Centauri acquires Design Knowledge and PreTalen companies

Centauri, a provider of high-end space, intelligence, directed energy and cyber solutions, has acquired The Design Knowledge Co. (TDKC) and PreTalen Ltd.

TDKC has proven capabilities in microelectronics trust and assurance, space domain awareness, and advanced visualization for enhanced situational awareness. PreTalen’s core competencies are the related practices of cyber warfare, navigational warfare, and positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) techniques and technologies in support of defense and offensive operations to counter adversaries.

Both companies are headquartered in Dayton, Ohio.

The acquisitions more than double the number of Centauri employees in the region to more than 300, supporting customers across the space, cyber and intelligence markets.

In addition, to bringing TDKC and PreTalen’s capabilities to bear for Centauri’s broader customer base, Centauri is building additional research and development labs, and secure facilities in the Dayton region to expand innovation and cutting-edge solutions for Centauri’s customers.

“Both TDKC and PreTalen have exceptional talent and share a common culture of innovation in pioneering new capabilities for the warfighter” said Dave Dzaran, CEO of Centauri. “With TDKC, we are building world-class capability to help ensure trusted microelectronics in the supply chains for the defense and intelligence communities. Their expertise in space domain awareness brings additional AI and machine learning technology to further strengthen Centauri’s existing space-related mission capabilities focused on the next generation of solutions that will serve this rapidly-evolving domain.”

“Similarly to TDKC, PreTalen’s unique skill sets relating to all aspects of the PNT architecture serve as a true differentiator on their programs,” said Dennis Kelly, president and COO of Centauri. “PreTalen has built a critical mass of the most innovative employees in both PNT and cyber, and we are excited to facilitate collaboration not only with our Dayton operations but also across the rest of our company.”

Greg Gerten, CEO of PreTalen, and Dan Schiavone and Eric Loomis, founders of TDKC, as well as both of their leadership teams, including Bruce Hart, will become a part of Centauri’s growing operations in the region.

This investment in the Dayton region comes on the heels of Centauri’s hiring of Col. Elena Oberg, former vice commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, headquartered just outside Dayton at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

With the addition of TDKC and PreTalen, Centauri now has more than $475 million of annual revenues and 1,650 employees, approximately 20% of which support customers located in the Dayton market.

“I speak for all of PreTalen when I say that we are extremely excited to be joining forces with Centauri,” Gerten said. “Our team is eager to apply our core capabilities to the space and Intelligence communities, and we look forward to replicating our past success for an ever-increasing number of customers. Furthermore, Centauri’s focus on innovation meshes well with what we’ve spent 12 years building here at PreTalen, and I’m thrilled to continue our journey with their support.”