Thiel Fellow Tuesday | Brad Gerstner, AJ Piplica + Zach Shore, Delian Asparouhov + Raycho Raychev

Overview

This episode features a dynamic lineup of entrepreneurs, technologists, and investors discussing groundbreaking innovations across industries like aerospace, space tech, neurotechnology, and rare earth metals. The conversations explore the intersection of cutting-edge science, business strategy, and societal impact, with a focus on long-term thinking and transformative ideas.

Notable Quotes

- The way out of this problem is to get kids in the game from birth. By age 50, you could have a million dollars in that account. - Brad Gerstner, on his Invest America initiative.

- We’re building the Dell for satellites—mass-manufactured, customizable, and affordable. - Delian Asparouhov, on EnduroSat's vision for space infrastructure.

- Robots need to communicate like every other mammal—expressively and intuitively. - Teddy Warner, on making robots more human-friendly.

🚀 Hypersonic Innovation: Hermeus’ Vision for Supersonic Travel

- AJ Piplica and Zach Shore of Hermeus are developing hypersonic aircraft capable of Mach 5 speeds.

- Their recent milestone: successfully flying their first aircraft, Quarterhorse Mark 1, a precursor to their supersonic model.

- They aim to revolutionize defense and commercial aviation by reducing travel times and costs.

- Challenges include regulatory hurdles and engineering complexities, such as designing for high-speed aerodynamics while maintaining safety.

🛰️ Space Democratization: EnduroSat’s Scalable Satellites

- Raycho Raychev and Delian Asparouhov are building nanosatellites that are modular, mass-manufactured, and cost-efficient.

- EnduroSat’s satellites can be customized without redesigning core components, enabling faster deployment for data companies.

- The company is scaling to produce 60 satellites per month, making it one of the largest satellite manufacturers globally.

- Their vision: to make space data universally accessible and affordable, targeting $1 per gigabyte.

🧠 Neurotechnology Breakthroughs: Orbit’s Brain Stimulation Devices

- Steven Pang and Colton are developing non-invasive neuromodulation devices to enhance sleep, focus, and physical recovery.

- Their headband prototype uses electrical stimulation to regulate the vestibular system, showing promise in doubling deep sleep.

- They are exploring both consumer and medical applications, with potential to address insomnia and other autonomic disorders.

- The team emphasizes rigorous safety testing and rapid iteration cycles to refine their technology.

🌍 Rare Earth Revolution: Solcao’s Sustainable Metalization

- Hooman Reza Nezhad is tackling the rare earth metals supply chain, critical for tech like EVs and semiconductors.

- Solcao’s innovative process produces metals at lower costs and with zero harmful emissions, addressing both economic and environmental challenges.

- The company is also focusing on recycling rare earths from discarded electronics and industrial waste.

- With China dominating the rare earth market, Solcao aims to establish a sustainable, domestic supply chain in the U.S.

🌪️ Fighting Natural Disasters: Koki Mashita’s Weather Tech

- Koki Mashita is leveraging AI to improve weather forecasting and disaster response.

- His previous work in The Philippines reduced forecasting costs by 99% while increasing resolution by 100x.

- The next frontier: using proprietary data collection methods, such as flying sensors into storms, to better understand and mitigate extreme weather events.

- Long-term vision includes proactive disaster prevention and infrastructure resilience.