Charles Lyons-Burt
Engineer-by-trade and now seasoned executive leader Hector Collazo has been busy. Over the last couple of years, he has solidified his technical expertise in a pair of C-suite technology roles at growing organizations, after two decades of IT and hardware mastery. (We checked in with him a couple of times while he was in a prior role at Sev1Tech.)
As of April, Collazo is leading Navteca, a government technology organization skilled at integrating technologies like AI, cloud, natural language processing and all manner of emerging tools, proven in partnerships with agencies like NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency. While their work has primarily been with these explicitly scientific agencies, Collazo told us they’re very prepared to embark on opportunities with the defense community.
In this Spotlight interview, Collazo introduced us to his new company, talked about how they’re staying apace with GovCon industry trends and envisioned Navteca’s future.
ExecutiveBiz: Tell our audience a bit about Navteca.
Hector Collazo: Navteca is a small business founded in 2010 that delivers innovative technology solutions to federal agencies. Over the years, we’ve built a strong reputation for our expertise in artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, cloud engineering and data visualization. Our team has supported organizations such as NASA, NOAA and the U.S. Geological Survey, consistently helping them modernize systems and apply cutting-edge technology to their most complex mission challenges.
As an award-winning integrator and industry partner, we leverage emerging technologies, including VR/AR, GIS, natural language processing and machine learning, to advance federal missions. I’m especially proud of our pioneering work in scientific visualization, where we transform massive, complex datasets into interactive, accessible tools that empower better decision-making for policymakers, scientists and the public. Projects like our virtual and augmented reality initiatives for NASA highlight how we bridge advanced computational models with practical understanding, ensuring that data is not only powerful but also usable.
What truly distinguishes Navteca is our mission-first culture and commitment to innovation. We prioritize workforce development, invest in diverse technical talent and use agile, collaborative approaches to deliver secure, scalable solutions. Recently, we’ve expanded our capabilities into areas such as Model Context Protocol—a.k.a. MCP—and JupyterHub, giving agencies new ways to integrate AI workflows and enable collaborative, data-intensive research environments. Looking ahead, we’re positioning Navteca to broaden its impact into the Department of Defense, where AI, secure cloud and advanced computing will be critical for mission success.
EBiz: How has your career up to this point informed the work you do as president of Navteca?
Collazo: My professional journey has been defined by a combination of technical expertise and mission-oriented leadership. I began my career supporting the U.S. Navy, where I gained firsthand experience with the importance of resilience, operational readiness and applying technology in high-stakes environments, including deployments to the Middle East in support of critical missions. Those experiences instilled in me a deep appreciation for how innovation and operational excellence must work hand-in-hand to deliver results.
Building on that foundation, I transitioned into the federal IT and GovCon sector, where I established myself in enterprise technology strategy, cybersecurity, cloud adoption and artificial intelligence. I went on to serve as chief technology officer at IPTA and Sev1Tech, where I directed enterprise modernization programs, advanced AI/ML initiatives and strengthened cyber resilience across federal systems. In those roles, I guided large-scale digital transformations, led cross-functional teams and drove the adoption of cutting-edge technologies aligned with federal mission needs.
I believe in a collaborative and people-first leadership style, and I’ve worked to mentor diverse, high-performing teams while fostering a culture of innovation and accountability. My ability to bridge technical solutions with mission outcomes has consistently produced measurable results for federal clients. Now, as president of Navteca, I apply those lessons every day to guide corporate strategy, operations and growth, with a focus on expanding our capabilities in AI, HPC, scientific visualization and cloud-native engineering. My vision continues to emphasize innovation, resilience and service; principles that shape Navteca’s culture and long-term growth.
EBiz: What factors or GovCon industry trends are influencing your growth strategy as you look toward Navteca’s future?
Collazo: The government contracting landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, and I see several converging priorities shaping the future. Federal agencies are accelerating efforts to modernize legacy systems, adopt AI and machine learning at scale and leverage HPC to address increasingly complex data challenges. At the same time, they are embracing secure cloud adoption, zero-trust security frameworks and emerging technologies to drive mission outcomes.
Science-focused organizations such as NASA and USGS are at the forefront of advancing research through large-scale data collection, modeling and visualization. Navteca has already demonstrated strong expertise in this space, and we’re continuing to deepen our investments in AI/ML, HPC in the cloud and advanced data visualization to help agencies turn massive datasets into actionable insights. We’re also expanding our cloud-native engineering and DevSecOps practices to deliver secure, scalable solutions that align with evolving mandates.
With our new expertise in Model Context Protocol and established leadership in JupyterHub, we’re well positioned to help agencies orchestrate AI workflows and enable collaborative, data-driven environments. While continuing to support science agencies, I’m also preparing Navteca to expand into the DOD market, where AI, advanced computing, and secure cloud will play an increasingly vital role in operational readiness and decision advantage.
EBiz: Where do you see Navteca in 10 years and what are the concrete steps you have to take to get to that stage of evolution?
Collazo: Looking ahead, my vision is for Navteca to become a premier provider of AI-enabled, cloud-based and data-centric solutions that directly advance federal missions. Over the next decade, we will build on our strengths in AI/ML, HPC and scientific visualization while scaling into adjacent areas that are shaping the future of government technology. This includes expanding innovations such as Voice Atlas, our conversational AI platform, and strengthening our expertise in MCP and JupyterHub to further support collaborative, data-driven research environments.
We also see an important role for Navteca in supporting the DOD, where the integration of AI, secure cloud infrastructure and high-performance computing will be central to mission success. By diversifying our portfolio and leveraging partnerships with leading technology providers, we will remain agile and competitive in both the civilian and defense markets.
Our path forward includes concrete steps: continuing to invest in workforce development to cultivate next-generation expertise; strengthening cybersecurity and DevSecOps practices to meet evolving federal requirements; advancing immersive visualization tools that turn raw data into actionable insights; and scaling our cloud-native engineering capabilities to support complex federal programs.
My vision is not just for Navteca to keep pace with the evolution of technology, but to actively shape how advanced computing and AI deliver mission impact. The next decade will be defined by innovation, growth into new markets such as the DOD and a steadfast commitment to helping federal agencies transform their most complex data challenges into opportunities for progress.
