator (S17), helping scale Pyka rapidly
- Previously worked at Zee Aero and contributed to autonomous, electric aircraft projects
Living for Michael Norcia
Yo, you gotta hear about Michael Norcia. This guy’s the real deal in the world of flying tech, he’s basically turning wings into a green, autonomous cargo beast. So, he’s a YC alum from back in S17, and his process is straight-up inspiring.
Started out super geeky, buildin’ remote-controlled airplanes as a kid, just obsessed with flying. That passion? It’s what pushed him into studying Applied Physics at UC Davis, which he finished in 2014. But he didn’t stop there. Nah, he jumped straight into the aerospace scene, working at Zee Aero and Joby Aviation, big names in the autonomous, electric flight world. At Joby, he crushed it leading firmware and power systems teams, really getting deep into how to make flying machines smarter and cleaner.
Fast forward, in 2017, he co-founded Pyka, started in his parents’ garage, no cap. His goal? Build autonomous electric aircraft that can do real work, like crop dusting and cargo delivery. Think about it, flying machines that don’t pollute and actually help the planet. Under his leadership, Pyka grew crazy fast. They’ve raised $37 million in Series A and another $40 million in Series B, which is no joke. Now, they’re based in this huge 110,000 sqft hangar in Alameda, California, basically the Tesla of agricultural aviation.
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Talk to herWhat’s sick about Michael is how he merges tech with sustainability. He’s not just building gadgets, he’s aiming to change how we fly stuff and cut down emissions at the same time. Plus, he’s been through YC, which totally turbocharged his ability to scale Pyka.
Looking at his story, what jumps out is this relentless drive. He’s always been about pushing boundaries, started with remote planes, moved into autonomous flight, and now he’s creating real-world solutions that could change air travel forever. His process says one thing loud and clear: when you’re genuinely passionate about solving big problems, you don’t just build a company, you create the future.
So yeah, Michael Norcia? He’s a tech pioneer who’s not just dreaming about flying cars or greener skies, he’s making it happen.
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