Aurelius Systems Ends Lobbying Contract With Frontera Group After One Year

A defense tech startup parts ways with its sole K Street advocate after spending $82,500 on laser weapons advocacy — with no enacted legislation to show for it.

Why the LDA Termination Matters

Aurelius Systems Inc., a San Francisco-based directed-energy weapons startup, terminated its lobbying contract with Frontera Group LLC on December 30, 2025, according to a Q4 lobbying disclosure termination signed February 14, 2026.

The engagement lasted four quarters. Aurelius Systems spent $82,500 total across the relationship — $15,000 in Q1 and $22,500 in each of Q2, Q3, and Q4. Frontera Group, a small Miami-based firm, had only three defense clients in 2025, with $65,000 in total reported defense income. Aurelius was, by the numbers, a meaningful piece of Frontera's defense book.

Aurelius has not filed a new federal lobbying registration with another firm, based on available disclosure records. No other firm appears in LDA filings as a replacement advocate for the company.

Broader Context: The Appropriations Bill That Never Was

H.R. 8774 went nowhere

The Frontera Group lobbying effort centered on one thing: getting defense appropriations language favorable to laser manufacturing into H.R. 8774, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for FY2025. Lobbyist Thomas Williams — the sole lobbyist on the account — worked this issue from Q2 through the lobbying contract end in Q4.

H.R. 8774 passed the House in June 2024 on a 217–198 vote during the 118th Congress. The Senate never took it up. Congress instead passed a full-year Continuing Resolution (H.R. 1968), signed March 15, 2025, which extended FY2024 spending levels and stripped out earmarks and congressionally directed spending.

That means any targeted funding for laser manufacturing defense applications that Aurelius was seeking through H.R. 8774 was not enacted. The CR approach left no room for the kind of new, directed line items that appropriations lobbying typically aims to secure.

No congressional mentions

There are no records of Aurelius Systems being mentioned in any congressional hearing over the past year. No member communications referencing the company were found either. The Aurelius Systems lobbying effort appears to have been conducted entirely through direct advocacy rather than public-facing congressional engagement.

The issue itself is alive

Counter-drone and directed-energy weapons remain a top Pentagon priority. Aurelius builds an autonomous, AI-powered laser platform called "Archimedes" designed to neutralize drones at dollars per shot. The company raised a $10 million seed round in September 2025 led by General Catalyst and Draper Associates, and it secured a contract under the Missile Defense Agency's SHIELD program — a $151 billion ceiling IDIQ vehicle tied to the "Golden Dome" missile defense initiative.

The defense appropriations cycle is now moving to FY2026, where directed energy and counter-UAS funding are expected to feature prominently.

The Lobbyist's Background

Williams, Frontera's managing director, has prior Hill experience — but not in defense. He served as a Senior Adviser on education policy for the House Education and the Workforce Committee during the 114th Congress (2013–2015). He holds an MA in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University.

His congressional experience does not include time on the Appropriations Committee, the Armed Services Committee, or any defense-related panel — the committees that matter most for a client seeking directed-energy weapons funding in a defense spending bill.

Bottom Line

Aurelius Systems spent $82,500 over four quarters on Frontera Group lobbying focused on a defense appropriations bill that was never enacted. The company has not, based on available lobbying disclosure records, hired a replacement firm.

The underlying policy need hasn't gone away. Aurelius now holds an MDA contract, has $12 million in venture funding, and recently hired a head of growth from Anduril with over 26 years in defense business development. For a company at this stage — scaling from demos to deployment — the FY2026 appropriations cycle will be a critical window. Whether Aurelius re-engages on K Street, and with whom, will be worth watching.