Alpha Funds director Ben Till receives U.S. Legion of Merit

Alpha Funds said Ben Till, the firm’s Director of Space & Deep Tech and a retired New Zealand Defense Force wing commander, received the United States Legion of Merit at a Pentagon ceremony on Oct. 29, 2026. The award underscores his role in advancing space defense cooperation among the U.S., New Zealand and allied partners.

Why it matters: - The Legion of Merit is one of the highest U.S. military honors given to foreign officers. - Till’s award highlights the growing importance of allied cooperation in space defense and national security. - The recognition also reflects Alpha Funds’ ties to defense and dual-use space technology networks.

What happened: - Alpha Funds announced that Ben Till received the United States Legion of Merit. - Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth presented the decoration at a ceremony in ANZUS Hall at the Pentagon on Oct. 29, 2026. - Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force John F. Bentivegna pinned the medal on Till. - Till serves as Alpha Funds’ Director, Space & Deep Tech and is a retired Wing Commander in the New Zealand Defense Force.

The details: - Alpha Funds said the award recognizes Till’s “exceptionally meritorious service” to the United States and allied nations. - Till’s wife and their three children attended the ceremony. - Till also serves as a board member for Atomic6, a space technology startup where Alpha Funds is represented on the board. - Till was the New Zealand Defence Force’s first joint space planner. - He later served as Director Space Programme and then as New Zealand’s Air Attaché (Space) to the United States. - Till’s military career includes two decades of service as a Navy and Air Force pilot. - Alpha Funds said Till helps the firm evaluate and support technologies with applications across space, defense, national security and allied markets.

Between the lines: - The award signals formal U.S. recognition of a foreign officer whose career has centered on cross-national defense coordination. - The Pentagon setting and Space Force involvement reinforce how space operations have become a shared military and diplomatic priority among allies. - Alpha Funds is using Till’s background as part of its positioning in dual-use aerospace and deep-tech investing.

What's next: - Till will continue serving in his role at Alpha Funds while the firm backs companies in space and deep technology. - Alpha Funds said it will keep focusing on dual-use aerospace technologies across access, infrastructure, connectivity and data. - The firm also aims to help portfolio companies secure early customers, enter critical markets and scale technologies for use in space and on Earth.

The bottom line: - Till’s Legion of Merit is both a personal military honor and a public marker of expanding U.S.-allied cooperation in space defense.