This Week in Startups

Next Unicorns: Manufacturing pharma drugs in space with Varda’s Delian Asparouhov | E1793

Aug 16, 2023

01:31:11

Snipd AI

Delian Asparouhov, president and co-founder of Varda, joins Jason to discuss different aspects of venture capital, the shift in Silicon Valley culture, and the inception of Varda. They also explore the potential of manufacturing pharmaceutical drugs in space, the advantages of augmented reality in commercial fields, and the use of virtual reality in the construction industry.

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Quick takeaways

Varda aims to manufacture pharmaceutical drugs in space to create new forms of drugs and generate significant revenue.

Varda has formed partnerships with the Department of Defense (DOD) for testing missile systems and is exploring government interest in pharmaceutical manufacturing in space.

Varda has collaborations with SpaceX and Rocket Lab for cost-effective launch services and transportation infrastructure, allowing the company to focus on pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities.

ARGYL's augmented reality (AR) software platform enhances efficiency, collaboration, accuracy, and communication in the construction industry.

Deep dives

Focus on pharmaceuticals as the initial commodity

Varda is starting with pharmaceuticals as the main focus for its in-space manufacturing trading post. By manufacturing drugs in space, Varda aims to take advantage of the unique conditions in microgravity to create new forms of drugs that can improve patient experiences and generate significant revenue. The company has already conducted successful experiments and has received interest from top pharmaceutical companies.

Introduction

3min

Incubating Companies and Motivation

5min

Silicon Valley's Shifting Stance on Defense Tech

4min

Shifting Culture and Focus in Silicon Valley

20min

The State of the Space Economy and the Potential for Growth

5min

Pricing Strategy and Space Manufacturing

21min

Exploring the Potential of Augmented Reality in Enterprise Applications

3min

Founder University and Accelerator Experience

4min

Using augmented reality in the construction industry

10min

10.

Virtual Reality in Construction

17min

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Today’s show:

Varda’s Delian Asparouhov is back with Jason to discuss Varda (18:43), his insights on different aspects of venture capital (1:41), the shifts in silicon valley culture (11:56), and much more! Then, Jason is joined by Argyle CEO Maret Thatcher to discuss how her startup is using AR headsets to make construction PMs faster and more efficient. (58:27)

Time stamps:

(0:00) Varda President and Co-Founder Delian Asparouhov joins Jason

(1:41) Delian’s insights on different aspects of venture capital

(8:35) Defense tech and silicon valley’s aversion to military

(10:48) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(11:56) The shift in silicon valley culture

(14:39) Culture wars and keeping everyone focused

(18:43) The inception of Varda

(23:15) Varda’s first provisions and overall mission

(27:14) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(28:31) The customer base and transporting cargo into space

(33:14) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/unicorn