From Wall Street to Flying Cars (eVTOLs) | Adam Goldstein, Founder/CEO Archer Aviation

In this episode, Adam Goldstein (Founder/CEO Archer Aviation) shares his extraordinary journey from witnessing 9/11 as a young investment banker, to founding Archer Aviation, a pioneering electric aircraft company. After experiencing the tragic events of September 11th firsthand, Goldstein navigated through six failed startups before building a successful company, learning invaluable lessons about product-market fit and sustainable business models along the way.

The conversation takes a dramatic turn as Goldstein reveals the intense legal battle with Boeing—That nearly destroyed Archer Aviation before its IPO—Offering rare insights into high-stakes corporate litigation. He also discusses how the Russia-Ukraine war exposed opportunities in modern defense, leading to Archer's strategic pivot into autonomous military solutions. Throughout the episode, Goldstein shares fascinating details about raising $2 billion for a flying car startup and why tackling massive, world-changing problems can actually be easier than building smaller companies.

00:00 Introduction and Host Welcome
00:41 Meet Adam Goldstein: From Finance to Tech
01:43 The Birth of Vettery
02:54 Investment Banking and 9/11 Experience
04:36 Lessons from the Hedge Fund World
06:44 Building and Scaling Vetteri
11:24 The Acquisition of Vettery
15:26 Founding Archer: A New Venture
19:27 The Challenge of Raising Capital]
19:47 Navigating the eVTOL Industry
21:20 Building a Credible Team
22:30 The Impact of COVID-19
23:12 Securing Initial Funding
24:40 Developing the First Prototype
24:53 Entering the SPAC Market
29:18 The Boeing Lawsuit
32:38 Future Prospects and Defense Opportunities
36:06 Conclusion and Final Thoughts