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Valley of Depth

Payload | Ignition | Tectonic

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Valley of Depth is a podcast about the technologies that matter — and the people building them. Brought to you by Arkaea Media, the team behind Payload (space), Ignition (nuclear energy), and Tectonic (defense tech), this show goes beyond headlines and hype. We talk to founders, investors, government officials, and military leaders shaping the future of national security and deep tech. From breakthrough science to strategic policy, we dive into the high-stakes decisions behind the world’s ha ...
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Space has a power problem. Satellites need more electricity and better protection, yet solar arrays are slow to build and failure-prone, and shielding adds mass and complexity. Atomic-6 is tackling both sides at once. Our guest this week is Trevor Smith, founder and CEO of Atomic-6. His team is building Light Wing, a redeployable, mass-manufacturab…
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Satellites are expensive and once launched, mostly untouchable.. That’s the problem Starfish Space is solving. The company is building Otter, a small, autonomous servicing vehicle capable of rendezvousing with, docking to, and moving other satellites in orbit. On this episode of Valley of Depth, I’m joined by Austin Link, co-founder of Starfish Spa…
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You will learn the following:- There are patterns and challenges that companies commonly face at different stages of their growth. These challenges are not random.- Building a strong foundation and getting the basics right is essential for success in business.- Hiring the right people and aligning their values with the company’s values is crucial, …
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Spacecraft carry all kinds of sensors, but rarely the one humans rely on most: video. Despite offering the richest insight per watt, gram, and dollar, cameras have been largely absent from orbit.That’s what TRL11 is out to change. The company is building radiation-tolerant optics, edge computers that process and compress video in real time, and gro…
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Smallsats have defined the last decade of space, but their limitations are clear: low power, limited throughput, and fragile unit economics. K2 Space is betting on the opposite. The company is building mega class and giga class satellites, platforms measured in tons rather than kilograms, that deliver unprecedented power, capacity, and resilience. …
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This episode is presented by L3Harris Technologies. On this special edition of Valley of Depth, we’re joined by Kristin Houston, President of Space Propulsion and Power Systems at L3Harris. Kristin leads the team responsible for propulsion and space power systems across Artemis and beyond, from the RS-25 main engines to the Gateway’s high-power ele…
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In this podcast you will learn:- What do we really mean by “Machine Learning”?- What is the difference between AI and ML?- What problems can ML solve?- How can a business owner know if ML is right for their business?- What are the steps a company should take before they decide on implementing ML within their organisation?- How do you implement ML w…
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In this highly informative episode of Atom CTO Podcast, we take a deep dive into the challenging yet rewarding world of startups as we converse with one of the seasoned experts in the field, Bill Bolden. With an impressive resume spanning a two-decade-long career, and contributing to over hundreds of startups, Bill talks about what he has seen that…
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Some environments are simply too harsh for traditional power sources. Solar panels fail in darkness, batteries die quickly, and diesel can’t reach. That’s where Zeno Power comes in. The company is pioneering nuclear batteries, compact systems that recycle radioactive waste into safe, reliable power for years at a time. On this episode of Valley of …
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Welcome to another episode of The Atom CTO Podcast, joined by Bhairav Patel and Sanjay Rakshit, veterans in the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI). We delve into AI, machine learning, data science, and natural language processing (NLP). Concepts that have transformed life as we know it and the influencers at its core, helping shape …
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Continuous human presence in orbit has been a cornerstone of U.S. leadership in space for 25 years. But recent changes to NASA’s Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) strategy have Pam Melroy—former NASA Deputy Administrator and shuttle commander—sounding the alarm. She warns that shifting to short-duration missions risks ceding leadership in LEO and u…
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Logistics rarely makes headlines, but it wins or loses wars. Rune Technologies is betting that the future of contested sustainment won’t be built on warehouses and spreadsheets, but on software. The company recently raised a $24M Series A to accelerate that vision. On this episode of Valley of Depth, we’re joined by Rune co-founder and CEO David Tu…
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Tommy Hendrix is Managing Partner at Decisive Point, a venture firm backing early-stage companies developing critical national security technologies. In this episode of Valley of Depth, we unpack what it really means to fund the future of national defense and how venture capital is becoming a tool of statecraft. A former Green Beret turned investor…
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In this episode of Valley of Depth, we sit down with Regent cofounder and CEO Billy Thalheimer to explore a radical reimagining of coastal mobility, not with eVTOLs or hyperloops, but with high-speed electric seagliders that skim just above the water. Part hydrofoil, part aircraft, and fully electric, Regent’s vehicles operate in the sweet spot bet…
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In this episode of Valley of Depth, we sit down with Xcimer Energy’s cofounders, Conner Galloway and Alexander Valys, to unpack one of the boldest bets in fusion: resurrecting a Cold War-era laser technology to build the fastest, most scalable path to commercial fusion power. Xcimer has raised over $100 million to bring its inertial confinement fus…
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Mikkel Vestergaard isn’t a typical aerospace founder. Before building solar-powered stratospheric airships, he spent two decades in humanitarian innovation, distributing a billion malaria nets, co-creating the LifeStraw, and helping eradicate Guinea worm disease. Now, as CEO of Sceye, he’s applying that same ethos to aerospace. In this conversation…
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Julien Barber is an investor at Emerson Collective, a venture and policy firm founded by Laurene Powell Jobs, where he backs bold bets on decarbonization, infrastructure, and long-horizon climate technologies. Before becoming an investor, Julien researched fusion energy at MIT and co-founded a carbon-tech startup. In today’s episode, we go deep int…
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Welcome to a special Tuesday-edition of Valley of Depth, powered by Integrate. John Conafay spent years inside the space and defense worlds, from Spire to Astranis to the U.S. Air Force, and saw the same problem everywhere: complex programs were managed with spreadsheets, slide decks, and…crossed fingers. So in 2022, he founded Integrate to fix it.…
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Chris Kemp took Astra public in 2021 with a bold vision: low-cost rockets launching daily, bringing sovereign space access to every country on Earth. At its peak, the company was worth over $2 billion. Within two years, that valuation collapsed by 99%. In this episode of Valley of Depth, we go inside one of the most dramatic flameouts and attempted…
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Jeff Thornburg helped build Raptor at SpaceX. Now he’s building something new: a spacecraft designed for rapid maneuverability across orbits powered by solar thermal propulsion. In this episode of Valley of Depth, we get into the technical, strategic, and commercial implications of in-space mobility and why it matters now. Topics include: The harde…
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In the wake of new executive orders elevating nuclear energy as a national security priority, there’s growing momentum—and urgency—behind advanced fission technologies. Few are better positioned to talk about this shift than Jordan Bramble, co-founder and CEO of Antares Nuclear, a startup building microreactors for defense and space. In this episod…
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In a major shift, the U.S. government is moving to overturn a 50-year ban on civilian supersonic flight over land—a regulation that’s defined the boundaries of commercial aviation since 1973. It’s a pivotal moment for aerospace, and a timely one for this conversation with Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic. In this episode of Valley o…
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If the next great war is fought in space, Even Rogers wants the U.S. to be ready. On this episode of Valley of Depth, the True Anomaly CEO and former Air Force weapons officer joins us to break down how he’s building autonomous systems for space superiority and why space is the next warfighting domain. A graduate of the Air Force Weapons School, Ev…
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This week on Valley of Depth, we’re joined by Paul Lwin, co-founder and CEO of Havoc AI—a builder of integrated hardware, software, and logistics that enables collaborative, autonomous maritime operations. A former Navy test pilot and electronic warfare officer, Paul saw firsthand the strategic challenge posed by China’s industrial scale in the Pac…
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This week on Valley of Depth, we’re joined by Marc Allen, CEO of Electra and former Chief Strategy Officer at Boeing. After nearly two decades at one of aerospace’s most iconic companies, Marc stepped away—and then doubled down—on aviation with a bold bet: a hybrid-electric aircraft that takes off in 150 feet, carries 1,000 pounds, and can land alm…
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This week on Valley of Depth, we’re joined by Erik Kriessmann, Partner at Altimeter – the $10B crossover firm known for backing generational companies across tech, defense, and space. From sourcing early-stage deals to helping build world-class teams, Erik’s path into venture started with a deep focus on talent, giving him a rare edge in identifyin…
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This week on Valley of Depth, we’re joined by Christian Garcia, Partner at Breakthrough Energy Ventures — the Bill Gates-backed climate fund investing in bold technologies to accelerate the energy transition across every sector of the economy. With portfolio companies tackling everything from geologic hydrogen to reusable rockets, BEV is redefining…
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This week on Valley of Depth, we’re joined by Tejpaul Bhatia, the newly appointed CEO of Axiom Space — a company building one of the first commercial space stations and leading private human spaceflight missions to low Earth orbit. The company is gearing up for Ax-4, Axiom’s fourth mission to the ISS, which will fly astronauts from Poland, Hungary,…
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We’re excited to launch Valley of Depth, our new podcast taking the place of our beloved (formerly known as) Pathfinder (RIP) podcast. Valley of Depth is about the technologies that matter—and the people building them. We talk to founders, investors, government officials, and military leaders shaping the future of national security and deep tech. F…
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Dive into a fascinating journey of female entrepreneurship on the Atom CTO Podcast! We're hosting an inspiring conversation with Joanna Vargas, the dynamic force behind "The Get Up Girl" podcast. Vargas's career trajectory is a testament to her entrepreneurial spirit, fiery passion, and grit.Clearing her path outside the conventional structures of …
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Dominic Courage shares gripping insights from managing global humanitarian crises at Save the Children. From coordinating refugee responses to training crisis leaders, this episode reveals practical leadership lessons born from high-stakes situations. Discover how empathy, systematic thinking, and strategic frameworks can transform chaos into effec…
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This week on Pathfinder, we’re joined by Ed Fyfe, founder of Ed Fyfe Design, a creative studio focused on branding and visual identity for space and hardware companies. With a background in agency work and a passion for the space industry, Ed has built a reputation for helping companies craft compelling brand identities that stand out in a crowded …
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This week on Pathfinder, we’re joined by Jack Kuhr, Research Director at Payload, for a deep dive into one of the most closely watched companies in the space industry—SpaceX. We break down Payload’s latest analysis of SpaceX’s revenue, exploring how the company’s launch business and Starlink network are shaping its financial trajectory. With our es…
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In this engaging episode of the Atom CTO podcast, host Bhairav Patel welcomes Phin Mpofu, a dynamic serial entrepreneur and founder of Ugenie. Bhairav and Phin explore the journey from idea to implementation in the start-up ecosystem, focusing on the unique challenges and opportunities in the tech and AI industries. Phin shares his insights on buil…
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In this episode of the Atom CTO podcast, Bhairav Patel sits down with seasoned tech executive Mark Zurich to delve deep into the intricate world of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) from a technical perspective. The conversation addresses both the seller's and buyer's mindsets, with an emphasis on preparing for M&A activities, understanding tech due d…
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This week on Pathfinder, we’re joined by Matt Weinzierl, Chair of the MBA Program and Professor at Harvard Business School, and Brendan Rosseau, a member of the strategy team for launch at Blue Origin. Together, they’ve co-authored Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier, a new book exploring the history, key players, and economic forc…
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This week on Pathfinder, we’re joined by Jeremiah Pate, founder and CEO of Lunasonde, a company pioneering subsurface imaging from space. Lunasonde is developing technology to map the Earth’s underground, leveraging low-frequency synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to identify critical minerals and resources. With two satellites launched and the first f…
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Trailer to the main event where we ask this week's guest 5 questionsPhin Mpofu is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Eugenie, an AI-powered platform in the social commerce space. With a background in the start-up community and a passion for technology and community building, Phin is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in th…
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In this episode, Alan and Bhairav talk about leadership and management, the qualities to look out for and what it takes to excel as a leader and a manager.In this podcast you'll learn:- Difference between leadership and management- Can everyone be a leader?- What makes a great manager?- Roles and responsibilities for being a better leader and a man…
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In this episode Alan and Bhairav talk all things "pitch deck"Both Alan and Bhairav outline the slides described by Guy Kawasaki in his post, "The only 10 slides you need in your pitch" and add their own experience and flavour to that methodologyhttps://guykawasaki.com/the-only-10-slides-you-need-in-your-pitch/In this podcast you'll learn:The key sl…
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This week on Pathfinder, we’re joined by Awais Ahmed, founder and CEO of Pixxel, a company focused on developing hyperspectral imaging technology from space. Pixxel is developing the world’s first commercial hyperspectral satellite constellation, aiming to provide detailed insights into critical industries like agriculture, energy, and defense. Wit…
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In this episode of the Real World Entrepreneurship Podcast, hosts Bhairav Patel and Alan Clarke dive deep into the reasons why projects often fail and share valuable insights on how to avoid common pitfalls. Drawing from their extensive experience in the business and technology worlds, they highlight the importance of the "CPOP" principles - Commun…
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This week on Pathfinder, we welcome Adam Draper, founder and managing director of Boost VC, an early-stage venture capital firm based in San Mateo, CA, specializing in pre-seed deals in deep tech, including space. Boost VC’s track record includes early investments in space companies such as Varda, Starfish Space, and K2 Space. This episode explores…
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This week on Pathfinder, we’re ready to kick off 2025 with our first episode back from a brief holiday hiatus. Joining us is Stefan Powell, co-founder and CEO of Dawn Aerospace—a company focused on building scalable, sustainable space transportation solutions. After cutting their teeth with an in-space propulsion business, Dawn is now pushing the b…
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As we're in the middle of putting together the next season of the Atom CTO podcast, we thought we'd introduce the Real World Entrepreneurship podcast which is hosted by Bhairav Patel and Alan Clarke, from the Business Growth PartnershipFor the next few weeks we will be showcasing various episodes that will resonate with you, our audience…
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In this Real World Entrepreneurship podcast we talk with Lauren Young, the Burnout Therapist: https://www.theburnouttherapist.co.uk/We explore the signs and symptoms of burnout that entrepreneurs frequently face, from chronic exhaustion and sleep disturbances to increased physical ailments and emotional drain, understanding these symptoms is crucia…
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In this episode of the Atom CTO Podcast, we talk with Aviv Ben-Yosef, tech consultant and CTO coach:https://avivbenyosef.com/We delve into the persistent disconnect between tech teams and business units—a challenge that plagues both start-ups and larger enterprises. Along with Aviv we explore common issues such as the misalignment of goals and stak…
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Quick PSA: This is our final Pathfinder episode of 2024! We’re so grateful for your support and can’t wait to bring you more content and a new format next year. Stay tuned! In our third and final episode of our special three-part Pathfinder series on lunar architecture—brought to you by our partners at Lockheed Martin—we’re focusing on how nuclear-…
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