Former Space Force CTIO joins advisory board for artificial intelligence startup Seekr

Former Space Force Chief Technology and Innovation Officer Lisa Costa has been appointed to the advisory board for artificial intelligence startup Seekr, the company announced Wednesday.

Costa served as the Space Force’s first-ever CTIO from 2021 until her retirement from federal government service in June 2024. During her tenure, she was responsible for strategies and policies aimed at advancing the military branch’s research and development of critical emerging technologies — such as AI and machine learning, digital training environments and IT infrastructure. 

“I’m proud to join Seekr and collaborate with a team that shares my vision for trusted AI,” Costa said in a statement. “Seekr addresses critical AI development needs, including explainability and data security, enabling government agencies to launch mission-critical applications simply and securely. I am excited to bring my 35 years of high-stakes federal and commercial experience to unlock AI’s full potential for government.”

A career technologist, Costa has over three decades of experience in advocating for emerging science and tech across both government and industry. Prior to her role as Space Force CTIO, she held positions at U.S. Special Operations Command, MITRE and Engility Corp.

At the Space Force, she helped develop and modernize the organization’s cloud-based repository for space domain awareness data known as the Unified Data Library. Notably, she worked to upgrade the system with AI and ML tools in order to streamline the service’s access to critical government and commercial sensor data.

As a member of Seekr’s advisory board, Costa will help “address the critical need for commercial-grade AI solutions vetted for government use” with an emphasis on the defense sector, according to a company press release.

The Virginia-based startup specializes in helping users address accuracy, bias and transparency concerns while building custom AI models.

The company’s flagship SeekrFlow platform allows government agencies to develop trustworthy large language models by offering additional tools that scan and grade information that the models are being trained on. Last year, the platform passed assessment by the Pentagon’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) and is available for purchase via the online Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Lisa Costa, whose deep defense and national security expertise will accelerate our efforts to deliver advanced AI solutions for government, solving previously intractable problems dealing with complex datasets such as satellite and UAV imagery,” Seekr President Rob Clark said in a statement.