San Francisco, California
Hello,
I'm Chel
I’m a business development & operations consultant based in sunny San Francisco. My passions lie in building deep space technology and shaping humanity’s future on the Moon.
A little about me
Over the past decade, I’ve led and advised early-stage companies building innovations in deep space technology, virtual reality, immersive experiences, and service-based products.
I founded a space research company where I designed an open-source lunar radio and led NASA-funded research to prototype a lunar mining robot. I've designed and implemented end-to-end technical hiring strategy for AI startups, led systems engineering for lunar power transmission, and completed hundreds of market research interviews to perform comprehensive due diligence before fundraising.
I believe the most impactful companies emerge from unconventional thinking and diverse backgrounds. My work bridges the technical and operational—turning big ideas into grounded strategy and scalable execution.
2020 – Present
Metalunar
Founder & Principal Consultant
Metalunar provides technical and strategic consulting for space and AI ventures. We collaborate with new space ventures & academic partners to transform ideas to products.
We support startups and research groups with expertise in:
- Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC)
- Robotics and motion planning
- Strategic operations and organizational scaling
2021
Cislune
Founding Member & COO
At Cislune, I developed the company’s strategic vision, led grant development, and managed an engineering team developing a lunar resource mining robot.
- Partnered with NASA Kennedy Space Center & University of Central Florida
- Won two NASA Phase I STTR awards (2021 & 2022)
- Received an NSF grant in 2021
- Designed and prototyped a robot for lunar ice and metal extraction
2020
Liminalia
Founding Member & Experience Designer
Liminalia created large-scale, immersive online events that combined art, storytelling, and community. I directed company structure and client operations, and designed a collaborative wiki and platform for 20k+ global participants and artists. Clients included Burning Man and MAPS.
2018 – 2021
Trebuchat
Founder, VP of Operations & Marketing
Trebuchat was a multiplayer VR platform for collaborative project management and team communication. We developed a language-learning spin-off, Vernacular, through the Oculus Launchpad (2020). I led branding, marketing, and user acquisition for remote creative teams.
2015 – 2020
Chelsea McMahon Consulting
Founder & Business Operations Strategist
I helped early-stage entrepreneurs turn bold ideas into viable, revenue-generating businesses. I created internal systems, sales funnels, and product roadmaps. I led workshops for 250+ women entrepreneurs, helping founders move from idea to execution, earning $1M+ in annual average revenue. I specialized in e-commerce and digital education products.
My skills & strengths
- Strategic operations & business development
- Technical and non-technical proposal writing (NASA, NSF, etc.)
- Early-stage startup scaling & product development
- Deep space systems & lunar technology
- Market research & technical due diligence
- Grant writing and non-dilutive funding strategy
What I'm looking for
I’m currently exploring new opportunities where I can contribute to space, AI, and emerging technologies. I’m especially interested in roles at the intersection of technical innovation, strategy, and storytelling—whether that’s with startups, research labs, or forward-thinking teams.