SunSkyStar
SunSkyStar is a company.
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Leadership Team
Key people at SunSkyStar.
SunSkyStar is a company.
Key people at SunSkyStar.
SunSkyStar LLC was a California-based limited-liability company operating from 2014 until its termination, primarily functioning as a technical and business consulting entity in the San Francisco Bay Area.[2][4] It focused on technology sectors like sensors, inertial navigation, wireless systems, drones, cloud analytics, and DSP, providing consulting services through experts such as Mike Horton, a veteran in MEMS and photonic sensing with prior roles at Crossbow Technology and Anello Photonics.[2][3] The company also engaged in export activities, shipping 29 consignments to 4 countries as an exporter based in the United States.[5]
Limited public details suggest SunSkyStar supported business development for high-tech innovations, potentially bridging startups and established firms in IoT, AI, edge computing, and advanced sensing—areas aligned with Horton's angel investing in Band of Angels and Sand Hill Angels.[2][6][7] It is distinct from Shine Star Sky Co., a separate entity trading laboratory equipment.[1]
SunSkyStar LLC was officially filed as a California Limited-Liability Company on March 4, 2014, in Los Altos Hills, CA.[4] It emerged during a period of transition for key figure Mike Horton, who served as Technical & Business Consultant there from January 2014 to February 2020, overlapping with his post-acquisition advisory roles at Moog Inc. (2011–2015).[2][3] Horton, co-founder of Crossbow Technology (bootstrapped to $150M+ revenue and acquired by Moog), brought expertise from developing FAA-certified MEMS systems, wireless sensor networks, and UAV tech, having raised VC from Cisco, Intel, and others.[2][3]
The company's formation coincided with Horton's shift toward consulting after Crossbow's sale, likely enabling him to leverage his network in autonomy, robotics, and agriculture tech—such as leading OpenIMU, an open-source inertial navigation platform.[2] Early traction appears tied to export operations and consulting gigs, though it terminated sometime before 2025.[4][5]
SunSkyStar operated at the intersection of sensor tech and autonomy trends, riding the 2010s boom in drones, IoT, and edge computing amid rising demand for precise navigation post-FAA deregulations on UAVs.[2][3] Its timing capitalized on acquisitions like Crossbow's by Moog (2011), fueling a wave of MEMS and wireless innovations critical for agriculture, automotive, and defense—sectors where Horton drove adoption.[2] Market forces like AI-driven analytics and decentralized networks (e.g., GEODNET) favored its focus, influencing the ecosystem by enabling open-source platforms that lowered barriers for startups in robotics and precision ag.[2][3]
As a small consulting entity, it amplified Bay Area talent networks, bridging Silicon Valley VCs and hardware innovators during a period of explosive growth in photonic sensing and cloud-integrated systems.[6][7]
With its terminated status, SunSkyStar's direct operations have concluded, but its legacy persists through alumni like Horton, now advancing SiPhOG at Anello Photonics (2020–2025) and GEODNET's GNSS network.[2][3] Next phases likely involve evolved consulting via personal networks or angel investments in AI-edge sensing, shaped by trends like photonic inertial systems for autonomous vehicles and ag drones. Its influence may grow indirectly, as early OpenIMU adopters scale amid 5G/6G wireless proliferation, reinforcing Bay Area's sensor dominance.[2] This positions SunSkyStar as a quiet enabler in tech's precision autonomy pivot, echoing its 2014 roots in high-stakes innovation.
Key people at SunSkyStar.