De’Schzunell "DJ" Catlin
Welcome to Rise Urban Nation, the platform dedicated to spotlighting visionaries who shape culture, business, and industry legacy. In this episode, host Taryell Simmons sits down with Deschzunell "DJ" Catlin, a former NASA flight research engineer turned startup founder. Together, they explore how artificial intelligence is transforming general aviation safety and opening new frontiers for diverse founders in deep tech.
DJ shares the Yoruba origins of the company name Asozi, representing the hunter, tracker, and spirit of sound judgment.
Reflecting on his childhood in Southeast San Diego and how the roar of military aircraft near Miramar inspired his aerospace dreams.
Leading flight research operations on NASA's X-57 Maxwell, the agency's pioneering all-electric manned aircraft.
Advising the White House National Space Council on commercial space equity and HBCU policy initiatives.
Introducing Halo, a conversational edge AI co-pilot engineered to drastically reduce aviation accidents caused by cognitive overload.
Aviation Safety AI: Developing Artificial Pilot Awareness (APA) to synthesize cockpit telemetry, visual feeds, and air traffic data in real time.
Calculated Founder Risk: Transitioning from stable leadership roles at NASA and corporate consulting into venture-backed tech entrepreneurship.
Human-Machine Teaming: Designing cockpit AI assistants that empower human pilot decision-making without seizing flight controls.
Overcoming Unconscious Bias: Navigating aerospace venture fundraising, B2B enterprise procurement, and cross-cultural communication challenges.
Democratizing Flight: Envisioning a future where intuitive technology and regional air mobility make pilot licensing and personal aviation widely accessible.
Embrace calculated risks and view early setbacks as indispensable data points that sharpen your venture's trajectory.
Design AI systems that augment and support human expertise rather than attempting to replace human agency.
Maintain a lean, highly accountable execution team to innovate faster than large legacy competitors.
If you find yourself as the only underrepresented professional in an industry room, step forward boldly and bring others with you.
Deschzunell "DJ" Catlin is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Asozi, an aerospace technology company pioneering edge-based AI co-pilots for aviation safety. With over a decade of technical leadership at NASA and extensive expertise in avionics and flight research, Catlin is dedicated to advancing human-machine teaming. Connect with DJ and his team at https://asozi.com or via email at [email protected].
Taryell Simmons: All right, Rise family. I want you to think of this: What if the next revolution in technology was happening 30,000 feet in the air—not just in Silicon Valley, not just in big tech, but in the cockpit where human decision-making meets artificial intelligence? Who gets to build the future of industries like aerospace? For a long time, those spaces were not designed with people of color in mind. Today's guest did not wait for permission. He stepped in, learned the systems, and is now building something that could redefine how humans and machines work together in flight. Welcome back to Rise Urban Nation, where we unite, uplift, and ignite stories that shape culture, business, and legacy. I am your host, Terrell Simmons, and today we have a former NASA flight research engineer turned founder and CEO. Help me say the name of this company, DJ.
DJ Catlin: It is Asozi. It is an African Yoruba Orisha—the Orisha of the hunt, an expert tracker, and the Orisha of judgment. When naming the company, traditional American companies often reference Greek or Nordic gods. I wanted to pay homage to our culture, history, and lineage. The domain came back to me as a sign to join the hunt.
Taryell Simmons: That speaks to my soul. My dad is from Nigeria, and my given Yoruba name is Adekoumle. You are building the Wakanda of aerospace right in front of my eyes. Where did our journey first begin?
DJ Catlin: We met at the UCSD incubator event, and later reconnected at a MITRE event in Los Angeles.
Taryell Simmons: As a NASA engineer, aerospace systems leader, and startup founder, take us back. What first drew you into aerospace, and what led you to NASA?
DJ Catlin: I grew up in Southeast San Diego. My mother made sure we had good exposure, so I attended school near Miramar on UCSD's campus. Hearing F-14s fly overhead every day sparked my love for aviation. My grandfather took me to an airshow, and from then on, I wanted to fly planes, build planes, and work for NASA and Edwards Air Force Base. I attended Morehouse College to study applied physics, then joined the Air Force to work on avionics systems. A fellow reservist who worked full-time at NASA mentored me, prepped me for the interview, and helped me get my start. Over ten years at NASA, I worked my way up from technician to engineering manager. I worked on the Global Hawk program, SOFIA (the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy), and served as the operations flight research engineer on the X-57 Maxwell, NASA's first manned all-electric X-plane.
Taryell Simmons: How did you transition from NASA to entrepreneurship?
DJ Catlin: In graduate school at Thunderbird School of Global Management, I studied the new space economy. A classmate and I co-founded the Equity Space Alliance to help underrepresented founders enter the space sector. We were invited to the White House to advise the National Space Council and Vice President Kamala Harris on space policy and HBCU engagement. When federal priorities shifted, my co-founder and I pivoted to machine learning and avionics, discovering how AI can detect system anomalies. We launched Asozi to build an AI co-pilot that keeps pilots safe.
Taryell Simmons: What did NASA teach you about systems precision and risk?
DJ Catlin: You have to calculate risk, understand when to take it, and mitigate it. Aerospace taught me to take calculated risks and be comfortable failing, because lessons learned from failure are just as valuable as winning. At 37, after consulting on air taxis at Supernal, I realized if I did not take the risk now, I never would. Raising venture capital in aerospace is tough because user numbers are smaller than consumer tech, and we focus on safety rather than defense weapons. But with our experienced team, FAA advisors, and network, we are proving our value.
Taryell Simmons: Break down Artificial Pilot Awareness and Halo AI for our audience.
DJ Catlin: In general aviation, 80 percent of fatal accidents are caused by human error due to high cognitive workload. Solo pilots must read checklists, scan instruments, monitor airspace, and communicate with air traffic control simultaneously. Asozi created Artificial Pilot Awareness (APA), an edge-based machine learning model powered by a portable sensor device with an AI chip and camera. APA processes instrument data, audio, and visual inputs across 360 degrees. Halo is the conversational AI co-pilot that speaks naturally with the pilot to provide real-time guidance without taking physical control of the aircraft.
Taryell Simmons: What advice do you have for young Black innovators entering aerospace and AI?
DJ Catlin: We are already here. Reach out on LinkedIn, build your network, and if you do not see someone like you in the room, be the first and open the door for others behind you. When moving from engineer to CEO, you must think beyond linear boundaries and ask, "Why not?" Our mission is to make personal flight safe and accessible, allowing everyone to take to the skies while inspiring tech entrepreneurship across the African diaspora.
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