Francois Chopard Speaks on “How to Build Strong Space Startups in a Downturn” at TechCrunch Session: Space 2022
François Chopard (CEO & Founder, Starburst Ventures) was a featured Speaker at the 2022 TechCrunch Sessions: Space on December 6, 2022, where startup space community leaders, including founders, researchers, and investors from some of the biggest names in the game in the private, public, and military sectors, connected.
He shared his insights during a roundtable discussion on “How to Build Strong Space Startups in a Downturn” with Tess Hatch (Partner, Bessemer Venture Partners) moderated by Darrell Etherington (Managing Editor, TechCrunch). They honed in on how startups should think about building resilience in tough times.
Space startups already face a belief that their time horizons are longer than your average VC investment standards, but that perception is made more challenging when economic headwinds are unfavorable.
Q: Where should companies be focusing their efforts now if they want to have the biggest impact going through a recession and coming out of it? What has the most potential for people to play in right now?
A: “On our side, it’s how to make more sense of space. We’ve seen a lot of applications where we’re looking at earth and sending back information, but what can we manufacture in space that makes more sense for earth?
We are still looking at new technologies or people that are going to think a little bit differently and improve a current problem by a ratio of 10x. How can a new type of optics instead of being mounted on a 2 or 3 ton satellite be mounted on 100 kilos and with a 15 centimeter resolution? How can we build a digital twin of earth with an accuracy of 10 centimeters? And a GPS 2.0?
We want to see entrepreneurs with more traction. That’s such a key element because we are betting on them for 5-7 years. We still want them to go fast from one year to another, from 6 months to another 6 months, but we want to see the ability to execute and to achieve, whether it’s small things or big things.” – François Chopard
Discover other key highlights and pieces of wisdom from the investment perspective in the event recording:
About Starburst Ventures: Starburst Ventures is the first venture capital fund exclusively dedicated to investing across aviation, space, and defense. Its mission is to support fearless founders building breakthrough science & technology ventures that will help preserve the Free World’s leadership in a reinvented future. The team is made up of Aerospace & Defense specialists, former founders, venture investors, and accelerator operators. The idea is to help early-stage companies accelerate their business development efforts in government and industry. More information about Starburst Ventures can be found at www.starburst.vc
