Valley of Depth

Payload | Ignition | Tectonic
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Nov 21, 2023 • 49min

Robot Craftsmen, with Ed Mehr (Machina Labs)

The US manufacturing industry needs a major overhaul and companies like Machina Labs are helping drive that change. Today’s Pathfinder episode features Ed Mehr, cofounder and CEO of Machina Labs, a startup integrating the latest advancements in robotics and AI to construct next-generation factories. Mehr's prior experience at Relativity includes overseeing the development of Stargate, which was the world’s largest 3D printer at the time.Machina is focused on creating flexible manufacturing systems, where design and material changes can be made seamlessly without the need for extensive hardware alterations. This flexibility is primarily enabled by advanced robotics and AI, encapsulating Mehr's vision of an agile, responsive manufacturing environment. Machina’s flagship product, the "Robotic Craftsman," epitomizes this concept, combining the dexterity of human craftsmen with sophisticated machine learning algorithms.The conversation today delves into the challenges of traditional manufacturing and explores the impact of Machina’s innovations on the space industry. In addition, Ed and Mo discuss:Machina’s origin storyThe state of the US manufacturing industryCommon startup mistakes when building factoriesElon’s manufacturing algorithmAnd much more…This episode is brought to you by SpiderOak, a US-based software company that builds space cybersecurity products and solutions for civilian, military, and commercial space operations. Learn more at https://spideroak.com/• Chapters •00:00 - Intro & SpiderOak Ad 02:02 - What is Machina Labs? 03:07 - The Falcon 9 issue 05:26 - Key product offerings 08:05 - Origin of roboforming 09:16 - Machina’s roboforming 14:24 - Importance of manufacturing in the US 18:06 - Keynote of the business 20:10 - Industries of focus 24:57 - The business model 28:28 - SpiderOak Ad Break 29:15 - Measuring the market size 31:44 - The Machina team 33:12 - Partnership with Nvidia 34:49 - Common manufacturing mistakes 37:48 - Machina’s competition 41:23 - Machina Labs's place in the market 20 years from now 44:02 - Evolution of aerospace manufacturing in the next decade 45:37 - Favorite new manufacturing technologies• Show notes •Machina Lab's website — https://machinalabs.ai/ Machina Lab's socials — https://twitter.com/MachinaLabs_ Mo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes• About us •Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 15,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world. Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers.Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)
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Nov 14, 2023 • 51min

Crew and Cargo Transport, with Hélène Huby (The Exploration Company)

Hélène Huby, Europe's first privately funded cargo and crew capsule; Nyx vs. Starliner vs. Crew Dragon; Design challenges shifting from cargo to human; The business model; Building and R&D for a space station with and without government aid; The future of space stations and the role of commercial players.
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Nov 7, 2023 • 1h 21min

Evolution of Terran R, with Tim Ellis (Relativity Space)

Relativity Space CEO Tim Ellis knows what went wrong during Terran 1’s first flight—and he shared with Payload why he is confident the same thing won’t happen to the startup’s Terran R rocket.What’s next: After the March flight, Relativity announced that it was scrapping Terran 1 development to focus solely on its larger Terran R vehicle.Ellis emphasized that this shift is not merely about scaling size, but also better aligning with market demands ($1.8B Terran R pipeline) and the broader vision of the company.Overall R&D costs should be in the ballpark of ~$1B, Ellis estimated, adding that it is designed to be reusable from the start and carry 23,500 kg to LEO.Brand awareness: In an industry dealing with expensive, long-term projects (i.e., space), it's crucial to inspire and motivate people by focusing on high-effort, creative presentations, Ellis said. The aim is to make Relativity not just a rocket company but a brand that resonates with a broader audience. And music—particularly electronic music—plays a role in the brand's energy, reflecting Ellis's personal tastes.Listen to Pathfinder #0071 for more on Relativity’s future on Mars, whether there’s a rocket larger than Terran R in Relativity’s future, the long-term strategy for 3D printing, and much more.This episode is brought to you by SpiderOak, a US-based software company that builds space cybersecurity products and solutions for civilian, military, and commercial space operations. Learn more at https://spideroak.com/• Chapters •00:00 - Intro & SpiderOak Ad01:09 - The night of the Terran 1 launch05:11 - What went wrong?10:11 - Why not launch Terran 1 again?15:18 - Are investors okay pushing out an orbital proof point?20:38 - Terran R tech specs29:05 - SpiderOak Ad break29:52 - Milestones for Terran R34:31 - Terran R's manufacturing cadence at scale37:46 - Terran R R&D costs (vs Falcon 9)46:13 - 3D printing the Terran R51:34 - The future of 3D printing58:32 - Relativity's marketing strategy01:09:53 - Heavier than Terran R01:14:48 - Relativity & Mars01:15:22 - Tim's favorite musical artists• Show notes •Relativity's website — https://www.relativityspace.com/Relativity's socials — https://twitter.com/relativityspaceTim's socials — https://twitter.com/thetimellisMo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislamPayload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes• About us •Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 15,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world. Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers.Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)
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Oct 31, 2023 • 52min

The Road to Flight 2, with Dan Piemont (ABL Space)

ABL Space is heading back to the pad after a power failure prevented its maiden launch attempt from reaching orbit last January. The company, known for its innovative approach to ground infrastructure by containerizing its launch system, aims to launch its RS1 rocket by the year's end.This week's Pathfinder podcast features Dan Piemont, the cofounder, President, and CFO of the LA-based launch startup. Mo and Dan delve into the lessons learned from the company's initial launch attempt and the improvements made to the RS1 and GS0 ground system. In addition, they discuss:How ABL differentiates itself in the marketCurrent supply/demand dynamics of launchRideshare packaging efficiencyPlans after Flight 2And much more…This episode is brought to you by SpiderOak, a US-based software company that builds space cybersecurity products and solutions for civilian, military, and commercial space operations. Learn more at https://spideroak.com/ • Chapters • 00:00 - Intro & SpiderOak Ad01:56 - Dan’s background02:34 - History of ABL05:05 - What differentiates ABL?08:23 - Regulation surrounding mobile launch systems10:08 - Flight 1, what happened?13:56 - Key improvements on Flight 218:12 - Risks of diving into Block 220:53 - Plans after Flight 221:29 - Increasing launch cadence24:52 - Traction between government and commercial customers26:43 - Is heavier launch in ABL’s future?28:20 - SpiderOak Ad29:07 - Supply and demand dynamics32:56 - Rideshare packaging efficiency42:51 - Lack of high cadence in the industry44:30 - What are investors currently looking for in the market?48:12 - Creating momentum after Flight 1• Show notes • ABL's website — https://ablspacesystems.com/ABL's socials — https://twitter.com/ablspacesystemsMo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes • About us • Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 15,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world. Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers. Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)
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Oct 24, 2023 • 54min

Today's Industry Trends, with Caleb Henry (Quilty Space)

Back in the Pathfinder hot seat is Caleb Henry, Director of Research at Quilty Space. We were privileged to have Caleb join us over a year ago on one of the initial Pathfinder episodes, where he shed light on industry consolidation and the T-Mobile partnership with SpaceX. Today, he rejoins us to delve into a variety of pertinent topics, including: SpaceX vs everyone elseRemote sensing business modelsLEO vs GEO broadband operatorsCapacity shortages across operatorsEffective telecom regulation And much more…This episode is brought to you by SpiderOak, a US-based software company that builds space cybersecurity products and solutions for civilian, military, and commercial space operations. Learn more at https://spideroak.com/ • Chapters • 00:00 - Intro & SpiderOak Ad 01:56 - Caleb’s origin story 04:00 - Transitioning from journalist to research writer 10:08 - How does Quilty choose what to focus on 13:44 - Is SpaceX a monopoly? 18:24 - Supply/demand dynamics of launch 20:39 - Market for small and medium lift launch vehicles 24:42 - SpiderOak Ad break 25:29 - The commercial remote sensing market 30:53 - A commercial remote sensing market big enough for multibillion businesses? 33:57 - Will Starlink make GEO operators obsolete? 40:03 - A shortage of capacity? 42:56 - Would you rather be a LEO or GEO operator? 45:42 - Where should there should be more regulation? 49:56 - What would you be doing if you weren’t in the space industry?• Show notes • Caleb's socials — https://twitter.com/ChenrySpaceMo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes • About us • Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 15,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world. Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers. Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)
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Oct 19, 2023 • 53min

The Venture Studio, with Leon Alkalai (Mandala Space Ventures)

Today’s Pathfinder episode features Leon Alkalai, former Technical Fellow of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and now the founder of Mandala Space Ventures. Having spent 32 years at JPL, we dive into his leadership roles for the GRAIL mission in 2007, which mapped the Moon's gravitational field and the Insight Lander in 2012, a first of its kind mission aimed at exploring Mars' deep interior. Leon now runs Mandala, a combination of space venture studio meets venture fund. In addition to all this, Mo and Leon discuss: The history of NASA JPL Commercializing JPL technologies The venture studio approach to space And much more… This episode is brought to you by SpiderOak, a US-based software company that builds space cybersecurity products and solutions for civilian, military, and commercial space operations. Learn more at https://spideroak.com/ • Chapters • 00:00 - Intro & SpiderOak 01:20 - Leon's PhD 01:49 - How did Leon end up at JPL 04:08 - Freshly minted PhD. What's next? 07:55 - JPL & NASA 11:51 - Missions at JPL Leon is most proud of 17:34 - Recovering the gravity of the Moon 21:39 - SpiderOak Ad 27:52 - Mandala Space Ventures 32:08 - The venture studio model 35:15 - Most value added to businesses 37:13 - How to view the industry 39:48 - What you look for in a company and what are some red flags? 41:21 - How does Leon build a team 43:59 - Technology that excites Leon 48:42 - A Starship future • Show notes • Mandala's website — https://mandalaspaceventures.com/Leon's socials — https://twitter.com/DrLeonAlkalai Mo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes • About us • Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 15,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world. Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers. Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)
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Oct 10, 2023 • 53min

Into a Riot, with Will Coffield (Riot Ventures)

Today’s Pathfinder episode features Will Coffield, cofounder and General Partner of Riot Ventures. Riot has a proclivity for investing in early-stage companies with transformative tech ideologies dedicated to revolutionizing traditional industries. Today’s conversation also features the space and space-adjacent companies that Riot has invested in including True Anomaly, Integrate, and Azimuth.In addition to Riot’s origin story, Mo and Will discuss:Mapping real customer demandLiquidity within deep techCategorizing space investingDual-use technology…is it a cover for defense investing?And much more…This episode is brought to you by SpiderOak, a US-based software company that builds space cybersecurity products and solutions for civilian, military, and commercial space operations. Learn more at https://spideroak.com/• Chapters • 00:00 - Intro & SpiderOak Ad02:31 - Will’s background13:20 - Riot's investment strategy17:06 - Seed investments19:54 - Mapping real customer demand22:07 - Liquidity in deep tech industries25:52 - SpiderOak Ad26:40 - How do you categorizing space investments?34:21 - Is dual-use technology a cover up for defense investing?38:09 - Integrate and Azimuth42:58 - Crowding in the market47:02 - Starship’s impact on the ecosystem48:48 - Technologies Riot is excited about49:54 - Outside of LA, where's the biggest space ecosystem?• Show notes • Riot's website — https://www.riot.vc/Will's socials — https://twitter.com/WillC_5Mo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislamPayload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes• About us •Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 15,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world. Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers.Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)
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Oct 3, 2023 • 52min

End-to-End Space Transportation, with Bill Weber (Firefly Aerospace)

Today’s Pathfinder episode brings in Bill Weber, CEO of Firefly Aerospace, hot on the heels of the U.S. Space Force’s VICTUS NOX mission success. Bill shares insights on the prep work that propelled the mission, with a nod to his past life helming a public company. The discussion offers a glimpse into the meticulous planning and execution required in modern space missions. In addition, Mo and Bill chat: Firefly's next-generation launch vehicleWorking with Northrop GrummanSupply/demand dynamics of the launch marketHow hard it is to reach orbitAnd much more… This episode is brought to you by SpiderOak, a US-based software company that builds space cybersecurity products and solutions for civilian, military, and commercial space operations. Learn more at https://spideroak.com/ • Chapters • 00:00 - Introduction01:47 - Bill's background and how he got into the industry08:12 - What is Firefly?10:05 - Why is Firefly focusing on end-to-end transportation?14:53 - Metrics of the Alpha launch vehicle17:38 - Customer traction20:19 - How hard is it to reach orbit?22:30 - Being consistent on the easy stuff26:12 - SpiderOak Ad26:59 - The Victus Nox Mission33:25 - Working with Northrop Grumman36:50 - Reusability in the MLV38:54 - Raising a Series C in today's market41:44 - A PE-backed company45:08 - Will Firefly go public?47:52 - Is the launch market crowded?47:59 - What is happening to public aerospace stocks?48:27 - When do you think space companies will be ready for IPOs?49:22 - Areas of the market that are overhyped and underhyped50:22 - Breakthrough technology to pay attention to51:05 - Company outside of Firefly that you're rooting for • Show notes • Firefly's website — https://fireflyspace.com/ Firefly's socials — https://twitter.com/Firefly_Space Mo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislamPayload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes • About us •Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 15,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world. Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers.Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)
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Sep 26, 2023 • 54min

Management Masterclass, with Chris Celtruda (ATL Partners)

Today’s Pathfinder episode features Chris Celtruda, CEO of Valence Surface Technologies and Operating Executive at ATL Partners. With over 30 years of leadership experience, Chris offers a masterclass on scaling aerospace & defense businesses and implementing successful management styles.In addition, Mo and Chris chat: Chris' experience building multiple A&D businessesATL Partners’ new focus on spaceThe current investment landscapeRaising capital in today's marketAnd much more…This episode is brought to you by SpiderOak, a US-based software company that builds space cybersecurity products and solutions for civilian, military, and commercial space operations. Learn more at https://spideroak.com/ • Chapters • 00:00 - Intro & SpiderOak Ad02:10 - How did you get into the space industry?04:48 - Has the industry changed in El Segundo, CA?06:30 - What is ATL?10:10 - What made ATL focus on space?11:42 - How is ATL different?13:42 - Chris's management style17:14 - Selling your vision to an investor20:32 - Advice for new founders25:18 - Investing strategies34:13 - Launch market37:08 - Is satellite broadband a viable business model?41:14 - Public space stocks45:46 - M&A outlook47:46 - IPO outlook48:58 - What technology excites you and how would you invest your capital today?• Show notes • ATL's website — https://www.atlpartners.com/Valence's socials — https://twitter.com/ValenceSTMo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes• About us •Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 15,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world. Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers.Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)
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Sep 19, 2023 • 50min

Program Logistics, with John Conafay (Integrate)

There’s a growing demand for streamlined communication and collaboration tools in the space industry. Integrate Space, based in Seattle, is tackling this challenge head-on. Co-founded by John Conafay, a veteran with ties to the USAF, ABL, Spaceflight, and Astranis, the startup aims to modernize program management, offering digital solutions to track development schedules, coordinate missions, and improve vendor collaboration. John believes that a platform like Integrate needs to be part of every industry building complex hardware. With newly acquired funding and two new contracts with the USSF and Firefly Aerospace, the company is expanding its team and moving into a new office in Seattle. Though space was where Integrate started, the company with the help of its new investors intends to expand into the biotech and cybersecurity industries. A sneak peek… In today’s episode, Mo and John chat: – The landscape of digital tools in the industry – Integrate’s business model and core value proposition – Raising capital in the current market – Digital solution platforms at scale And much more… This episode is brought to you by SpiderOak, a US-based software company that builds space cybersecurity products and solutions for civilian, military, and commercial space operations. Learn more at https://spideroak.com/ • Chapters • 00:00 - Intro 00:28 - SpiderOak Ad 01:05 - Integrate introduction 03:32 - How would you describe what Integrate does to your 5-year-old cousin? 05:34 - John's history with the new space industry 13:51 - Is Integrate's solution a nice to have or integral to solving huge inefficiencies? 16:14 - Integrate's core offering 17:31 - Initial target/customer base 18:36 - Integrate's business model 19:28 - How large is Integrate's team today? 20:23 - Integrate's branding origin 22:41 - SpiderOak Ad 23:28 - Recent contract wins 27:07 - Integrate's use case for the government 29:08 - How does Integrate fit in the competitive landscape? 31:15 - Does Integrate compete against internal builds from larger companies? 32:59 - Digital tools at scale 34:04 - Round construction 37:13 - Growth areas for Integrate 39:45 - Integrate beyond space 40:59 - Advice for founders looking to raise pre-seed funding 43:07 - Tech that John is a big fan of 47:28 - Favorite space book/show 49:03 - How to get invited to an Integrate party/get connected as a customer • Show notes • Integrate's website — https://integrate.space/ Integrate's socials — https://twitter.com/Integrate_hrdwr John's socials — https://twitter.com/JConafay Mo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes• About us •Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 15,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world. Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers.Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)

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