Omar Pimentel

Omar Pimentel specializes in the intersection of commercial space and national security, with a focus on strategy, innovation, and market growth. He currently serves as the Policy and Strategy Lead for the Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU) Space Portfolio, where he drives initiatives to align the Department of Defense (DoD) with the rapidly evolving commercial space sector.

At DIU, Omar leverages the Commercial Space Integration Strategy and DIU 3.0’s mandate, directly reporting to the Secretary of Defense, to accelerate the adoption of commercial technology. He works with leading startups, investors, and established aerospace firms to shape business models, partnerships, and acquisition pathways that allow the DoD to benefit from private-sector investment while helping companies scale dual-use capabilities.

He collaborates closely with regulatory agencies such as the FAA, FCC, and NOAA on enabling speed to market. By anticipating how regulators can adapt ahead of emerging technologies, Omar helps reduce barriers for companies, creating the conditions for experimentation, commercialization, and deployment at scale.

Omar’s work is grounded in bridging the public and private sectors, reducing friction for companies while unlocking new opportunities for the DoD. His efforts reinvigorate government access to leading-edge space technologies without the full burden of development cost, creating win–win outcomes for industry and national security.

Prior to DIU, Omar served at NASA Headquarters’ Office of Technology Policy and Strategy (OTPS) and in the U.S. House of Representatives.

He earned a Master’s in International Policy from Stanford University, where he conducted research at the Hoover Institution on multi-domain nuclear deterrence and the geopolitics of space and semiconductors. He is also an inaugural Defense Innovation Scholar at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation.

Omar holds a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Florida State University. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, Florida State football, cooking Dominican food, and exploring everything related to space and history.