From (almost) Homeless to $1B in LOIs: Building Space Hardware with $2

In this episode of Lobster Talks, I sit down with Ashi and Reza, the unstoppable founders of Spaceium—a YC-backed startup building orbital gas stations. 🚀

They share the raw and incredible story of how they went from nearly homeless right before YC to raising $6.3M, signing $86.5M in commercial contracts, and securing $1B+ in LOIs—all before launching their first mission to space.

We cover:

How they pitched an insanely hard idea and actually built it

The truth about LOIs and how they converted them into binding contracts

YC’s impact on hardware companies

How they managed product, sales, and investor traction simultaneously—while not sleeping 🧠💥

Whether you're a founder, investor, or just obsessed with space, this episode is a masterclass in grit, hardtech, and startup survival.

00:00 Introduction to Spaceium

00:25 Meet the Founders: Ashi and Reza

00:44 Spaceium's Revolutionary Space Stations

01:56 Challenges and Innovations in Space Refueling

04:02 The Dual Mission: Refueling and Repairing

05:13 Competing with SpaceX?

06:24 From Homeless to YC Success

08:59 The Power of LOIs and Contracts

11:42 The YC Experience and Building Hardware

20:00 Building Hardware in the US

20:45 Managing Customer Expectations

22:40 From LOIs to Binding Contracts

24:06 Setting Timelines for Startups

26:38 Pricing Strategies for Unbuilt Products

29:11 Upcoming Missions and Exciting Developments

30:58 Challenges and Rewards of Building Hard Tech

32:55 Book Recommendations and Final Thoughts

36:21 Where to Follow and Contact Us