Rockets and Radars: Zero to Millions in Space and Defence

Viktoriia Yaremchuk (CEO & Co-Founder of Farsight Vision) was handed a problem nobody had solved: Ukrainian frontline units drowning in drone footage with no way to process it, sitting manually watching hour-long videos to spot something useful. She had a PhD, a software background, and friends calling from the front asking for tools that didn't exist. So she built them.What followed was three years inside one of the most unforgiving product environments on earth - geospatial AI and digital twin technology tested not in a lab, but in GPS-denied warzones where the users can't always tell you what they need because the information is classified, and getting it wrong costs lives. From a first investor cheque of ~$100K with little more than an MVP, to contracts spreading brigade by brigade through word of mouth on Signal, to a team now spread across four countries, many of them with husbands, brothers, and fathers serving on the frontline.In this episode, Viktoriia delivers a masterclass in building and selling in defencetech, how Farsight Vision actually works, how to sell to a military customer when there's no conventional sales cycle, what it takes to build and lead a team when there's no end date on the mission, and what Europe still doesn't understand about the war being fought on its doorstep.Get in touch with Viktoriia:https://www.linkedin.com/in/viktoriia-yaremchuk-3ba80116Want to get hired by Farsight Visionhttps://farsightvision.hurma.work/public-vacancies-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(01:45) What Farsight Vision Actually Does(17:40) How to Find the Right Co-Founder(27:08) The Personal Turning Point That Started Farsight Vision(46:44) From Idea to Battlefield: MVP in Months(53:07) The Biggest Mistake They Made in the First Year(01:01:00) How to Hire for a Mission-Driven Team Under Extreme Stress(01:07:04) Raising the First $100K: What Investors Saw Before Victoria Did(01:16:59) How to Price a Defence Software Product Nobody Has Ever Built Before(01:32:10) From One Sale to Hundreds: How Word of Mouth Works at the Frontline(01:43:48) What Is Darkstar and Why It Changed Everything(01:57:40) Closing a €7M Round: What Actually Got Investors to Say Yes(02:06:13) The Most Important Lesson for Building DefenceTech-----------------------------------------------You will learn:- How to sell to a military customer with no procurement process, no sales cycle, and classified feedback- Why your product development methodology breaks the moment it meets a warzone- How word of mouth on Signal became Farsight Vision's entire go-to-market strategy- Why founders undersell what they're building — and how the right framing changes everything- What it actually takes to lead a team when the mission has no end date- How to get your first defence contract with nothing but an MVP and a problem worth solving- Why co-creation and ecosystem thinking beats going it alone in defencetech- What European defence is still getting wrong — and why Ukraine has already figured it out- How digital twins are changing the doctrine of modern warfare

Frank Salzgeber (sometimes called the "Father of ESA BIC") was initially handed a broken ESA tech transfer programme and told to fix it. Nobody asked him to build an incubator. He just had enough freedom and used it.What followed was 19 years inside ESA watching the European space startup scene grow from nothing — Isar Aerospace, Leaf Space, ClearSpace - watching them go from founders with a crazy idea to some of the most recognised names in European New Space industry. Then Saudi Arabia called, and he left to do it all over again from scratch in the Middle East.In this episode, Frank breaks down how ESA BIC actually works, how to get a yes, what kills most space startups before they ever get there, and what Europe needs to urgently fix before it gets left behind completely.Get in touch with Frank: https://sa.linkedin.com/in/frank-salzgeber-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(01:22) What Is ESA BIC and Why It Exists(03:02) How to Apply to ESA BIC Today(12:09) What Steve Jobs Taught Frank About Branding, Hiring, and Building Teams(16:11) Why Branding Matters More Than Most Founders Think(19:31) What Running Your Own Startup Teaches You That Nothing Else Can(25:15) The Right Balance Between Startup Speed and Institutional Structure(28:08) How Frank Flew Under the Radar to Launch ESA BIC(33:42) The ESA BIC Selection Process: Three Things That Make Frank Say Yes(40:35) Common Thread Between the Biggest Successes and Failures(44:03) What ESA BIC Could Have Done Better and What Founders Should Push For(46:30) is When to Use Soft Funding vs Equity-Based Funding(56:49) Most Undervalued Space Opportunity Right Now(57:35) Why Promising Space Companies Die and How Founders Can Avoid It(58:06) Europe vs Middle East: Where to Base Your Space Company(58:58) The Difference Between a Fundable Idea and a Research Project(01:02:53) The Most Important Lesson for Building a Space Company in 2026-----------------------------------------------You will learn:- What Frank took from his years at Apple that he applied in building ESA BIC- The 3 things that get you a yes from ESA BIC- How Frank convinced ESA to fund something they'd never done before- The one thing Frank looks for in a pitch that will never show up in your deck- Why your tech is never the problem and what actually kills startups- The exact line between a fundable space idea and a research project- Why Frank thinks ESA BIC's 75% startup survival rate is actually a bad sign- The most undervalued space market opportunity right now

Amin Chabi (founder of Lúnasa Space) didn't set out to build a company. He graduated with a master's in space and astronautics, COVID hit, nobody was hiring — and starting alone was the only option left. What he stumbled into was one of the most overlooked crises in space: thousands of dead satellites cluttering orbit, threatening the GPS, banking, internet and telecom infrastructure the entire modern world depends on.In this episode, Amin shares how Lunasa went from a blank incorporation form to a full acquisition by Infinite Orbit in just five years, what it actually takes to build rendezvous and docking technology that enables satellites to be serviced in orbit, and the exact blueprint he'd follow to make a European space startup acquirable as fast as possible.Get in touch with Amin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/aminchabi/-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(01:34) Who Is the Founder and What Does Lunasa Space Do(04:18) The Space Fan Who Dropped Out at 16 to Support His Family(08:33) How COVID Killed His Job Hunt and Forced Him to Start a Company(17:09) Surviving the First Months With No Funding and No Safety Net(20:00) Why Storytelling and Marketing Matter More Than Engineers Think(26:22) How He Hired a Full Team Using LinkedIn Cold Messages(29:13) Landing the First Public Partnership and Getting on the Radar(38:24) The Right Way to Think About Fundraising in Deep Tech(41:32) Getting the R&D Grant That Broke the Chicken-and-Egg Problem(46:12) Building the Full Tech Stack In-House From Scratch(01:12:07) The Acquisition by Infinite Orbits and Why He Said Yes(01:19:00) What Actually Made Lúnasa Acquirable(01:24:30) Post-Acquisition Integration - What Happens Now(01:27:58) Quick Fire Round and Final Advice for Founders-----------------------------------------------You will learn:- How Amin got his first £10,000- Why space is one of the most underrated industries when it comes to marketing, and what Amin did differently- Why he deliberately avoided raising too much private capital- How he built his entire network from scratch as a solo founder who knew nobody in the industry- Why in-orbit manufacturing is the most overrated bet in space right now- What Europe gets catastrophically wrong about building space companies- What Infinite Orbits actually saw in Lúnasa that made them want to buy it- The exact blueprint Amin would follow to make a European space startup acquirable as fast as possible

Kenneth Richard Geipel (co-founder of Robotto) started his career not in a lab or a startup — but in the Danish Armed Forces, where he served three combat deployments. When he left the military, he went back to university to study robotics. His thesis project? A drone to deliver pizza from 500 meters away, because he and his classmates were too lazy to walk.What nobody expected is what happened next. A summer of record wildfires across Europe pulled that pizza drone into something more serious — autonomous wildfire detection software built with real firefighters in the field. Then COVID hit, nearly killing the company four days before their first major demo abroad. Then in 2022, a phone call from a former fellow veteran whose wife was Ukrainian changed everything. Kenneth had spent years turning down requests to weaponize his technology — but when a fellow soldier asks for help, you say yes.In this episode, Kenneth shares how Robotto went from a pizza drone thesis to deploying GPS-free autonomous software on Ukrainian frontlines daily, how they got selected for NATO's DIANA accelerator out of 3,500 applicants across 24 nations, and why he thinks the entire European defence industry is getting one thing catastrophically wrong.Get in touch with Kenneth:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-richard-geipel-081309186/-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(00:33) Who Is Kenneth and What Does Robotto Do(01:37) Why a Soldier Became a Robotics Founder(03:50) What Deployments Taught Him That No Startup Book Will(08:27) The Pizza Drone Thesis That Started Everything(09:18) Pivoting from Pizza to Wildfire Detection(10:48) How Two Students Got a Meeting With a Government Agency(11:59) Incorporating Robotto — With Just a POC and Two Papers(16:33) COVID Hits Four Days Before Their First Major Demo(24:15) Fundraising After Near-Bankruptcy — and Why Radical Honesty Won(29:05) The Phone Call From a Veteran That Pulled Them Into Defence(31:17) The Ethical Conversations They Had Before Saying Yes(33:17) How They Got Their First Ukrainian Partner and Built in Two Weeks(35:44) Tracking Elephants in Thailand and Fighting Fires — at the Same Time(41:23) How Product Iteration Works When Your Customer Is on the Frontline(47:21) How Civilians Get It Catastrophically Wrong Selling to Military(49:49) What NATO's DIANA Gives You That Money Can't Buy(51:02) Robotto UA — Planting a Flag in Ukraine(54:25) Is the Future of War Fully Autonomous?(57:50) The Most Overrated Thing in the Drone Industry Right Now-----------------------------------------------You will learn:- Why building with end users is non-negotiable in defence — and what happens when you don't- How to get your first meeting with a government agency when you have nothing but a thesis and stubbornness- Why nearly going bankrupt made Kenneth a better fundraiser and what he told investors that most founders never would- How Robotto built and shipped their first frontline prototype in 2 weeks — and what brutal feedback from Ukrainian soldiers actually sounds like- Why civilians get it catastrophically wrong when they try to sell to the military- How to find the non-obvious accelerator programs you actually qualify for- What NATO's DIANA programme gives you that money simply cannot buy — and what it doesn't- Why Kenneth voluntarily gave up his CEO title — and why most founders should think harder about theirs- Why AI is the most overrated word in the drone industry right now- What Kenneth would do differently in the first 12 months if he started Robotto again tomorrow-----------------------------------------------Follow Martin Majercin on X:https://www.x.com/monsfrostFollow Martin Majercin on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/monsfrost/Follow Robotto on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/robottoai/

Nima Shahinian (co-founder of Nåva Space) had one dream: go to space. He trained for it, negotiated for it, and got closer than almost any private citizen ever has. Then in a single morning, everything collapsed after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. So he did the next best thing. He decided to rebuild the spacesuit instead.What people don’t know is that NASA has a handful of operational suits left, all 50 years old and becoming dangerous. Plus, Europe has never built a commercial suit yet, so Nima decided to do so.In this episode, Nima shares how Nåva Space went from a cardboard prototype to testing a next-generation spacesuit with a real ISS astronaut in just 11 months, why an investor he deeply respected told him it could never be done in Europe and why the biggest problem in European space isn't money or talent.Get in touch with Nima:https://www.instagram.com/astro_nims/https://www.linkedin.com/in/nima-j-shahinian-6b059086/-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(03:01) Background: Designer, Soldier, Would-Be Cosmonaut(06:57) What the Military Taught Him That No Startup Book Will(16:33) Applying to ESA Without Qualifications(36:01) How Nima Funded His Own Cosmonaut Training(42:30) How He Walked Away from the Cosmonaut Program(51:01) Starting Nåva Space Broke, Wounded, and with No Clear Focus(56:36) The Global Spacesuit Crisis No One Is Talking About(01:05:01) How Nåva Went from Cardboard to ESA Astronaut Testing(01:10:01) Why Every Technology Nåva Builds Has to Work on Earth Too(01:13:00) Why They Started with a Human, Not an Engineering Spec(01:18:01) When to Stop Internal Testing and Bring in Real Users(01:23:00) How a Norwegian Startup Got Access to ESA's Astronaut Center(01:28:40) Why Nåva Sources a Spacesuit from a Norwegian Boot Maker(01:39:30) The Investor Who Said You'll Never Build a Suit in Europe(01:48:01) Final Message: Everything Around You Was Built by Someone-----------------------------------------------You will learn:- Why NASA's spacesuit crisis is more dangerous than anyone is admitting- How to go from zero to flight-ready spacesuit in 11 months- Why starting with cardboard beats starting with CAD every time- What an investor who said "you'll never build a suit in Europe" got wrong- How to find and hire world-class talent for a category that has never existed- How a spacesuit becomes a defence and industrial product — and why that's the only way to build the business- When to push 100% and when to stop, the work-life of building in space- Why Norway is one of the hardest places in Europe to build a space startup- Why the only question that matters when starting something impossible is: why not you?#spacesuit #nasa #space #spacex

Pavel Panasjuk was running cleantech startups when Russian missiles started hitting Ukraine in 2022. He had zero defencetech experience—his only military knowledge came from reading history books as a hobby. Like many Ukrainian entrepreneurs, he and his co-founder Oleksandr started by buying medkits, cars, ammunition, and bulletproof vests to supply friends in the army. But after a few months, they shifted from buying supplies to building something. So they made a crazy bet—instead of fixing today's problems, they'd design autonomous submarines for the war 15 years from now. They asked "what comes AFTER Ukraine's surface drones dominate the Black Sea?" Their answer: AI-powered mini-subs that make tactical decisions independently underwater.In this episode, Pavel shares how thinking ahead of the current war became Angler's strategy: why he believes human navies are finished and 90% of naval warfare will be autonomous by 2035, how Ukrainian startups move at 6-month cycles while watching Western contractors plan decade-long programs for systems that'll be obsolete before they launch, why European VCs frustrated him by acting "more like bankers lending money" instead of betting on breakthrough technology like American investors do—and the two things Ukrainian defence founders understand that Western founders are completely blind to: speed and affordability, because when your relatives live near the front line, you don't have time for 10-year development cycles.-----------------------------------------------Chapters:00:00 Introduction01:28 What Angler Actually Does02:32 From CleanTech to DefenceTech03:39 February 2022: The Decision to Build for War04:42 Finding Your Technical Co-Founder18:25 Customer Discovery: Who Actually Buys This20:31 The Pivot: Why We Went Hybrid21:49 First Prototypes: Garage to Water Testing30:40 How to Actually Raise from European VCs36:50 Building Fast vs Building Perfect42:35 Where to Incorporate as Ukrainian Founder52:27 Getting to Revenue Without 5-Year Timelines53:41 How Much Tech to Show Investors55:29 What Ukrainian Founders Know About Speed55:47 The 6-Month Product Cycle Rule56:15 The Unsexy Thing That Kill you Company-----------------------------------------------You will learn:- Why Pavel talked to military customers BEFORE building anything- The "cheap, good enough" rule that Ukrainian founders understand but Western defence companies completely miss- How Pavel found his first investor after cold emails failed- Why most defence tech pitches fail at the secrecy/disclosure balance- Why 90% of naval warfare will be autonomous within 10 years-----------------------------------------------Follow Martin Majercin on X:https://www.x.com/monsfrostFollow Martin Majercin on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/monsfrost/Follow Pavel Panasjuk LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ppanasjukFollow Angler on their website:https://anglerdrones.com#defence #drone #maritime #defencetechnology #startup #ukraine

Francesco Cacciatore, a space engineer who spent 20 years designing missions to Mars, Mercury, and comets at companies like Deimos and Sener, co-founded Orbital Paradigm in 2023. When most thought reentry was a closed market dominated by established players, his team did the unthinkable: they built Spain's first reentry capsule in 11 months—working nights and weekends while still employed—and got it flight-qualified. Today, Orbital Paradigm is the only payload that survived the catastrophic PSLV failure in January 2025, with their capsule enduring 35Gs (more than double design limits) and transmitting data all the way down.In this episode, Francesco shares the unfiltered journey of building Europe's newest reentry company: how a personal health crisis made him stop "watching life from the bench" and finally start something, how they qualified flight hardware faster than anyone expected by over-engineering for the wrong mission profile, and why European founders need to stop chasing manager titles and feeling guilty about wanting to get rich.-----------------------------------------------Chapters:00:00 Introduction01:40 What Orbital Paradigm Actually Does28:05 The Health Crisis That Pushed Me to Quit35:02 Why MBAs Are Useless for Space Founders45:39 First Weeks: Building While Working Full-Time50:50 The Pivot: From In-Space Robotics to Reentry Capsules01:09:24 Build vs Buy: Being Cleverly Integrated01:14:16 Finding Your First Customers: Pulling the Thread01:19:35 Fundraising Mistakes: Stop Leading with Step One01:28:24 Launch Day: When the Rocket Failed Mid-Flight01:33:20 How KID Survived 33Gs (When It Should Have Died)01:44:16 The Biggest Lie Investors Tell Founders01:48:03 Final Message: Why It's Worth It-----------------------------------------------You will learn:- What's the biggest mistake engineers make with investors and how to fix it- Why European founders need to stop chasing titles- Why to design for customers, not capabilities- Why "vertical integration" myth is bullsh*t- What kills most of the deep tech companies-----------------------------------------------Follow Martin Majercin on X:https://www.x.com/monsfrostFollow Martin Majercin on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/monsfrost/Follow Francesco Cacciatore LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/francescocacciatore/Follow Orbital Paradigm on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/orbital-paradigm

Christian Schmierer, an aerospace engineer who grew up next to Europe's largest rocket test center, co-founded HyImpulse in 2018. When every expert dismissed hybrid rockets as failed technology from the 1960s, his team did the unthinkable: they built rockets powered by paraffin—essentially candle wax.Today, HyImpulse has raised over €45 million and became Germany's first privately-funded company to successfully launch a rocket—spending just €15 million to get there while competitors burned through ten times that amount.In this episode, Christian shares the unfiltered journey of building Europe's most unconventional launch company: how breaking world records as students made founding a company feel inevitable, why four engineers leaving stable jobs at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) turned out to be the right choice and why they had to ship their rocket halfway around the world to the Australian desert for a mission aptly named "Light This Candle.-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(02:50) From Childhood Curiosity to Student Rocket Team(09:55) Why Hybrid Rockets? The Technology No One Believed In(14:32) Failure at 2 Kilometers: Our First Launch Attempt(22:49) Breaking the World Record: 32.3 Kilometers(24:04) The 16-Month Gap: From Students to Founders(31:23) How We Landed Our First Investor(35:37) Scaling from 4 Founders to 50 People(42:33) Cracking the Code: Winning EU Funding on the Third Try(48:25) Light This Candle: Germany's First Private Rocket Launch(51:21) How One Launch Changed Everything with Investors(53:05) Raising €45M and Planning the Orbital Rocket(58:21) The 10-Year Vision(01:05:03) Advice to Space Founders-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) Just get started - Europe rewards those who try: "If you have a great idea then there is definitely room in Europe to do this and follow your dream or your idea and you just have to get started because initially there will be people who say it's impossible or no one needs it." 2) Learn to speak different languages to different stakeholders: "The way how I explain it to a potential investor is completely different whether it's a VC or a strategic, but then if I have to explain it to an authority it's again completely different - I have to use a different language that they understand." Your pitch to a VC, a government agency, and a customer should sound completely different.3) Capital efficiency is a competitive advantage, not a limitation: HyImpulse launched their first rocket for just €15 million total. "We are actually very capital efficient but of course if you want to build amazing things, big things, then it also requires capital." Being scrappy forces you to make smarter decisions.4) Start where you have the edge, not where VCs tell you to start: While other rocket startups bought hired experienced engineers, HyImpulse started with basic research on hybrid rockets with paraffin. "We had to start with basic research whereas everyone else, if they wanted, they could have bought an engine."5) Resilience built in student days becomes the foundation for your company: As students, their first rocket failed at just 2 kilometers after years of work. They built two more rockets and broke the world record at 32.3 kilometers on their third attempt. That "fail, learn, try again" DNA carried directly into HyImpulse - where the stakes were exponentially higher but the resilience was already battle-tested.6) A successful launch changes everything - but only for non-engineers: "For us as rocket engineers, already in the testing phase on ground it was clear okay this will work at some point. But for non-engineers this is a different story. I can explain to people as many times 'yeah with candle wax, with paraffin you can launch into space' and people say 'yeah okay.' But with that launch, that of course changed - people say 'oh it looks like a real rocket!'"

Rafel Jorda Siquier, an aerospace engineer from Mallorca, founded Open Cosmos in 2015. When they landed their first satellite contract, every university—including his own—refused to give them clean room access. So they went to the Arctic Circle to assemble their first satellite. Today, Open Cosmos has secured over €120 million in contracts in the last year alone, building satellites faster and cheaper than the industry thought possible—while actually turning a profit.In this episode, Rafael shares the unfiltered reality of building Europe's fastest-growing space company: how launching stratospheric balloons as a student led to an internship that showed him starting a space company was actually possible, why he walked away from a dream job at Airbus—Europe's largest aerospace company—to chase a purpose he couldn't ignore, and why Open Cosmos is now pushing AI capabilities directly into orbit.-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(02:22) From Stratospheric Balloons to Life Purpose(09:55) "Is That Even Possible?" - Leaving Airbus at 25(17:06) Why I Chose Europe Over the US(21:11) How to Land Your First Contract in 3 Months(25:58) Convincing My CTO to Quit His Dream Job(28:53) Why We Assembled our First Satellite near the North Pole(43:40) Start Where You Have the Edge, Not Where VCs Tell You(46:40) How to Kill a Product That Doesn't Sell(48:28) COVID Hit. Everything Broke at Once.(53:21) How We Became Profitable During a Pandemic(55:04) How to Build Investor Trust(57:01) Companies Exist to Solve Problems, Not Raise Money(01:00:50) Get Traction, Sell, Then Raise(01:10:34) Advice to Young Founders-----------------------------------------------1) Naivety is your most powerful weapon as a founder - don't lose it: "Naivety is essential as a founder because few things are so empowering as naivety to take that first step."2) Companies exist to solve problems and earn money - not to raise it: "Companies are not out there to raise money. Companies should be out there to solve problems and to earn money on the back of solving those problems." Open Cosmos bootstrapped their first satellite and only raised when they needed to scale into a new product line.3) Find customers before you find investors: "Get traction, prove the market - sell and then raise. Guys, we did it with satellites. So if we've done it, bootstrapping a satellite, maybe there are multiple industries where this approach may also work."4) Don't start the company the sake of starting - do it for purpose and need: The entrepreneurial drive should come from seeing a real problem that nobody else is solving, not from wanting to be a founder.5) Start where you have the edge, not where the market tells you to start: "For me, it was very clear that we had to start where we had an edge. Our edge was we were good system engineers with good design capabilities with an understanding of supply chain, unit economics. So we started building probably the hardest bit - the hardware."6) Take care of yourself - the founder journey is a marathon: "Make sure you take better care of yourself because the journey as a founder, it's a marathon... Probably I could have achieved the same while not necessarily having to grind it so crazily."7) When everything breaks at once, speed of decision is everything: "In these situations, if you doubt during two weeks or three weeks or a month to take a decision, you've burned a lot of that extra time. So we took extremely prompt decisions." When COVID hit, Open Cosmos furloughed half the team within days and brought everyone back four months later.8) Pay your suppliers on time - especially when you can barely afford it: "During those COVID months, we didn't miss or delay a single payment to our suppliers because we didn't want that to be done to us. I know for a fact that many of the suppliers went through that period relying on our payment."

V'yacheslav Shvaydak, an ex-lieutenant with a PhD in economics co-founded DROPLA in 2023. Starting with three co-founders and zero revenue, they pitched military officials: "we're a small startup, our name is nobody, can you please give us some land mines?" They were shown the door. Today, DROPLA has raised millions from international investors and built technology now deployed across Ukraine, expanding from humanitarian de-mining into real-time threat detection systems dictated by battlefield needs.In this episode, Slava shares the unfiltered reality of building defence tech during wartime: how his experience as a former tank commander sitting on ammunition watching turret caps fly shaped his product decisions, why European defence startups must stress-test products before bringing them to Ukrainian warfighters, the single biggest mistake that destroys defencetech companies, and why there's nothing shameful about forging weapons when democracy needs defending.-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(01:32) PhD Economist, Engineer & Tank Commander: The Unusual Combo(09:30) How Slava ended with Starting a Defencetech Company(25:52) The Breakthrough: Getting Access to Real Land Mines(27:30) How We Built Europe's Biggest Mine Database(26:27) First Win: How We Got Ukrainian Forces to Say Yes(44:31) The Pivot: From Humanitarian to Battlefield(51:43) How to Actually Raise Money During a War(01:02:40) Why Defencetech Gives You Zero Second Chances(01:05:12) The Agreement That Saved Our Founding Team(01:09:07) What "Battle-Ready" Actually Means-----------------------------------------------1) Respect is your currency in defencetech - protect it ruthlessly: "You never badmouth people behind their back. You never badmouth people in the defence industry. The word spreads really quickly about you, your company. This respect is a very bad type of decision that you might choose."2) Face-to-face confrontation beats silent disrespect every time: "If you think that somebody is wrong, confront him. Openly confront him. It will be a sign of strength. It will be a sign of respect to him. And the truth will be revealed in this battle. And there is nothing bad in having different opinions."3) Never bring half-baked products to warfighters - it's unforgivable: "If you are a defence tech in Europe, I would strongly advise not to waste Ukrainian warfighters time... You would come with a completely raw, untested, under stress product in your environment, trying to bring something that you know for sure will not work. You know, personally inside. You are just doing that to stamp battle proven on your product and go brag about it."4) Impossible persistence beats perfect credentials: "Imagine you coming to the military guys and asking them 'hey guys, I'm a small startup with 4 co-founders, we just started, we have zero in revenue, our name is nobody and can you please give us some land mines to play with?' Right now we have the biggest land mine threat signature in Europe I would say without any doubt."5) There's nothing shameful in building shields and swords - "There is nothing bad in being strong. There is nothing bad in forging a shield. There is nothing bad in forging a sword. There is nothing bad in desire to defend your people. It is a source of strength... Straighten up your backs and work." European defence tech founders: abandon the shame. Defending your people is a source of strength, not embarrassment.6) Your weird combination is your unfair advantage: "We are all on our personal journeys with a designated set of skills... your pair of eyes have seen stuff that no one else in the world has seen or heard. And your unique connect of the brain is such a unique experience." Don't try to fit into boxes. Your strange path is your edge.#defence #ukraine #entrepreneurship #artificialintelligence

Lars Alminde co-founded GomSpace in 2007, one of Europe's first New Space companies, at a time when ESA openly dismissed their technology as "not something we're ever going to use." Fast forward 18 years, ESA is now a customer of GomSpace, and Lars has lived through nearly every crisis a space founder can face. He stepped down as CEO after seven years, watched the company go public with a 6x stock surge, then saw it nearly die twice - once from cancelled contracts in 2019, then again from a devastating stock crash in 2023 - before reaching profitability in 2025.In this episode, Lars shares the unfiltered reality of building in European space: how university consulting revenue from day one kept them alive, why stepping down as founding CEO was his best strategic move, and what he learned from surviving 2 decades in one of the world's most unforgiving industries.-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(02:27) How a Student Project Became a Career(04:11) Two Satellites Failed & He Still Started a Company(08:16) "We'll Never Use This" - ESA Before Signing Their Contracts Years Later(15:24) First Success: GOMX-1 Changes Everything(18:29) Stepping Down as CEO After 7 Years(23:31) Going Public: The IPO That Changed Everything(28:47) First Near-Death: Major Contracts Cancelled(34:00) Second Near-Death: Stock Crashes 90%(37:02) New CEO, New Strategy: From Growth to Profitability(42:39) 18 Years to Profitability(44:26) The One Lesson From Years of Experience(45:32) Rapid Fire Questions-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) Plan your CEO exit before burnout forces it - "I couldn't keep working 150% for all of my career. And when you're the CEO, there's a lot of things you have to do because you're the CEO, which distracts you from where you can make your most important contributions." Lars stepped down after 7 years when he became a father, recognizing he needed to shift from CEO duties to his technical core strengths.2) If you're even thinking about stepping down, take it seriously - "If as an early stage CEO, you're even thinking about it, then you know there's something to take serious. Be curious, explore your feelings and your priorities. Do I need to be in this company for another three years? At some point, you have to make your career plan or you just get overwhelmed by all of the work."3) During crises, protect your personal life or you'll suffer constantly - "If everything you have is the business and the business suffered, then you suffer all of the time. If you also have a family, take your mountain bike in the forest on the weekend. If you have other interests, then you can distance from it and see the business is suffering, I'm doing what I can to fix it, but I'm okay."4) Radical transparency with employees helps everyone plan better - "The more people know, the better they are able to add and plan." After nearly dying twice, GomSpace now emphasizes extreme transparency.5) Stop selling your tech stack, start selling outcomes - "I think for most new technology it's about transitioning from being excited about a technology to have applications and customers who are excited about what that technology can do for them."6) Find real end users early - "Think beyond the grants and the government subsidies and think about what's the real application this technology can provide and make sure to get in contact with that group of end users as early as possible."7) Think in multiple scenarios, but don't focus on failure - "When you need to make that big adjustment, you have to think in multiple scenarios because there always are multiple scenarios. One of them is not making it, but it's just one of many scenarios.8) Success is about staying in the game long enough to catch opportunities. In the early years, Lars didn't know on the 20th of each month how he'd pay salaries by the 30th - but he always found a way to stay alive another month.

Philip Johnston is the CEO and Co-founder of Starcloud, a YC-backed startup building data centers in space to solve AI's growing energy crisis. After working at Goldman Sachs and consulting for Middle Eastern space agencies, Philip assembled what he calls "the 10 most kickass engineers in the world" from thousands of candidates. Their mission: create gigabit-scale orbital data centers with 4km solar arrays that could fundamentally transform computing infrastructure.In this episode, Philip reveals his journey from being rejected twice by YC to securing $21M in funding and preparing to launch Starcloud's first satellite this year. He explains why his small, elite team is developing technology to run NVIDIA's H100 chips in space (the first time in human history), their rapid 18-month satellite development cycle, and why conventional terrestrial data centers simply cannot scale to meet future AI energy demands.-----------------------------------------------Chapters:00:00 Introduction02:02 Growing Up with a YC Founder Brother04:28 Why Trading Skills Are Useless for Entrepreneurship12:13 The Starbase "Holy Sh*t" Moment That Started It All16:42 The First Angel Investor Who Changed Everything21:03 Why Redmond (Not LA) Is the Real Space Capital23:47 Y Combinator & The Viral White Paper That Got Them Roasted29:29 Over 200 VCs Reached Out: The $11M Round in Days32:35 Hiring Only 10 People: The World's Most Elite Space Team37:27 First to Fly NVIDIA H100s in Space42:20 Quick Fire Questions: Why Humanity Will Wipe Itself Out47:52 Why Your Crazy Idea Probably Sucks-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) Exposure to high achievers eliminates the impossible - "One thing that having an identical twin brother gives you is... it teaches you what is possible. If he can do something, there is no reason I shouldn't be able to do it." 2) Traditional finance experience is worthless for founders - "I would not recommend anybody become a trader if you want to be an entrepreneur... trading is an incredibly niche and non-transferable skill set." 3) Best founder training: startup experience beats everything - "The best path to founding a company is to go work for a startup." Philip's clear hierarchy of valuable pre-founder experience places startups at the top, followed by management consulting, with VC and trading trailing far behind.4) Lead with your most audacious vision, not incremental steps - Philip's biggest fundraising regret was initially pitching short-term vision: satellite edge computing instead of his revolutionary vision for orbital data centers.5) American angels wire money immediately; Europeans wait for others - "American angels are like absolute godsend because they sign and wire on the same day... in Europe they're like, who else is in?" The cultural difference in investor behavior meant Starcloud's first check came from an American who decided independently without needing social proof.6) Move your company to the talent, not where "space companies go" - "Everybody we want to hire lives in Redmond, Washington... for satellites, Redmond's like the global capital." Philip relocated from aerospace hub El Segundo when he discovered 90% of satellites were actually designed and built in Redmond.7) Hire slowly: interview thousands to find your 10 perfect engineers - "We spent an enormous amount of time interviewing and not hiring lots of people... we went through about 10,000 CVs." Starcloud's elite 10-person team resulted from an extraordinarily selective process that rejected thousands of qualified candidates.8) "Build it and see" beats "spend months in CAD" - "We are very much a build it and see culture rather than a spend six months in CAD and see culture." Philip's team prioritizes physical prototyping and testing over extensive theoretical design, accelerating their development cycle dramatically.

Lukas Werling is the CEO and co-founder of ISPTech, a German space startup developing green propellants that eliminate the need for hazmat suits and could slash space propulsion costs by 75%. The company has in a short time secured €2 million in funding with three orbital missions lined up for flight later this year.In this episode of Rockets and Radars, Lukas shares his journey from a mechanical engineering student rejected from aerospace programs to spending 14 years at DLR (Europe's premier rocket testing facility) before selling his motorbike to raise startup capital. From supervising thousands of rocket engine hot firings to managing Europe's most unique test facility, from watching technicians in hazmat suits handle toxic propellants to developing fuel safe enough to handle with bare hands, Lukas explains how patient research and perfect timing created a company that had paying customers before it even officially launched.Want to get hired in ISPTech? https://tally.so/r/mOq9b7Want to invest in ISPTech? https://tally.so/r/nGE4qp-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(03:09) Getting Rejected(08:00) Breaking into DLR(14:34) Finding the Perfect Co-founder(21:01) The Spin-Out Decision(30:32) Incorporating with €25K: Selling the Motorbike(35:56) Getting First Customers Before Incorporation(44:36) Funding Journey: €2M Pre-Seed(51:17) Future Vision: Space Infrastructure & Mobility(54:34) Quick Fire Round: Biggest Mistakes & Key Decisions(58:52) Advice for Researchers-----------------------------------------------Takeaways: 1) Persistence beats rejection - keep asking until someone says yes. "I talked to my professor during his lectures. I went to his office several times... he was always saying, yeah, I will reach out." Lukas got into DLR by repeatedly asking his professor for an introduction until he finally made the call.2) Technology maturity trumps perfect business plans for deep tech - "We had like years and years of testing at the test bench... many companies didn't have those possibilities." Having proven technology from 14 years of research gave them customer confidence that business plans alone couldn't provide.3) Know your customers' pain points before you spin out - "We knew some spacecraft manufacturers, some people... what their issues are, what their pain points are." Don't guess at market needs - work directly with your future customers to understand their problems first.4) Hire people you've worked with for years, not strangers - "The first people we hired were from this... student team... We know them for years." Your early team should be people whose work quality and character you've personally witnessed over time.5) Speed beats bureaucracy when markets are moving fast - "We can decide, we can make progress as a company much, much faster... people from DLR approaching us, ah guys, can you do it so fast?" Startup agility is your biggest advantage over large institutions.6) Never start work without a written contract, no matter who asks - "The biggest mistake I made is to start some work... without a written contract... it never materialized." Even trusted contacts can disappear - always get agreements in writing before starting any work.7) Build your network before you need it - "We had our network. Of course, we knew some spacecraft manufacturers... this was an advantage." Relationships built over years become customers and partners when you're ready to commercialize.8) Focus on customer contracts, not just grant funding - "We need, just frame contracts... As a company you want customers and not additional grant funding." Paying customers validate your business better than government grants ever will.9) Plan backwards from your vision to find the first step - "You want to build this huge power plant... plan backwards... solve one issue after the other." Break dreams into manageable technical problems you can solve sequentially.

Sebastian Klaus (CEO and co-founder of ATMOS Space Cargo) went from a 17-year-old watching SpaceShipOne make history to building Europe's fastest-moving space reentry company from prototype to flight under 12 months.In this episode of Rockets and Radars, Sebastian reveals how ATMOS went from nearly going bankrupt in 2022 to successfully demonstrating inflatable heat shield technology from a small plane over the South Atlantic. From 14 years of military service to convincing investors to put €10M+ into the "most advanced technology in spaceflight history," this is the raw story of Europe's race to build space sovereignty—and how ATMOS could become the "FedEx for space."Want to get hired in ATMOS? https://tally.so/r/wvalVDWant to invest in ATMOS? https://tally.so/r/wLjeBp-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(02:49) From 17-Year-Old Dreamer to Military Officer(10:23) Building the Dream Team: Finding Co-founders(19:32) Early Prototyping & Technical Validation(22:44) The Dark Year: 2022 Crisis & Near Bankruptcy(29:58) The Funding Gauntlet: Raising €10M+ Seed Round(38:45) Lori Garver & EIC Grant: €13M European Bet(44:20) Phoenix One Mission: Historic Flight Success(49:00) Defence Pivot: Ukraine War & Drone Applications(54:39) Quick Fire Round & Hiring Philosophy(58:21) Advice for Young Founders-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) Study the fundamental bottlenecks of your future industry before it exists. "I did my bachelor's on atmospheric reentry and my master's on reusable rocket engines. For me it was very clear - you need atmospheric reentry technology and you need to be able to reuse those things."2) Recruit co-founders when they're at career peaks but facing industry decline. "On Christmas Eve, I called a world-class engineer who had just launched a $10 billion space telescope. I said 'Your rocket program is being shut down. If you want to quit, now is the time.'" Target potential co-founders when their current path has obvious dead ends.3) Physical prototypes unlock funding that slide decks never will. "We dropped a 1:10 scale prototype from a helicopter to test our inflatable heat shield. It worked on the first try and became a very good marketing tool for customers and investors."4) Work second jobs to fund your startup - investors notice the sacrifice. "My co-founders and I were all working second jobs to keep the company afloat. We didn't pay ourselves a single euro in salary. Founders sacrificing personal income signals total commitment to investors.5) Find technologies where physics gives you 10X advantages over incumbents. "With inflatable technology, we can bring back 10X more cargo from space." Look for fundamental physical constraints that new approaches can completely break.6) Pivot when customers give you contracts, not just compliments. "Once we switched to building our own spacecraft and selling to pharmaceutical companies, we felt real customer pull. Companies immediately gave us letters of intent and MOUs." Polite interest isn't market validation - signed agreements are.7) Fly to the middle of nowhere for your company's biggest moments. "I flew 700 kilometers over the Atlantic Ocean in a small plane with Starlink duct-taped to the window to watch our spacecraft return from orbit." Critical company moments require founder presence, not remote management.8) Build operational flexibility into everything, not just your product. "We had to completely replan our space mission weeks before launch when our landing zone changed from the Indian Ocean to the South Atlantic." External changes will break rigid operations - adaptability determines survival.9) Dual-use technology can 10X your addressable market overnight. "The same technology that returns pharmaceutical experiments from space can deliver drones anywhere on Earth within hours." Defence applications can massively expand your total addressable market.

Stefan Roebel transformed from 12 years in the German military and a decade scaling Amazon operations to co-founding Europe's largest autonomous military vehicle production facility in just 3 years.In this episode of Rockets and Radars, Stefan reveals how ARX Robotics (ARX) went from a university research project to life-saving robots supporting Ukrainian troops in under 3 years. From a tired Thursday dinner where "nothing existed" to raising €40M+ and building combat-proven systems, this is the raw story of Europe's race to build its defense future before it's too late—and how ARX could become Europe's next defencetech unicorn.Want to get hired in ARX? https://tally.so/r/3qqAYdWant to invest in ARX? https://tally.so/r/mZA6Ga-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(01:57) Personal Background & Joining ARX as 4th Co-founder(07:49) Project A Venture Studio Program(12:40) The First Prototype(19:37) Pivot to Modular Approach & ARX Framework(25:45) Customer Acquisition Strategy(31:27) Seed Round: €9 Million & NATO Innovation Fund(39:54) Launching Mithra OS(42:19) Series A: How we raised €31 Million(46:24) Vision: Becoming a European Defence Prime(50:35) Advice for Defence Tech Founders-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) Venture studios beat accelerators for hardware companies"A venture studio is a level two accelerator. They assign a founder associate, shared resources like hiring, legal contacts - they have all the tools a classical VC has plus operational background." This mindset was exactly what ARX needed for complex hardware development.2) Build your first prototype to fundraise, not to sell"Investors got super excited because they saw a physical product after a decade of SaaS presentations." Hardware founders need something tangible to overcome investor skepticism.3) Pitch deck hell is inevitable - embrace the chaos "We had 40 iterations of the first pitch deck. There are 500 different opinions on pitch decks, especially for hardware. Don't fight the feedback loop - use each iteration to find investors who actually understand your market and hardware.4) Win credibility through real competitions, not demos"We won the visitors award at Estonian autonomy trials. That was the first time we got exposure to other robotics companies." Public trials validate your tech against established competitors.5) Pivot from single-use to modular approach"We found most robots are single-use. But the change of situation is so rapid you need a new solution every five minutes." Undefined markets require maximum flexibility.6) Start with R&D contracts, scale to procurement later"We used smaller R&D programs to finance development of 1-10 robots. The procurement is still a tanker - we're the speedboats getting money to figure out new processes." Use innovation programs as stepping stones to larger contracts.7) Hire military experience locally for each country expansion"My military English is bad. We're replicating what we did in Germany by hiring local teams with military experience to understand customer needs and adapt our system." Defence is hyper-local - you need native military speakers.8) Series A requires proof, not just vision"Series A is proof of concept done, show us traction, pipeline, forward-looking revenue. It's more data-driven, unromantic. They need conviction the money scales an already working machine." Move from founder-market fit to product-market fit evidence.9) Speed of iteration determines battlefield winners"Fast iteration cycles will be the difference maker. The current speed of change is mission critical to battlefield success. Whoever iterates fastest wins."10) Pick investors who understand B2G]We had investors with SaaS mindset asking about recurring revenues. Find investors who've lived your customer's world, not just scaled software companies.

Mitch Hunter-Scullion is the CEO and founder of Asteroid Mining Corporation (AMC), Europe's first asteroid mining company with operations across three continents and partnership with Japanese lab that built HAYABUSA (actual asteroid missions).In this episode of Rockets and Radars, Mitch shares his journey from a 21-year-old university student writing a dissertation on asteroid mining to building a space robotics company with operations across three continents. From registering the company name on a whim to appearing on BBC World News, from failed crowdfunding campaigns to million-pound investment rounds, Mitch explains how he transformed an "impossible dream" into reality. He discusses developing climbing robots for both terrestrial industrial applications and future space missions, navigating cultural differences between UK and Japanese space ecosystems, and how persistence through skepticism led to collaborations with Tohoku University and the Japanese space industry.Want to get hired in AMC? https://tally.so/r/wbX6GoWant to invest in AMC? https://tally.so/r/npXk1b-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(02:05) From University to Company(07:00) Credibility Crisis: When Everyone Thinks You're Mad(11:09) BBC World Breakthrough(14:24) The Crowdfunding Disaster: Why It Failed(18:40) Extreme Bootstrap: Living on £500 for Years(22:51) Japan Partnership: Random Beer to Tohoku University(33:22) Product Pivot: Satellites to Climbing Robots Strategy(39:00) First Million: The Institutional Investment Reality(47:48) Near-Term vs Ultimate Mission: Balancing Revenue & Vision(58:23) Fire Round Questions-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) Say yes to every conversation, especially early on"If someone wants to talk, you always talk... Random emails and coffee meetings led to Mitch's biggest partnerships and investment opportunities.2) One major media appearance can instantly establish credibility "When I first went on BBC News, people were like, okay, so I actually see something's real here." Early founders desperately need credibility - prioritize getting one big media hit over many small ones.3) Crowdfunding teaches you what real business looks like"Projects are projects, but business is business. Business is about creating a product and being able to generate profits." Failed crowdfunding forced Mitch to understand the difference between cool projects and viable businesses.4) Extreme frugality can extend your runway for years"I didn't have any more than £500 in my bank account... overnight buses from Glasgow to London."5) Academic partnerships are the easiest way into new markets"Academic partnerships are a really good way for startups to get their foot into a new market." Universities provide low-risk entry, cultural guidance, and credibility in foreign countries.6) Build sustainable revenue before attempting your moonshot"Slow and steady wins the race... we don't approve of the get to asteroids or go bust model." Terrestrial customers fund your space dreams and provide resilience against failures.7) Design once, sell twice: space tech for Earth applications"We always knew there were going to be industrial applications... synergistic development opportunities." Every space technology should have an Earth market - maritime, nuclear, mining industries pay well and prove your tech.8) Investors care more about timelines than technical perfection." Investors really wanted to see timelines... The quicker you can have something that you can demo, the better." Show progress and momentum over perfect engineering - demos beat specifications.9) Prepare financially and mentally for inevitable space failures"Space is incredibly difficult... when things go wrong, you need to be resilient." Unlike software, space has catastrophic single-point failures - build multiple revenue streams and mental toughness before attempting orbital missions.

Adel Haddoud is the CEO and co-founder of Infinite Orbits, a space servicing startup that has raised €12 million in Series A funding. In this episode of Rockets and Radars, Adel shares his journey from aerospace engineer and serial entrepreneur to building the world's first commercial nanosatellite in geostationary orbit. From surviving month-to-month during the pandemic to landing contracts with major players like Intelsat and the US Air Force, Adel explains how persistence and customer focus helped them achieve what many called impossible - repairing and servicing satellites in space.Want to get hired in Infinite Orbits? https://tally.so/r/w2gzAeWant to invest in Infinite Orbits? https://tally.so/r/3xLEDd-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(02:06) From Investor to Founder to CEO(08:31) Finding First Customer(22:06) Surviving the Early Years: Month-to-Month Funding(29:37) Winning EIC Accelerator(36:37) Building Step-by-Step: Product Evolution Strategy(42:23) Fundraising Reality: Why We Are Always Raising(47:12) Hiring for Personality Over Process(50:11) Going Global While Staying European(51:37) Fire Round: Rejections, Competition & Founder Advice-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) Follow customers, not personal preferences "We are quite commercially driven. So we follow where our customers are." Infinite Orbits moved from Singapore to Europe because that's where their technology suppliers, talent, and major customers were located, not for personal convenience.2) Adapt your product to what customers actually want "We adapted to what customer wanted... They convinced us that it's good to go step by step." Instead of trying to do full satellite life extension immediately, they built simpler stepping-stone products that customers were willing to pay for and risk.3) Persistence beats perfection in early sales"A lot of people say, yeah, this is great, but this is so difficult." Adel's team kept explaining their vision-based rendezvous technology until people understood its potential, despite initial skepticism.4) Never allow yourself to think you might fail"I never thought we will not make it... Once you do, then it goes downhill. It's like a domino effect."5)Target the biggest market, not the easiest one"90 billion dollar was worth of assets in GEO orbit and less than 10 billion dollar worth of assets in LEO... it made sense to do servicing to something that costs 300 million euros."6) EIC Accelerator is a game-changer for European startups"That literally took us from one league to another league... That puts you on stage, really, that attracts investors." Winning EIC with only 4-6% success rate provided credibility and matching investment that unlocked their Series A.7) Hire for personality and natural motivation first"We are hiring for the personality most of the time... If a person is not naturally motivated by space and by our technology and by being part of the team, we don't hire them." Cultural fit and genuine passion matter more than perfect credentials.8) "Never take NO for an answer" in fundraising"The natural answer for a VC is like, oh, I'm not sure. Let's wait... So you just need to keep pushing and understand why you're pushing." Treat fundraising like sales - analyze why investors say no and work to convert them.9) Every space startup should stop pretending being great"Do not pretend. Get the truth from customers. Don't lie to yourself... Only a customer tells you if it's great or not." Adel's core philosophy: customer validation is the only truth that matters, not internal assumptions.10) Collaboration beats going alone in European space"Space is too big too difficult for everybody... if you're smart enough to collaborate, then you're open enough to collaborate." Their willingness to partner with companies across 17 European countries helped them win grants and build supply chains.

Kenneth Skorpen is the co-founder and CEO of BlinkTroll Robotics, a defence tech startup that has raised €1.5 million just a few days ago.In this episode of Rockets and Radars, Kenneth shares his journey from a decade in Norwegian special forces to building moving target systems that increase soldiers' hit accuracy from 10% to 80%. He reveals how his frustration with predictable static training targets during military exercises led him to start tinkering in his garage, eventually founding a company that now serves over 10,000 soldiers and police across Europe.Want to get hired in BlinkTroll? https://tally.so/r/3ErqPBWant to invest in BlinkTroll? https://tally.so/r/nrbDl2-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(02:22) Kenneth's Personal Background & Military Experience(08:16) Transition from Oil & Gas to Defence Tech(11:01) Finding Co-Founder Øystein(19:40) Moving from Norway to Denmark(28:31) Hiring & Building an International Team(34:39) Fundraising Journey & Investor Alignment(43:21) Product Strategy & Future Vision(49:49) Fire Round: European Defence Industry Controversies(54:28) Military Procurement Across Different Nations(58:52) Can Europe Compete with American Defence Tech?(01:02:06) Final Reflections on Training & Purpose -----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) Military experience provides unique market insight but isn't everything: Kenneth's special forces background gave him credibility and problem awareness, but passion and energy matter more than perfect credentials.2) Start building while employed to reduce financial pressure: Kenneth developed his moving target systems while working in oil and gas, avoiding the stress of needing immediate revenue to survive.3) Market pull beats technology push every time: Kenneth only founded BlinkTroll in December 2022 when customers were actively requesting his systems, not when the technology was ready.4) Find co-founders who complement, don't duplicate your skills: "If there was Kenneth number two, we'd be a terrible team. We'd be fighting over the same drawings." Kenneth handles technical development while Øystein manages sales and business operations - zero overlap, maximum coverage.5) Customer tolerance reveals product-market fit strength:"The product was pretty sh*tty to begin with... But our customer saw the value even in a flawed product and continued supporting it." When customers endure bugs because the core value is essential, you've found something worth building.6) Geographic arbitrage can unlock growth: Most of our customers were right across the border." Moving BlinkTroll from Norway to Denmark in 2023 provided better ecosystem support, customer proximity, and cultural alignment with defense priorities.7) Hire for spark, not just skills: "If you have 10 interviews, there's maybe one person who's got spark in their eyes... not necessarily one with the best education or the best skillsets." Energy and excitement predict performance better than credentials when building early-stage teams.8) Align with existing procurement needs, don't create new ones: "There is nobody with power or influence in the military procurement program itself by anything based on their own wishes or desires. They simply act upon what is being requested from them." Find out what the military is already looking to buy and align your product with those existing requirements, rather than trying to create new demand.9) Investor alignment matters: "Do you share my values?... Kenneth turned down higher offers from investors who didn't align with BlinkTroll's mission during their fundraising process.10) Simplest path to revenue wins over strategic perfection: "What's the shortest way to the money? The simplest solution that gets you revenue as fast as possible." Focus on products that generate cash quickly, then use that revenue to fund longer-term strategic initiatives for sustainable growth.

Thomas Grübler is the co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of OroraTech, Germany's pioneering space-based wildfire detection company that has secured over €70 million in funding. In this episode of Rockets and Radars, Thomas shares his journey from building satellites as a university student to creating a company that provides fire intelligence to firefighters worldwide. He reveals how a simple question - "how can a fire burn for three days without anyone finding it out?" - led to pivoting from hardware to software, securing their first international contracts during COVID, and launching multiple thermal imaging satellites on SpaceX. Thomas discusses raising €37 million in Series B funding, expanding to the US market in Colorado, and his vision for a 100-satellite constellation capable of detecting fires within 30 minutes globally.Want to get hired in OroraTech? https://tally.so/r/3l1yBWWant to invest in OroraTech? https://tally.so/r/mRa0xJ-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(03:28) University Origins & Space Passion(10:05) Advice for Academic Founders(12:50) The Pivot & Customer Discovery(19:22) Building the Founding Team(25:45) Angel Round & Going Global During COVID(31:16) Series A & Business Model Evolution(40:40) CEO Transition & US Market Entry(47:20) Series B & Scaling to 100 Satellites(56:10) Technical Challenges & European Ecosystem(01:02:30) Future Vision & Wisdom-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) Personal passion drives persistence through challengesHaving deep personal connection to your problem space gives you unique insights and motivation to push through inevitable obstacles.2) Talk to everyone about your idea - secrecy kills startupsThomas met his co-founder Björn by openly pitching his "very, very bad pitch deck" at a conference.3) Start with free money before touching equity OroraTech secured EXIST grant, ESA contracts, and competition winnings before raising their first equity round.4) Customer confusion forced a crucial pivot"Nobody understood when we were talking about satellites and thermal... Instead they aggregated 25+ existing satellite data sources into one unified product customers could actually understand.5) Engineer mindset can blind you to market realities"We were talking with firefighting agencies and they told us, there's a fire burning for two or three days. People assume existing technology is being used optimally - often it's not.6) COVID accelerated global sales strategy"We needed to sell and we found out that we need to take advantage of this that everyone is happy of taking video calls. Their first major contracts came from Chile and Australia during the pandemic.7) ROI trumps technology coolness for customers"The ROI for someone in Chile who has their own firefighting agency, a private one, who is losing money every season... needs to protect their shareholders' interest actually."8) Space doesn't make you special to investors"You shouldn't talk about space too much. You are not selling to space, and your investors are not doing space." Focus on the problem you solve and market you serve, not the technology that enables it.9) Series B requires bulletproof numbers, not just vision"In Series B, they check all the numbers. The due diligence is not only based on a few customer interviews, but they really dig into the numbers" OroraTech had to prove scalable product-market fit with hard metrics, not just early customer traction.10) US market entry demands local presence and patience"All the statistics say that you're not successful if you don't have a local entity there and local people there. It's a different culture." After years of struggling to win US customers remotely, OroraTech finally established their Colorado subsidiary in 2024.

Omar Qaise is the founder of OQ Technology, Luxembourg's first New Space startup as well as Europe's leading satellite 5G operator in direct-to-device connectivity. In this episode of Rockets and Radars, Omar shares his journey from working at ESA and DLR to founding a space startup without co-founders in 2016. He reveals how he secured early contracts, demonstrated the world's first satellite 5G connectivity through Tiger missions, and focused on connecting industrial assets beyond cellular coverage. Omar discusses securing €13M in Series A funding co-led by Aramco Ventures, winning the prestigious EIC Accelerator grant, and his vision for a European constellation enabling seamless global connectivity competing with American players.Want to get hired in OQ Technology? https://tally.so/r/nWdj4JWant to invest in OQ Technology? https://tally.so/r/mePYbq-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(02:47) From ESA to Solo Founder(06:45) Why Luxembourg(10:52) First ESA Contracts(15:20) Patenting Strategy(19:38) Tiger-1 Mission(24:10) Securing €1.5M Seed Round(29:32) Aramco Partnership(35:45) Tiger-2 Mission(41:20) Series A: Raising €13M and Scaling the Company(48:30) Batch-1 Constellation(52:47) Direct-to-Smartphone Pivot(57:18) Winning the EIC Accelerator(01:02:30) Future Vision-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) Start alone if you have to - Omar started alone when others saw space as too risky: "The entrepreneurial mindset is not for everyone. Finding the right co-founder is difficult, but at some point, I had to take the decision to start the company and take the risk."2) Speed beats perfection - When asked if he'd spend more time finding co-founders, Omar emphasized momentum: "If you miss the opportunity, then it's an issue. Especially in space right now, things are moving very fast."3) Institutional funding needs commercial vision - Omar warns against getting trapped in technical development: "Once you get into technical development and excellence, you need always to keep in mind the commercial aspect. As engineers, we just love to build things and get sucked into the technical and forget about the business."4) Strategic patents create MOATs - OQ's early patents on satellite 5G technology became part of global standards: "Big companies try to push their patents to be part of the standard. That gives you a huge leverage, a big barrier to entry, but also potentially royalties in future."5) Trade shows should target customers, not space peers - Unlike most space startups, OQ focused on customer-centric events: "We go to the trade shows where we can sell. Maybe a lot of companies will go to space trade shows, but there you get people who try to sell you space things."6) Focus on real pain points beyond cell coverage - Omar identified critical gaps in global connectivity: "Beyond the cell tower in remote rural areas, in the seas, you don't have any connectivity solution that works with cellular."7) Capital efficiency is a competitive advantage - Omar strategically allocated limited resources: "We did have budget allocated, plus there are instruments and tools that help us in securing this without exhaustive cost at the beginning."8) Orbit demonstration creates unmatched experience - Flying early gave OQ Technology irreplicable knowledge: "We've been through a lot of learning and mistakes that we had to correct. Any company trying now to access that also has to go through this whole cycle."9) European space needs ambitious growth investments - Omar identifies a critical funding gap: "There's a lot of focus and investment on early stage, but you're gonna have companies that evolve to the scale-up stage."10) Geopolitics can create market openings - Omar recognized how global tensions create strategic opportunities: "Europe needs to be independent with its infrastructure and technology."

Dan Hermansen is the founder of MyDefence, an European drone defence company that's become a global leader in soldier-borne counter-unmanned aerial systems.In this episode of Rockets and Radars, Dan shares his remarkable journey from Danish Air Force reserve officer to building an European defence tech with 150% annual growth. He reveals how they pivoted from roadside bomb protection to drone defence, securing their first contract with Danish Defence in 2013 with just €1 million while working full-time jobs. He explains My Defence's innovative approach to portable drone detection, the unprecedented NATO framework agreement they recently secured, and his passionate vision for saving lives through technology that's become battle-proven in Ukraine's front lines.Want to get hired in MyDefence? https://tally.so/r/wkpL1JWant to invest in MyDefence? https://tally.so/r/wvpR1d-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(02:47) Developing Anti-IED Tech from Scratch(05:42) How to Get MoD Funding for Your Defence Startup(10:20) Setting a 3-Year Product Development Deadline(14:38) First Hires: Building a Technical Defence Team(17:32) The Counter-Drone Pivot That Changed Everything(27:16) Building Multiple Product Lines with Limited Resources(33:37) Cracking the US Defence Market: Pentagon to Contracts(43:37) Product Evolution: From Detection to Protection Systems(52:47) How Ukraine Validated the Counter-Drone Market(55:58) The Bridgepoint Deal: Sale to a Major Investor(01:01:14) Securing NATO Contracts and Future Plans-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) Start with a meaningful problem - MyDefence began with a powerful mission: protecting soldiers from roadside bombs after meeting an injured soldier who said "If I just had something on me that could protect me against these bombs, then I wouldn't have been in a wheelchair."2) Begin part-time if necessary - Dan and his co-founders developed their concept for four years while keeping their full-time jobs: "We had full-time jobs. So this was just on the sideline." 3) Secure proper permission - Before working on their side project, they approached their employer: "We made an agreement with my employer that it was okay." Protect yourself legally before pursuing your startup idea.4) Leverage existing networks - Their breakthrough with Danish Defence came through co-founder Christian's military connections: "He was a former F-16 pilot and still had active reserve duties. So he could open the doors."5) Set clear product timelines - "We need a product to build a company within three years. If we don't succeed, then we'll be a project company which is not scalable." 6) Stay adaptable to market demands - Their pivot to drone defence came organically when police and prison services expressed interest: "Drones were smuggling stuff into prisons. And the police had problems with drones flying over crowds."7) Test early with actual users - "You have to give a very early prototype. You're almost embarrassed to give this away... Go test it out. Tell me what works and what doesn't work." 8) Recognize when to pivot resources - When MyDefence couldn't complete their 3D radar development: "We looked at the bank account and said, out of money. So we needed to focus." Know when to shelve promising ideas to survive.9) Pursue international opportunities aggressively - After meeting a US general at a conference who gave him a business card, Dan immediately arranged a Pentagon meeting: "Just after we've finalized the MITRE challenge, I'll be in Washington, DC."10) Use professional advisors for major transitions - For their acquisition by Bridgepoint, Dan emphasized expert guidance: "We had a team of three people full-time working for nine months on this case." At critical growth stages, professional help is essential.

José Mariano Lopez-Urdiales is the founder of Zero2Infinity, an European space balloon company that's been challenging conventional approaches to space access for over 15 years.In this episode of Rockets and Radars, José shares his remarkable journey starting with just €90,000 and a vision for space balloon technology that could revolutionize how we access space. He discusses nearly securing a groundbreaking €5M deal with Vodafone to send Will.i.am to perform the first-ever concert from space, the corporate politics that derailed it, and his unwavering determination despite numerous setbacks. José explains Zero2Infinity's innovative approach to space access through balloon technology, why traditional rockets aren't always the answer, and his passionate vision for a European space industry that leads rather than follows.Want to get in touch with José? https://tally.so/r/w7e479Want to invest in Zero to Infinity? https://tally.so/r/mBg8JA-----------------------------------------------(00:00) - Introduction(01:44) - What is Zero2Infinity(05:14) - The Genesis of Zero2Infinity(07:08) - Balloons vs. Traditional Rockets(15:43) - Funding Journey: From €200K to €1.5M(24:41) - The Vodafone Partnership That Almost Changed Everything(28:32) - Product Evolution: Elevate, Bloon, and Bloostar(35:03) - Funding Challenges and Strategic Pivots(43:43) - Current Status and Future Vision(53:50) - Rapid Fire Q&A-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) Start with your unique insight - Jose identified a market gap: "If we can offer a ride that requires less training, less G forces, less risk... Wouldn't that be wonderful?" Find overlooked opportunities where you have genuine conviction.2) Begin with limited resources - Jose started with just €90,000, strategically using it for "a team, a patent, a website, and a business plan." Get creative with compensation - he offered future flight tickets to attract talent3) Look beyond your industry's bubble - Rather than pitching at space conferences, Jose presented at luxury travel fairs. "The market for space tourism is adventure travelers, not space nerds." Go where your actual customers are, not where your peers gather.4) Secure strategic first investors - Getting Ultramagic (a balloon manufacturer) onboard provided technical validation: "They know the path to get all the permits, the insurance, the certification." Your first investors should bring expertise and credibility to unlock your next steps.5) Persevere through rejection - "No doesn't mean a no in these situations necessarily." The Ultramagic investment came after multiple rejections. Persistence matters more than perfect pitches.6) Build demonstration capability before scaling - Zero2Infinity proved their concept with a half-scale prototype before attempting full-scale human flight. Create tangible proof that "we've shown that we float, we can fly this" to convince skeptics.7) Fundraising is about relationships, not spreadsheets - "When I tried to do a roadshow and pitch to people with a spreadsheet, none of that ever worked." Instead, focus on "increasing the surface of contact with serendipity" through constant networking.8) Use individual investors to attract VCs - Jose found that venture capital firms followed after their limited partners had already personally invested: "We made it embarrassing for the VCs not to follow their LPs."9) Find investors who need you - "Go to somebody that needs you more than you need them." Standard VCs have endless options, but partners with strategic interests in your specific solution will fight harder to make you succeed.10) Corporate partnerships require holistic thinking - The OHB collaboration failed because "I was just trying to win... I wasn't thinking how do I make other stakeholders within OHB need my project." Success requires making partners feel valued, not just proving technical superiority.

Stanislas Maximin is the founder and Executive Chairman of Latitude, a company valued over €100 million that's putting France back in the orbital launch business after almost 50 years.In this episode of Rockets and Radars, Stanislas shares his journey from being a self-described "terrible student" with a passion for rockets to building a space company. He discusses the challenges of starting with just €25,000, battling established players, rebranding multiple times, and creating a culture of rapid iteration and risk-taking. Stanislas explains Latitude's approach to rocket development, his philosophy on team building, and his bold vision for a European space industry that can compete globally. Want to join Latitude? https://tally.so/r/nrg1B5Want to invest in Latitude? https://tally.so/r/3EAE5qInterested in the joining Stanislas' New Space conference? https://lesassisesdunewspace.org/discover-the-ans-2025/(8-9 July '25, Paris)-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) - Introduction(03:23) - "I was a terrible student" - Stan's background(05:01) - Why rockets are just really cool(12:42) - Starting from zero in the space world(16:34) - The European space market opportunity(21:13) - Surviving on €25K: The funding journey begins(24:42) - The messy rebranding story(30:25) - Almost running out of money before Series A(35:19) - The drama with Ariane Group and engine testing(40:14) - Leveling up: From Series A to Series B funding(44:24) - Fighting against slow European processes(50:58) - How rocket development actually works(56:24) - Creating a faster company culture(01:05:41) - Making micro-launchers profitable(01:11:15) - The engine test bet(01:16:52) - Can Europe compete in space again?-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) You don't need a fancy degree- Stan sucked at school but loved rockets enough to start a company anyway. Passion beats credentials every time.2) Just start somewhere - Stan had "no experience, no knowledge, no skills, no nothing except a vision and a passion." That was enough to begin.3) Your first company name will probably suck - Latitude went through multiple "s*it" names before finding the right one. Don't stress about perfect branding at the start.4) Incubators actually help- Stan joined an incubator and called it "a game changer" for learning startup basics when he had no business experience.5) The first €25K is the hardest- They started with just enough to hire some interns and couldn't even pay themselves for almost two years.6) Move super fast as you grow- "Your ability to build a great product is linked to your ability to improve, to iterate on every part very fast." This becomes even more important as you scale.7) Build your own test facilities- When suppliers and partners slow you down, get control of your testing. "We opened a massive test zone" to move at their own pace.8) Fight against getting corporate- As they grew, processes got "heavier and heavier." Stan had to actively reshape the culture to stay nimble.9) Crazy incentives actually work- Stan bet his team they couldn't test an engine in two weeks, now he needs a tattoo because they delivered faster than expected.10) Know when your role needs to change- Stan recognized when to step back as CEO to focus on vision and strategy where he adds more value to the company.11) Europe needs to dream again - "Europe has stopped believing that tomorrow is going to be better than yesterday" and space companies need to help change that.

Daniel Pérez Grande is the CEO of Ienai Space, a Spanish space propulsion startup that evolved from university research into a company pioneering electric mobility for satellites. Beginning with winning the Young Visionaries Award at the International Electric Propulsion Conference in 2017, he built a team that would secure €10 million in funding and put the first European ElectroSpray thruster in orbit.In this episode, Daniel reveals how he transformed plasma physics research into a thriving space mobility company while surviving on just €12,000 salary and working from a garage. With no initial funding and competitors raising 10X more capital, he shares the dramatic story of nearly closing the business in 2020 before receiving a life-saving grant that same day. Daniel offers critical insights on deep tech fundraising and explains his controversial take on why "space is hard, but propulsion is harder."RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.Want to get hired at Ienai? https://tally.so/r/m64v6JWant to get invest in Ienai? https://tally.so/r/wbgr1Z-----------------------------------------------Chapters:00:00 - Introduction04:10 - "Space is hard, propulsion is harder"08:38 - Winning the Young Visionaries Award13:30 - From research to commercial venture18:24 - Navigating the difficult early years24:25 - Market research and space industry insights31:36 - First million in funding journey38:37 - Doing more with less funding43:47 - Flight heritage and technical milestones51:47 - Commercial delivery and dual approach55:26 - Building a passionate expert team01:00:34 - The future of Ienai Space01:05:45 - Quick-fire insights for founders-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) Partner with Friends Who Share Your Values - Daniel and his co-founders were friends from their PhD program who worked well together - "The fact that we were friends, the fact that we had a personal relationship... I think it's helped with the difficult moments" 2) Expect Near-Death Business Moments - Ienai Space nearly closed down in early 2020 before receiving critical funding3) Do More with Dramatically Less Capital - "We've been able to be on the same level than other companies that have raised five times, 10 times more than we have" 4) Build a Favor Economy in Deep Tech - Limited resources forced them to get creative with partnerships and borrowing - "We asked for a lot of favors... had people manufacture things for us for free... had access to facilities for very little money" 5) Master the Non-Dilutive Funding Landscape - Public funding provided nearly half of their total capital - "We've raised about €5 MILLION in public funding... Spain has a lot of it" 6) Own Your Critical Technology Components- Keep high-value components in-house to protect margins - "Electronics are 50% of the value... if you outsource that technology, it will cut away from your margins crazily" 7) Generate Software Revenue Before Hardware is Ready - Software tools create cash flow and build trust with future hardware customers - "If we have software, software is going to be easier and quicker to develop. We can start to generate revenues" 8) Understand Convertible Note Mechanics - The cap on convertible notes influences your next valuation - "That cap is going to be used as a reference point for the valuation in your next round" 9) Hire for Hunger Over Experience - Look for people willing to take on challenges outside their expertise - "Why do you want to work for a startup instead of Airbus? You could earn probably double what we're paying you" 10) Prepare for Long Fundraising Timelines - Raising capital takes much longer than most founders expect - "Never underestimate the amount of time that you're going to take to raise a round... the first round took us a year of negotiations"

Vytenis is the co-founder of NanoAvionics, a Lithuanian spacetech startup that transformed from a university project into a global player in the nano/smallsat market. Beginning with Lithuania's first satellite mission in 2014, he built a company that would eventually be acquired for €65 million by Kongsberg Group, representing one of Europe's biggest space industry success stories.In this episode, Vytenis reveals how he turned a university satellite project into Lithuania's first space success story that sold for €65 million. With no business experience and a team of passionate "no-lifers," he built a global company competing against industry giants. Vytenis shares critical insights on hardware startups and explains his controversial take on why building satellites is "just like making pizza".Want to get hired at Unmanned Defense Systems (Vytenis' new startup)? https://tally.so/r/npz1bZWant to get invest in Unmanned Defense Systems? https://tally.so/r/mJox9Y-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) - Introduction(05:17) - Birth of Lithuania's first CubeSat(09:37 - University project to NanoAvionics(14:35) - Core technology innovations(21:33) - From small grants to millions in funding(29:14) - Building a team of dreamers(39:59) - Strategic expansion into US markets(44:55) - "Amazon of CubeSats" strategy(53:00) - €65M acquisition by Kongsberg Group(59:52) - New startup: Unmanned Defense Systems-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) Follow Your Passion Before Business- Vytenis never intended to build a company; he was simply pursuing his engineering passion for satellites and propulsion systems - "I never thought that we would sell it... I just wanted to be a simple guy, simple engineer who is fulfilling himself"2) Create Opportunities to Get Lucky - The first Lithuanian CubeSat project (Lituanica SAT-1) started as a commemoration of a historical flight but became the foundation for a business- Multiple "lucky" encounters (NASA internship, NanoRacks connection, email from AST) changed their trajectory3) Prioritize Mentality in Early Hires - "Mentality, mentality, can-do attitude. The first thing and I think the only one"- Early team members were "no-lifers, hard workers" who were passionate enough to work beyond normal hours when cash was limited4) Solve the End-to-End Problem- Their key differentiator was offering full value chain solutions instead of just components- "We offered ourselves as being some kind of the Amazon of the CubeSats... full value chain for the customer"5) Be Ready to Adapt to Market Evolution- They evolved from selling hardware components to larger platforms as customer and market needs changed- Recognized when trends shifted (IoT → Earth observation → fundamental research) and adjusted accordingly6) Leverage Public Funding Strategically- Used EU funding (Horizon 2020) and Lithuanian government grants to accelerate growth- Initial €21,000 grant legitimized their efforts and created "a good precedent to dig deeper"7) Don't Be Afraid to Exit When It's Best for the Company- "Selling the control package to some other company is the best what you can do for this company... you have to do that step because it's the best for the company"8) Find the Right Strategic Partner- AST and later Kongsberg Group provided critical access to the US market and resources for growth- "It helped us to enter the market... the United States market, which is also a mystique thing"9) Only One Way to Test Your Ideas - His final advice: "There is only one way to find out. Go for it... But fight until the end... Only this is how you find out whether your idea was good or bad"10) Standardization Creates Efficiency- His vision for "New Space 3.0" focuses on standardized platforms where payloads adapt to vehicles, not vice versa- This approach makes the process more economically viable in the long term

Adrià is the founder of Pangea Aerospace, a European spacetech startup that transformed an abandoned aerospike rocket engine concept into a working engine. Beginning with his passion for propulsion at Airbus, he built a company that recently secured €23 million in Series A funding to revolutionize how rockets are powered. In this episode, Adrià reveals how he and his international founding team created Europe's first successful aerospike engine that could increase payload capacity by 30-40%. With no guarantee of success, this motocross enthusiast shares his journey of pivoting from full rockets to becoming "the propulsion provider for the future of space industry." Want to get hired at Pangea? https://tally.so/r/3E6RaqWant to get invest in Pangea? https://tally.so/r/nPrxPd-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) - Introduction(03:11) - Career journey: From Airbus engineer to founder(09:37) - Technology breakthrough: Making aerospike engines viable(17:13) - Strategic pivot: Why focusing on propulsion systems was key(26:22) - Funding journey: From savings to Series A33:40) - Market validation: How contracts secured investment(40:42) - Public vs private: Navigating the European space ecosystem(45:35) - Product strategy: Building a comprehensive propulsion portfolio(54:27) - Team building: Creating a diverse international culture(01:00:48) - Vision and advice for space tech founders-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) Dive Into Your Engineering Passion- His deep technical interest drove him from Airbus to founding Pangea2) Seek Impact When You Feel Limited- Working at Airbus showed him that his impact was "pretty limited" in a large organization3) Make Old Technology Viable Through New Methods- Aerospike engines existed since the 1960s but hadn't flown due to manufacturing limitations 4) Be "Naive Enough" to Challenge Conventional Thinking- "We were naive enough and blunt enough to actually go that path" when experts said 3D printing aerospike engines wouldn't work 5) Execute Difficult Pivots When Necessary- Initially started as a micro-launcher company but pivoted to focus solely on propulsion6) Balance Public and Private Funding- "In Europe, everyone that has a VC inside and they're cap table, indirectly they're having as well a public institution"- Public funding provides credibility, private funding creates urgency7) Be Product-Market Focused From Early On- His advice for Series A: "Early on talk to clients, customers, what are their needs... I'm doing this engine because Mr. And Mrs. A, B, C, D, and E had told me that they need this"8) Build a Diverse, Collaborative Team- "From the six founders that we are, we are three Spaniards, two Italians, one Swedish"- They now have "17 or 18 nationalities in the team" because diversity "opens your mind on how things have been done"9) Value Team Cohesion Over Individual Brilliance- "I prefer having a very solidified team that is able to work together perfectly rather than having the geniuses that can take very impressive ideas, but they're completely unable to work in a team"10) Embrace Both New Space and Traditional Space Knowledge- "New Space is here to demonstrate in some areas commercial viability... But we have to learn from those guys because those guys have done it"- Finding the balance between innovation and experience is critical11) Build Towards a Bold Vision- Their mission is to become "the preferred propulsion partner for everything that has to go to space, move into space, and come back from space" - "We want to become this Rolls Royce of space"

Marco is the founder of Valispace, that transformed how space, automotive, and defence industries collaborate on complex hardware development. Starting from his frustration with Excel spreadsheets while building Europe's largest satellite program, he created the "GitHub for hardware" that grew from a weekend hackathon to serving over 1,000 engineers before being acquired even before reaching Series A. His journey represents one of the few success stories in the European space industry.In this episode of Rockets & Radars, Marco reveals the rollercoaster behind his success - from being rejected by an Airbus executive at a pitch competition (who later became his first major customer), assembling a distributed founding team across three countries, and securing funding against all odds.Want to get hired at Valispace? https://tally.so/r/mez2X0-----------------------------------------------Chapters:(00:00) - Introduction(01:30) - What is ValiSpace: "GitHub for hardware"(03:24) - The problem: 300,000 documents describing one spacecraft(07:16) - The startup weekend that sparked Valispace(10:43) - From rejection to validation: The Airbus story(16:42) - From nights and weekends to full-time founders(18:30) - Landing the first customer through serendipity(25:19) - Securing investment from High-Tech Gründerfonds(28:49) - Building the team: How to find your "raw diamonds"(31:56) - Expanding beyond space into automotive (BMW as customer)(35:50) - The art of enterprise vs. startup sales(42:09) - Product development philosophy: Strong opinions, loosely held(44:35) - Embracing AI with ValiAssistant(50:30) - The acquisition journey with Altium(57:20) - Life after founding: Reflections on the entrepreneurial toll(01:00:00) - Advice for founders in their darkest moments(01:03:17) - Quickfire questions-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) Start with a Real Problem You've Experienced Firsthand- Marco identified inefficient engineering practices while working on Europe's largest satellite program at OHB2) Create Opportunities to Get Lucky- "You cannot know what comes, you can only create chances to get lucky"3) The Power of Strong Opinions, Loosely Held- "We'll never build a requirements management system" → They ended up building one- Be willing to change direction based on customer needs while maintaining core vision4) Finding Co-Founders and Early Team- "We had to find people who were like raw diamonds... who would not have an easy way of getting into a normal well-paid job, but who would be amazing at what they were doing"- Focus on growth potential: "Do we have the feeling that this is a person that, given six months, will be doing amazing things?"5) Breaking the Funding Deadlock- The paradox: Customers want to see a product before paying; investors want to see paying customers before investing- Use friends and family funding as a bridge to go full-time and develop something substantial enough to attract first real customers6) Managing Fundraising at Different Stages- "When you understood how to raise one round, the learning very soon becomes useless because the next round is raised very differently"- First round: storytelling and vision, Later rounds: growth metrics, retention, customer acquisition costs7) The Importance of Support Systems During Low Points- Have people who truly understand what you're going through—in Marco's case, his wife and co-founder- "If you go to someone else and they have no idea what it is like to build a startup, they will not understand any of the things that are bugging you"8) Finding the Right Strategic Partners- Acquisition wasn't initially on their radar but emerged from partnership discussions- Identify companies with aligned visions where you can become "an integral part of accelerating the future"

Dimitrios is the founder and CEO of Delian Alliance Industries (formerly Lambda Automata), which is building autonomous defence systems for European defence needs.In this episode of Rockets & Radars, Dimitrios shares his journey from leading autonomous systems development at Apple to building a defence tech company that raised €7 million to create high-tech autonomous weapon systems for the future of Europe. Discover the ethical dilemma he wrestled with, how he convinced his first investors to bet on him, and the moment he realized that building defence tech was not just a business opportunity but a duty of his lifetime.Want to invest in Delian? https://tally.so/r/316RoLWant to get hired at Delian? https://tally.so/r/w4zOVo-----------------------------------------------Timestamps:(00:00) - Introduction(01:43) - What is Delian Alliance Industries(05:34) - Journey from Academic Research to Apple(06:47) - The Ethical Considerations When Starting a Defence Tech(12:08) - Why Dimitri Returned to Europe to Start a Defence Company(17:49) - First Products: Surveillance Towers and Border Security(24:54) - Core Technologies and Capabilities for Defence(28:49) - Finding Co-Founders Through Twitter and LinkedIn(34:59) - Securing First Investment(38:46) - Transitioning Between Military and Civilian Applications(43:03) - The Need for Cultural Change in European Defence(44:46) - Navigating NATO Certification as a Startup(46:47) - Rebranding to Delian Alliance Industries(50:08) - Future Vision for European Defence Tech(51:04) - Quick Fire Advice and Lessons Learned-----------------------------------------------Takeaways:1) The Ethics of Defence Technology- In a world where adversaries deploy lethal autonomous systems, inaction is the least ethical choice- European democracies must develop defence capabilities to protect their way of life and borders2) Finding the Right People Is Your Most Critical Task- Identify people who can solve problems outside your expertise but share your mission commitment- Look beyond traditional recruitment: Dimitrios found his co-founder on Twitter and LinkedIn job post3) Europe Has the Talent but Needs Cultural Transformation- Europe's engineering talent is world-class, but the ecosystem lacks ambition for hard tech problems- "If people attempt to build a time machine in the US they'll get funding; in Europe they'll get dismissed"4) Defence Tech Requires Multiple Core Competencies Under One Roof- Traditional defence primes fragment critical capabilities across subcontractors causing inefficiency- Success requires integrating AI, manufacturing, compliance, and financing under unified leadership5) Start with Deployable Products While Building Core Technology- Your first product should solve an immediate need while developing technologies for long-term - Surveillance towers provided immediate revenue and real-world deployment experience6) Overcoming Perceived Barriers to Entry- "Incumbents want you to believe you need at least €2 million just for certification"- Find the right person with expertise who believes in you rather than throwing money at the problem7) The Future of Defence: Low-Cost, High-Volume Systems- Global defence is shifting from expensive, exquisite systems to affordable, distributed platforms- Focus on building systems for real threats in Eastern Europe rather than theoretical capabilities8) Bringing Silicon Valley Mindset to European Defence- European defence founders need "a mindset of let's be the best thing on the planet"- Look for investors who share a global ambition rather than regional satisfaction

Luca is the founder and CEO of D-Orbit, which is revolutionizing space logistics by providing transportation and servicing solutions for satellites in orbit. In this episode of Rockets & Radars, Luca shares his journey from being rejected by the astronaut program to building a company that raised more than $200M to create what he calls 'the DHL of space' or 'Space Taxi'. Luca explains how D-Orbit helps satellites reach their optimal positions faster and is working toward an interplanetary logistics infrastructure that will connect Earth, Mars, the Moon, and beyond.Get intro to Luca: https://brdg.app/s/q10wiq-----------------------------------------------Timestamps:(00:00) - Introduction to D-Orbit and space logistics(01:35) - What is D-Orbit: Space taxi(02:53) - From wanting to be an astronaut to space founder(05:16) - The accident that got Luca to Silicon Valley(06:47) - Silicon Valley reality: Investor walks out of meeting(09:12) - Early struggles: 4:30 AM breakfasts and rebuilding the business plan(11:33) - NASA internship: Working alongside the future Planet Labs founders(15:18) - First funding: €300K for 44% - "Buying a lottery ticket"(18:33) - Creating a new market: "Like selling pens to people using pencils"(20:23) - Founding team story: How Renato arrived just in time for the pitch(26:29) - First prototype: Using €300K to build the decommissioning device(30:52) - Team sacrifice: Employees buying parts with their own money(33:37) - Hiring philosophy: Testing candidates outside their comfort zone(40:54) - European vs. US investors: Different approaches to fundraising(46:39) - Public funding tradeoffs: Speed vs. dilution challenges(52:34) - First commercial contract: Strategic discount for Planet Labs(56:09) - The failed SPAC deal: Dodging a bullet when markets crashed(01:04:05) - Future vision: Orbital manufacturing and space recycling(01:09:36) - Ultimate advice: "Think big - you want to change the universe"-----------------------------------------------Episode Takeaways:1) Never Give Up When Creating a New Market- "If you give up, you have 100% probability of failing"- Persisted through hundreds of investor rejections- Turned NASA's skepticism into motivation2) Hire for Attitude Over Technical Skills- Use unconventional interview questions to test resilience- Look for people who stay calm under pressure- "You can buy competence, but you cannot buy attitude"3) Master Different Investor Communication Styles- Study investors' backgrounds before approaching them- Speak on stages to attract investors rather than chasing them- European vs US investors require different approaches4) Be Strategic with Public Funding- Understand the tradeoffs between speed and dilution- Public money moves slower but preserves equity- Institutional partnerships can build credibility with customers5) Find Creative Solutions During Financial Crises- Sold office furniture to keep the company afloat- Team members personally funded critical components- Make tough decisions like stopping the SPAC process when necessary6) Use Simple Analogies to Explain Complex Technology- "Space taxi" makes orbital logistics understandable- Reframe technical descriptions as Earth-based equivalents- Clear communication attracts both investors and customers7) Create a Long-Term Vision Beyond Profits- Think beyond Earth to interplanetary infrastructure- "Think big - you want to change the universe"- Money is just a means to achieve bigger impact8) Navigate the Inevitable Founder-Investor Tension- Understand that founder and investor objectives aren't always aligned- Cycle between fighting for vision and accommodating investor needs- Build relationships with investors who understand your industry-----------------------------------------------Follow Luca Rossettini on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucarossettini/Follow D-Orbit on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/d-orbit

Even is a co-founder of Glint Solar, which is accelerating the solar revolution by helping developers identify optimal locations for building large solar parks. In this episode of Rockets & Radars, Even shares his journey from being unexpectedly "kicked out" of the US to founding a company that leverages satellite data to make solar development faster and more efficient. Even explains how Glint Solar helps customers quickly identify suitable land that isn't in conflict with nature for solar development. Get intro to Even: https://brdg.app/s/cfg21y ----------------------------------------------- Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction & Glint Solar Overview(01:50) Journey Before Founding Glint Solar(04:07) Finding Co-Founders Through Antler(05:25 Importance of Founder Alignment & Values(07:23) Using Satellite Data for Solar Development(09:36) When to Approach Space Accelerators(11:23) First Funding & Celebrating Frugally(15:23) The "Sell First, Build Second" Approach(20:46 Understanding Customer Problems(22:31) Building Close Customer Relationships(24:01) Handling Rejection & Persistence(27:56) Landing Their First Customers(30:46) Product Evolution & Pricing Strategy(35:36 Finding & Hiring Early Employees(41:40) Pricing Experimentation Strategies(45:31) Pitch Evolution From Seed to Series A(49:14) Building a Global, Diverse Team(53:32) Future Plans & Quick Fire Questions(57:42) Work-Life Balance Advice-----------------------------------------------Episode Takeaways:1) Validate Before Building - Use the "sell first, build second" approach- Started by selling PDF reports before building software- "We're not going to build it before we have validated it"2) Develop Founder Alignment Through Values- Spend time understanding each other's core values- "Spend time drilling down into what are some of the core things, like importance in your life"3) Find the Right Co-Founders for Your Stage- Look for complementary skills and personalities- "We were able to play on other people's strengths"4) Leverage Available Satellite Data- Use existing data sources like Copernicus- Join programs that facilitate access to satellite data5) Build Close Customer Relationships- Hire customer success early- "Spend time with customers, ideally sit next to them in their office"6) Price Strategically and Experiment- Test different pricing models with small customer segments- "Be clear on what you're trying to achieve and let that influence your pricing"7) Create a Diverse Team for Global Impact- Hire people with non-traditional backgrounds- "We wanted to make sure that we can build a diverse team"8) Balance Growth with Family Life- Set boundaries and protect family time- "I leave work fairly early... those three hours, those are holy"

Anthony Baker is the founder and CEO of Satellite VU, which is building the world's orbital thermometer through high-resolution thermal imaging satellites. In this episode of Rockets & Radars, Anthony shares his journey from spending 30 years operating satellites for NATO and Qatar to convincing investors to put £30M into his vision of seeing heat from space.Get intro to Anthony: https://brdg.app/s/00hi6g-----------------------------------------------Timestamps(00:00) Introduction(06:03) Academic Background & Career Path(14:08 The Decision to Become a Founder(20:19) Seraphim Space Camp Experience(30:32) Product Evolution & Market Focus(41:39) Series A & Investment Strategy(46:37) First Satellite Launch & Experience(49:52) Dealing with Camera Anomaly(52:06) Future Plans & Constellation Growth(54:31) Quick Fire Round & Final Thoughts-----------------------------------------------Episode Takeaways:1) Focus on Customer Problems, Not Space Technology- Went to customer conferences, not space conferences- Learned to pitch to solution buyers, not end users- "We've never really gone to space conferences. We've always gone to customer conferences"2) Use Grants and Accelerators Strategically- Grants provide non-dilutive funding and credibility- Choose specialized accelerators for your sector- "Go big, go specialized on what you need to show some difference at each stage"3) Plan for Survival, Not Just Growth- Plan for cash break-even, not just runway- Have insurance and contingency plans- "We plan for cash break even... we can always survive on where we are now"4) Embrace Pivots Based on Market Feedback- Originally focused on ocean plastic monitoring- Pivoted to thermal imaging based on market demand- "If three people tell you that your pitch is not good for this reason, they're probably right"5) Build Networks Before You Need Them- Leverage industry relationships and reputation- Get into relevant events and meet investors- "The network helps more... if you want more money, you want to hang around friends that have lots of friends with lots of money"6) Move Fast But Be Prepared for Setbacks- Launch quickly but have backup plans- Be transparent with investors about risks- "You have to believe in what you're doing and put 110% in, but also listen to the feedback"7) Think Beyond Traditional Space Applications- Look for high-value commercial applications- Focus on solving real-world problems- "We're opening up new markets beyond the traditional Earth Observation market"

Thomas Sinn is the founder of DCUBED, which develops mechanisms and deployable structures that need to be small in rockets but big in space. In this episode of Rockets & Radars, Thomas shares their journey from 3D printing prototypes in a basement to shipping hardware to the International Space Station. While growing from a €2,000 prize to a multi-million euro company. D-Cube is making space hardware more accessible by building critical release devices and deployment mechanisms for satellites and space stations.Get intro to Thomas: https://brdg.app/s/5vhet4-----------------------------------------------Timestamps00:00 Introduction08:45 From Academia to Rocket Lab13:20 Starting with 3D Printed Parts18:30 Getting MIT as First Customer27:45 Patent Strategy & Working with IP Lawyers32:40 COVID Crisis & Basement Operations37:15 First Institutional Money40:20 How to find investors48:50 Preparing for Series A Round54:20 Short & Long Term Future Plans56:10 Rapid Fire Questions with Investors1:02:10 Final Advice for Space Founders-----------------------------------------------Episode Takeaways:1) Don't Be Too Secretive About Your Technology- Being too confidential can lose you opportunities- Focus on protecting processes/tolerances, not designs- "If you're too confidential about it... you've already lost the foot in the door"2) Go to Market Early with Imperfect Products- Launch at 80% readiness to get customer feedback- Early market validation is crucial- "Go advertising your products early... sometimes the market assessments we do are wrong"3) Build Your Website Immediately- First MIT customer found them through their website- Put information and pictures online even if not perfect- "Nobody knows what you're doing if you don't publish it somewhere"4) Choose Investors Based on Personal Fit- Getting an investor is "almost like a marriage"- Look for investors in similar companies' portfolios- Get references from other founders about investors5) Time Your Fundraising Strategically- Avoid summer and winter breaks- Aim to close in May/June or mid-November- "You need to consider summer break and winter break"6) Start Global from Day One- Space industry is inherently international- Don't focus only on local markets- "The space industry is global... there's a lot happening all around"7) Balance Visionary Goals with Practical Steps- Started with simple actuators before space manufacturing- Use current revenue to fund future innovations- "We always said we want to follow our dream to do something very big in space"

Luc Piguet is the co-founder and CEO of ClearSpace, a pioneering company developing technology to capture and remove satellites from orbit, making space more sustainable.In this episode of Rockets & Radars, Luc shares the journey from a research project at EPFL to winning an €86 million ESA mission, making ClearSpace the first European company to attempt satellite removal from orbit.Get intro to Luc: https://brdg.app/s/l5odpn-----------------------------------------------Timestamps(00:00) The Need for Space Debris Management(03:10) ClearSpace: A Vision for the Future(06:03) Challenges in the Space Industry(08:58) Public Interest and Policy Changes(11:55) The Origins of ClearSpace(15:05) Building a Business Model for Space Cleanup(17:58) The Role of ESA and Initial Funding(28:13) The Sacrifices of Startup Life30:10) Navigating the Challenges of Fundraising(32:12) Strategic Timing and Market Readiness(34:35) Collaborative Innovation in Space Missions(36:30) Building a Competent Team(39:58) Securing the ESA Contract(41:01) Funding Strategies and Investor Relations(44:00) The Journey to Series A Funding(46:14) The European Space Landscape(49:21) Future Aspirations for ClearSpace(52:31) Rapid Fire Insights and Challenges for Founders-----------------------------------------------In this episode, we discuss:1. Space Sustainability: Why servicing capabilities are crucial for sustainable space operations2. Clear Space Origins: From EPFL research project to winning an 86 million euro ESA mission3. Team Building: Creating a weekend "Space Club" to attract top engineering talent before having funding4. Funding Journey: From ESA BIC support to raising 26 million euros in Series A5. Personal Sacrifices: Moving from lakeside apartment to two-bedroom flat with family of six6. ESA Contract Success: Securing major mission through strategic partnerships7. Market Timing: Anticipating policy changes around 2025-20268. Technical Innovation: Developing new approaches while working within ESA standards9. European Space Industry: Challenges and opportunities for deep-tech companies10. Future Vision: Plans to increase mission frequency from yearly to monthly launches

Giovanni Pandolfi Bortoletto is one of the co-founders of of Leaf Space, which operates a network of over 30 ground stations enabling satellite communications worldwide.In this episode of Rockets & Radars, Giovanni shares their journey from a student rocketry association at Politecnico di Milano to raising a €35M Series B, while scaling from 400 to 4,000 satellite passes per month in just one year. Leaf Space is making space communications accessible by building the backbone infrastructure for the growing space economy. Get intro to Giovanni: https://brdg.app/s/6bwyw8-----------------------------------------------Timestamps00:00 The Genesis of LeafSpace13:02 Navigating the Pivot to Ground Segment20:37 Securing Initial Investment and Growth29:12 Understanding Grants and Funding Strategies34:31 Building Operational Heritage Through Customer Feedback39:50 Pricing Strategies and Market Entry46:39 Navigating Growth and Series A Funding57:06 Challenges in Series B and Future Vision01:01:54 Advice for European Space Ecosystem-----------------------------------------------Episode Takeaways:1) Talk to Everyone From Day One- Don't wait to approach customers- Space market is small enough that you can reach most potential customers- "Basically, try everyone. The good thing about space is it's not a crazy huge market"2) Approach Other Founders First- Other startups are easier to work with than big companies- They're more likely to try new solutions- "Getting in touch with another founder, with another CTO or whatever was easy"3) Focus on One Thing That Works- Don't try to build everything in-house- Drop what's not working (like they dropped building their own antennas)- "Focus on just the things that makes your beer taste better"4) Get International Early- Don't just stay in Europe- Their US revenue is now 55% of total- Have at least one US investor for different perspective5) Make Hard Choices About Time Management- Choose wisely between institutional and commercial customers- "Do we spend 10 months trying to get one contract with ESA, or do we close five commercial contracts?"- Pick the faster path to market

Niels Buus is a renowned veteran in the space and defence industry, widely recognized for his role as the CEO of GOMspace, one of the few European satellite companies to go public.In this episode of Rockets & Radars, Niels shares his inspiring personal and professional journey, from his early days as a car mechanic through his tenure at GOMspace. The conversation delves into the evolution of GOMspace, the leadership lessons he learned during his tenure at Terma, and his insights into the critical role of startups within the space ecosystem. Niels offers invaluable advice for early-stage founders and underscores the importance of quality and reliability in space components. He also reflects on the future of the space industry, highlighting the need for European competitiveness and the industrialization of the space sector.Get intro to Niels: https://brdg.app/s/81om74-----------------------------------------------Timestamps⁠(00:00)⁠ Introduction⁠(02:54⁠) Niels Buus: A Journey from Mechanic to CEO⁠(08:51⁠) Leadership Lessons from Terma⁠(12:06)⁠ Entrepreneurship at Gatehouse⁠(15:00)⁠ Underwater Exploration and Its Lessons for Space⁠(17:47⁠) The Role of Startups in the Space Ecosystem(⁠21:02⁠) Quality and Reliability in Space Components⁠(23:51)⁠ GOMspace: From Academia to Industry⁠(27:08⁠) Advice for Early Stage Founders⁠(29:01⁠) Navigating Early Business Challenges⁠(31:54⁠) Transitioning to Leadership⁠(32:50⁠) The Journey to Going Public⁠(36:05⁠) Learning from Mistakes⁠(40:45)⁠ Reflections on Leadership Transition⁠(43:12⁠) Future of the Space Industry⁠(47:17⁠) Comparing Space and Wind Industries⁠(52:57) Strategies for European Competitiveness⁠(53:54)⁠ Rapid Fire Questions-----------------------------------------------Takeaways Everything in space is only prototypes. Leadership is about staying in the room during tough discussions. Entrepreneurship requires a focus on cash flow and product delivery. The space industry needs to prioritize quality and reliability. Startups should focus on new instruments and capabilities, not building everything in house. Collaboration between big companies and startups is essential. Mentorship is crucial for young entrepreneurs to navigate challenges. Founders should remain in charge for as long as possible. Going public can be a necessary step for rapid growth. Learning from mistakes is essential for long-term success. The space industry needs to move towards industrialization. European companies should find their own path rather than copying the US. Quality and reliability are key to attracting investment in the space sector. Collaboration among smaller companies can enhance competitiveness. The future of humanity will involve colonizing the moon which is happening soon.

Joakim Espeland is the co-founder of Quadsat, a company changing the way we manage radio frequencies with clever drone technology.In this episode of Rockets & Radars, Joakim shares his journey from testing satellite signals on ships to building game-changing solutions for both everyday and military use. He talks about the challenges of starting a company, raising money, and creating cutting-edge tech. Plus, he gives us a sneak peek into the future of radio spectrum management.Get intro to Joakim: https://brdg.app/s/dzdbnt-----------------------------------------------Timestamps(00:00) Introduction to Quadsat and Its Mission(03:08) The Evolution from Space to Defense(05:59) Founding Story: From Idea to Reality(08:46) Navigating the Startup Ecosystem(12:11) Accelerators and Their Impact on Growth(14:56) Funding Journey: Securing Seed Investment(17:48) Demonstrating Technology to Major Operators(21:02) Capital Management and Future Growth(23:50) Technical Challenges and Solutions(29:27) Design Challenges and Innovations in UAV Technology(32:39) Funding Rounds: Pre-Series A to Series A(37:16) Milestones in Measurement Campaigns(41:23) Pitch Evolution and Investor Expectations(43:19) Lessons from Early Fundraising Experiences(45:06) Strategic Partnerships and Future Directions(48:29) Advice for Early Stage Founders in Defense Tech(51:21) Reflections on Failure and Resilience(53:40) Building Quality Relationships in Business(55:33) Flaws in the Tendering Process(56:31) Challenges for Aspiring Founders-----------------------------------------------Takeaways- Space and defense are interconnected industries.- Initial ideas can pivot based on industry needs.- Accelerators can significantly impact startup growth.- Funding strategies should align with long-term goals.- Demonstrating technology to major operators is crucial.- Capital management is key for scaling a startup.- Accuracy in technology is essential for success.- Building a strong network is vital for founders. - Standardization is crucial for global operations.- Funding rounds require demonstrating market traction.- Proactive customer engagement is key to securing funding.- Quality relationships are more important than sheer exposure.- The tendering process can hinder innovation.- Don't give up; persistence is vital for success.-----------------------------------------------Follow Martin Majercin on X (Twitter):https://twitter.com/monsfrost Follow Martin Majercin on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/monsfrost/Follow Joakim Espeland on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/joakimespeland/Follow Quadsat on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/quadsat

Benoît Deper is the founder Aerospacelab, a company revolutionizing satellite development with a bold approach to vertical integration.In this episode of Rockets & Radars, Benoît takes us on a journey from his work at NASA to founding one of Europe's most groundbreaking space startups. From the challenges of transitioning from government-driven to commercial space markets, to the importance of in-house manufacturing for quality and efficiency, Benoît shares his unique insights and bold predictions for the future of space exploration. Get intro to Benoît: https://brdg.app/s/gtxcvc-----------------------------------------------Timestamps(00:00) Introduction to Aerospacelab(02:49) The Evolution of the Space Industry(05:45) Challenges and Opportunities for Space Agencies(09:02) The Journey from Space Agency to Startup Founder(11:48) Founding Aerospace Lab: The Vision and Strategy(15:11) Navigating the European Space Market(18:05) The Decision to Build In-House(20:58) Fundraising and Early Growth(24:14) Building the Team and Company Culture(29:02) Revolutionizing Hiring Practices(34:43) Launching Satellites: The Journey Begins(38:50) Pricing Strategies in a Competitive Market(40:44) Milestones Post-Series A(42:09) Series B: Gaining Industry Recognition(45:32) Expanding to the US Market(47:13) Challenges in the European Space Ecosystem(50:04) Building the Charlois Mega Factory(51:57) Future Predictions for Aerospace Lab(53:53) Contrarian Advice for Founders(55:08) Final Thoughts for Early Stage Founders-----------------------------------------------Takeaways- Vertical integration in spacecraft development- The transition of the space market from governmental to commercial- How new technologies enable smaller teams to accomplish large missionsHow boredom and a desire for innovation drove the founding of Aerospacelab- The unique challenges of the European space market compared to the US- The importance of in-house manufacturing for quality and efficiency- The necessity of strategic partnerships for fundraising in the space sector- The inefficiencies of the traditional hiring process- The importance of strong commercial traction in funding rounds- The significant challenges involved in launching satellites- The complexity and evolution of pricing strategies- The crucial role of product development post-Series A- How industry recognition can shift perceptions of new companies- The new opportunities that come with expanding to the US market- The funding and fragmentation issues faced by the European space ecosystem- The critical role of time management in startup success

Lorenzo Feruglio is the co-founder and CEO of AIKO, a cutting-edge company pioneering AI-based automation for satellite operations. In this episode of Rockets & Radars, Lorenzo takes us on a journey from launching satellites as a university student to securing Series A funding and leading one of Europe's most innovative space startups.Get intro to LorenzoTimestamps(00:00) Introduction and Setting the Scene (01:17) Lorenzo's Background: From Academia to Space Startup (04:56) Decision to Start a Company After JPL Rejection (07:05) Advice for Graduates Considering Startups (09:39) Building Company Culture at AIKO (22:56) Securing ESA as a First Customer (24:42) Fundraising Journey: From Pre-Seed to Series A (31:42) Expanding the Product Portfolio (38:48) International Expansion: Why Toulouse and the US Are Next (46:10) Quick-Fire Round and Future Vision In this episode, we discuss:1. Lorenzo's Path to Space: From launching satellites as a university student to founding AIKO.2. Why AI is Transformative for Space Missions: How automation reduces costs and increases efficiency for satellite operators.3. Securing ESA as a First Customer: How AIKO gained credibility and leveraged a strong technical proposal to win a contract.4. Fundraising Strategies: Insights from pre-seed to Series A, and the lessons learned along the way.5. Scaling Internationally: Why AIKO chose Toulouse, France, and plans for the US market.6. Challenges in the European Space Ecosystem: What’s missing, and how founders can navigate these obstacles.

Julian Fernandez is the co-founder and CEO of FOSSA Systems, a pioneering company building nanosatellites to democratise IoT connectivity and space access. In this episode of Rockets & Radars, Julian shares his incredible journey from launching satellites as a 16-year-old to scaling one of Europe’s most exciting space startups.Get intro to JulianTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction to the Podcast and Guest(6:06) Julian's Early Start in Space: From IoT Experiments to Satellites(9:58) Turning an Open-Source Project into a Company(14:37) Pricing Challenges and Shifting Business Models(19:26) Fundraising Journey: From Seed to Series A(24:58) The Value of Accelerators for First-Time Founders(28:13) Scaling Up: Launching Satellites with SpaceX(33:38) Expanding into Portugal: Opening an R&D Hub(36:59) Shifting Focus: From Hardware to IoT Services(42:48) Advice to Young Founders: Passion and FocusIn this episode, we discuss:Starting Young: How Julian turned his passion for IoT and space into a startup.Building Trust: Convincing customers and investors with an MVP launched on a $30K budget.Accelerators & Fundraising: Lessons from navigating European and U.S. ecosystems.Scaling & Culture: Balancing rapid growth while maintaining focus and passion.

Joshua Western is the co-founder and CEO of Space Forge, a groundbreaking company combining space technology and semiconductor manufacturing to create next-generation materials. In this inaugural episode of Rockets & Radars, Joshua takes us on the inspiring journey of Space Forge — from bootstrapping in a tiny garage in the UK to raising one of Europe’s largest space-tech seed rounds and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in space manufacturing.Get intro to JoshuaTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction and Setting the Scene(02:36) Spaceforge: Mission and Vision (05:02) Founding Spaceforge: The Origin Story (08:15) Breaking into the Space Industry (15:45) Early Challenges and Funding Journey (25:16) Navigating the Deep Tech Investment Landscape (26:34) Strategic Fundraising Lessons (32:49) Cultural Values and Team Building (40:45) Expanding Internationally: Challenges and Insights (46:10) Future Vision and Final Thoughts In this episode, we discuss:1. The Early Days: How Joshua and his co-founder turned a garage lab into a global space-tech company.2. Fundraising Insights: Navigating angel investments, non-dilutive grants, and building relationships with top-tier VCs.3. Scaling Up: Challenges of rapid growth and creating a strong team culture.4. Space Forge’s Mission: How manufacturing in space can solve Earth’s most pressing challenges.