---
title: 'VP, Strategic Finance at GITAI'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/vp-strategic-finance-gitai-los-angeles-0a571q1e1tcr'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-05'
---

# VP, Strategic Finance at GITAI

- **Company:** GITAI
- **Location:** Los Angeles, CA
- **Compensation:** $180k–$250k
- **Posted:** 2026-06-01
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-05
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/gitai/jobs/5238357008

## Job description

## Who We Are

GITAI is a vertically integrated space and defense company building the next generation of hardware for low-Earth-orbit missions.

At our core is the space robotics technology that has defined GITAI from the beginning. A small, highly capable engineering team applies that foundation across satellite buses, in-orbit servicing robotics, and mission hardware for applications such as Earth observation. Today, a major focus of our work is supporting U.S. national security missions, particularly through proliferated LEO satellite constellations and other next-generation space systems.

We design, build, integrate, and test much of our hardware in-house. Electrical, mechanical, software, manufacturing, integration, and test teams work closely together, allowing a small team to own complete systems rather than isolated components. This vertical integration helps us move quickly, learn directly from hardware, and shorten the path from architecture to a working system.

We are still early. The systems, the company, and the market are all being built at the same time. Requirements change, technical problems are often ambiguous, and many answers do not yet exist. We are looking for exceptional engineers and operators who want broad ownership, can work across disciplines, and are willing to stay close to the hardware until the mission succeeds.

## Your Mission

GITAI is hiring a VP, Strategic Finance to work directly with our Founder & CEO on equity financing, investor strategy, capital planning, and company-level financial narrative. This is not a traditional VP Finance role. The core mission is to help GITAI raise institutional equity capital and build the capital strategy behind it.

We are looking for someone who has raised equity capital inside a venture-backed startup at Series B or earlier, can bring an immediately useful investor network, and can help shape how investors understand GITAI.

This role is for someone who can operate close to the CEO, turn technical progress into investor conviction, and build the capital engine that lets the company move faster.

## What You’ll Drive

- Lead equity financing strategy and execution for future financing rounds, working directly with the Founder & CEO.
- Build and manage a targeted investor map across venture capital firms, strategic investors, family offices, and other relevant capital partners.
- Bring and activate an investor network that can be useful to GITAI immediately.
- Own the equity story, pitch narrative, and financing materials, including pitch decks, financial models, investor updates, data room materials, diligence responses, and board-level financing materials.
- Translate GITAI’s technical progress, space robotics roadmap, commercial traction, government opportunities, and long-term market potential into a clear investment narrative.
- Prepare the Founder & CEO for investor conversations, support investor meetings, manage follow-ups, and represent the CEO’s thinking clearly in selected investor-facing communications.
- Build company-level financial models that connect strategy, product roadmap, hiring plans, capital needs, financing milestones, and long-term growth.
- Support capital allocation decisions, strategic partnerships, corporate development opportunities, and other company-level finance initiatives.
- Help build the finance function over time, including planning cadence, reporting structure, and financial operating discipline, while keeping the speed required at an early-stage company.

## What We’re Looking For

We are looking for someone who has operated close to the founder or CEO inside a venture-backed startup. Ideally, you have been a founder, founding team member, or early executive, and you have helped raise equity capital from the company side while the company was still early, messy, and not fully proven.

You should have:

- Direct experience raising equity capital inside a venture-backed startup at Series B or earlier
- Experience supporting or leading multiple financing rounds before Series B, not just one isolated process
- A clear understanding of the full financing process from the company side, including investor targeting, warm introductions, pitch narrative, financial models, investor meetings, follow-ups, diligence, data room preparation, negotiation support, and closing
- A current investor network that can be useful to GITAI immediately
- The ability to help open the right doors now, not only build relationships over time
- Strong curiosity toward robotics, space systems, defense technology, hardware, and other technically difficult fields
- The ability to absorb complex technical information quickly and turn it into a clear investor narrative
- Strong judgment, high ownership, and the ability to operate with incomplete information
- Comfort working directly with a technical founder and an engineering-heavy team
- Speed, precision, discretion, and willingness to do the work yourself
- This is not a role for someone whose experience is limited to investment banking, consulting, venture capital, fractional CFO work, or advising startups from the outside. Those backgrounds can be useful, but they are not a substitute for operating inside a startup and helping raise equity capital from the company side.

Location and Position Type

- Torrance, CA/ Full-time

## Compensation

Base salary for this role is expected to range from $180,000 to $250,000 per year. Final title, compensation, and equity will depend on the candidate’s fundraising experience, investor network, operating scope, and ability to serve as a long-term finance leader for the company.

## Benefits

- Comprehensive Healthcare: 100% paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees, with 90% coverage for dependents, plus life insurance
- Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with a company match
- Equity Opportunities: Stock options in a rapidly growing startup, giving you a stake in our success
- Relocation Support: Financial assistance for relocation is available for candidates residing outside the Los Angeles area
- Holidays: 12 days of paid time off (PTO) and 12 company holidays annually
- Dynamic Work Environment: Collaborate and innovate with a passionate team
- Office Perks: Enjoy free snacks and drinks, plus regular social events to foster team spirit
- Cutting Edge Experience: Work alongside state-of-the-art robots, driving the future of space technology

GITAI does not accept unsolicited resumes from staffing or recruiting agencies. We work only with recruiting partners that have been specifically engaged by GITAI. No fees will be paid for resumes submitted without a prior agreement.

Compensation may include base salary or hourly pay and, depending on the position, equity. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, skillset, and other job-related factors.

LA salary range $180,000—$250,000 USD

Important Notice

- Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
- To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), GITAI Employees must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce, as applicable.
- GITAI USA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment with GITAI USA is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

## About GITAI

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: GITAI is a space robotics startup developing robotic systems to provide safe and affordable labor for satellite servicing, lunar base construction, and other in-space operations.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series B – V; total funding $129M)
- **Headquarters**: Torrance, California, United States (moved from Tokyo in October 2023)
- **Founded**: July 2016
- **Founders**: Sho Nakanose (CEO), Yuto Nakanishi (CRO/Chief Robotics Officer), Toyotaka Kozuki (CTO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Space robotics, defense and space manufacturing, lunar and orbital infrastructure
- **Target customers**: Government space agencies (NASA, JAXA, U.S. Space Force, Missile Defense Agency), commercial satellite operators, and lunar/mars development programs (B2G, B2B)
- **Mission**: To provide a safe and affordable means of labor in space, reducing operational costs by 100x and enabling humanity’s expansion beyond Earth

## Products & Services
- **S2 Dual Robotic Arm System**: A 1.5-meter-long autonomous robotic arm successfully demonstrated on the International Space Station (ISS) for both internal and external operations. [gitai.tech](https://gitai.tech/vision/)
- **Inchworm Robot**: A versatile robot designed for locomotion and manipulation in space environments. [gitai.tech](https://gitai.tech/)
- **Lunar Rover**: Robotic platform for lunar surface construction, mining, and habitat preparation. [gitai.tech](https://gitai.tech/)
- **Satellite Components & Platforms**: 16U satellite bus and robotic subsystems for on-orbit servicing and assembly. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/gitai)
- **On-Orbit Services**: Robotic maintenance, refueling, and inspection for satellites and space stations. [gitai.tech](https://gitai.tech/)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue $2.5M (LinkedIn estimate); Total Funding $129.1M across 10 rounds
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Global Brain (lead Series B), SPARX Innovation for the Future, JIC Venture Growth Investments, Daiwa Corporate Investment, The Dai-ichi Life Insurance, EPSON X Investment, Skyland Ventures, Toyota Motor Corporation (joint R&D), JAXA, NASA (SBIR Phase I), DARPA (LunA-10), U.S. Space Force, Missile Defense Agency (SHIELD IDIQ)
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - Relocated HQ to a facility 4x larger in Torrance (June 2024)
  - Established GITAI Defense and Space LLC (April 2025) to expand U.S. government contracting
  - Achieved AS9100 certification (May 2024)
  - Selected for NASA SBIR Phase I (June 2024)
  - Won DARPA LunA-10 project for lunar robotics (March 2025)
  - Completed space demonstration of in-house 16U satellite (January 2025)
  - Headcount grew 1.7% YoY to 32 employees

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proven in-space technology**: Only a handful of companies have demonstrated autonomous robotic arms outside the ISS; GITAI’s S2 completed a fully successful demonstration.
- **Deep government relationships**: Contracts with NASA, JAXA, DARPA, U.S. Space Force, and Missile Defense Agency provide credibility and recurring revenue.
- **Founding team pedigree**: CEO Sho Nakanose previously founded SCHAFT (bipedal robot startup acquired by Google); CRO Yuto Nakanishi and CTO Toyotaka Kozuki hold PhDs from University of Tokyo’s JSK Lab.
- **Vertically integrated hardware**: Develops both robotic systems and satellite platforms, controlling the full stack.

## Strategic Focus
- **Government and defense contracting**: The new subsidiary (GITAI Defense and Space LLC) targets U.S. military and intelligence programs.
- **Lunar infrastructure**: Preparing flight models for lunar manipulator and rover under JAXA and NASA contracts.
- **Scaling manufacturing**: AS9100 certification and new larger HQ signal readiness for production.
- **International expansion**: Dual presence in the U.S. and Japan allows access to both markets.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven culture**: Employees contribute directly to building the robotic workforce for lunar and Martian settlements.
- **Elite team**: Work alongside researchers from the University of Tokyo and former leaders from Google, NASA JPL, and successful startups.
- **Hands-on impact**: With only 32 employees, engineers have broad ownership from concept to flight hardware.
- **Diverse projects**: Work spans early concept development, lab prototypes, and operational robots on the ISS.
- **Office/hybrid policy**: Not explicitly stated; HQ in Torrance, CA with offices in Japan. Likely requires on-site for hardware development.
- **Employee ratings**: 3.1/5.0 on LinkedIn (9 reviews) – compensation rated highest (3.9), work-life balance lower (2.7).

## Sources
1. [gitai.tech](https://gitai.tech/)
2. [gitai.tech/careers](https://gitai.tech/careers/)
3. [gitai.tech/vision](https://gitai.tech/vision/)
4. [linkedin.com/company/gitai](https://www.linkedin.com/company/gitai)
5. [cbinsights.com/company/gitai](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/gitai)

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