# Jai Malik

> Jai Malik is the founder and CEO of Amca (Advanced Manufacturing Company of America), an aerospace and defense manufacturer that launched in April 2025 with $76.5M from Caffeinated Capital, Founders Fund, Lux Capital, and Andreessen Horowitz. A serial entrepreneur and self-described 'industrial capitalist,' Malik previously founded Countdown Capital (2020-2024), an early-stage hard tech venture fund, after stints as an early team member at AI defense startups Accrete and Forge.AI. He also serves as Venture Partner at Redbud VC in Columbia, MO. Amca's thesis: acquire legacy aerospace suppliers and rebuild them from the inside out, starting with a 60-year-old avionics supplier in El Monte, California.

- **Role:** Founder & CEO at Amca / Venture Partner at Redbud VC
- **Organizations:** Amca, Redbud VC, Countdown Capital (former), Accrete AI (former), Forge.AI (former), Rocana Ventures (former)
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.S. Business, Political Economy, and Philosophy, NYU Stern School of Business
- **Known for:** Founded Amca and raised $76.5M from top-tier VCs including a16z, Founders Fund, and Lux Capital at launch, Built Countdown Capital to $20M+ AUM as solo GP focused on hard tech and industrial startups, Early team member at Accrete AI, helping launch its first two products for defense and commercial customers

## Career timeline

- **2017-2019** — Senior Project Manager at Accrete AI - early team member at AI/defense startup (raised $30M+)
- **2019-2020** — Product Manager at Forge.AI - dual-use AI startup, led product management for data products; company later acquired by FiscalNote
- **2020** — Associate at Rocana Ventures - foodtech and manufacturing investments
- **2020-2024** — Founded and ran Countdown Capital, an early-stage hard tech venture fund; Fund I: $3M, Fund II: $15M
- **2021** — Became Venture Partner at Redbud VC, Columbia, MO
- **2022** — Raised Fund II for Countdown Capital ($15M), backed by David Sacks, Turner Novak, Hunter Walk
- **2024** — Shut down Countdown Capital in January; returned uninvested capital; exited portfolio positions including K2 Space and Hadrian
- **2025** — Founded Amca (Advanced Manufacturing Company of America); raised $76.5M; acquired Electro-Mech Components; signed Boeing and Lockheed Martin as customers

## Achievements

- Founded Amca and raised $76.5M from top-tier VCs including a16z, Founders Fund, and Lux Capital at launch
- Built Countdown Capital to $20M+ AUM as solo GP focused on hard tech and industrial startups
- Early team member at Accrete AI, helping launch its first two products for defense and commercial customers
- Backed K2 Space and Hadrian through Countdown Capital before both became high-profile aerospace/defense names
- Acquired 60-year-old Electro-Mech Components as Amca's first acquisition within five months of founding
- Secured Boeing and Lockheed Martin as customers within Amca's first months of operation
- Publicly wound down Countdown Capital with transparency and honesty about structural limits of small hard tech funds

## Latest updates

- **2025-04** — Launched Amca with $76.5M in funding from Caffeinated Capital, Founders Fund, Lux Capital, and a16z
- **2025-04** — Announced first acquisition: Electro-Mech Components (El Monte, CA), a 60-year-old avionics supplier
- **2025-04** — Announced Boeing and Lockheed Martin as Amca customers
- **2024-01** — Shut down Countdown Capital and returned uninvested capital, citing structural challenges for small hard tech funds
- **2021** — Joined Redbud VC as Venture Partner

## Links

- Website: https://amca.co
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jai-malik
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/Jai__Malik

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/jai-malik
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-06