Trive Capital Sells Kittyhawk to Machine Sciences

Dallas-based private equity firm Trive Capital announced on July 16, 2026, the sale of its portfolio company Kittyhawk, Inc., to Machine Sciences, a company backed by Viking Global.

Founded in 1981, Kittyhawk provides Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) services, a critical process for densifying cast and additively manufactured parts used in demanding applications within the space, commercial aerospace, defense, and power generation industries. These components often operate under high temperatures and pressures, such as those found in rocket and jet engine parts.

Since Trive Capital's initial investment in late 2022, Kittyhawk has seen significant expansion. Key growth drivers included the 2024 acquisition of Stack HIP, which added North America's largest high-pressure HIP vessels, alongside sustained organic investments in equipment and operational capacity. Strong market demand from the space, next-generation commercial aerospace, and defense sectors also contributed to the company's performance.

"Kittyhawk is a highly differentiated business that has established itself as a West Coast leader in a mission critical capability," said Tanner Cope, Partner at Trive Capital. "Organic and inorganic investments made over the last three years allowed the team to broaden their impact to capture the market opportunity."

Brandon Creason, President and CEO of Kittyhawk, commented on the partnership with Trive, stating, "Trive was the right choice as the first institutional partner for a business that was family-owned for more than 40 years." He added that the collaboration led to significant capacity expansion and improved efficiency while maintaining the company's reputation for quality.

The transaction was advised by KAL Capital as lead financial advisor, with Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP providing legal counsel to Trive and Kittyhawk.