Delian Asparouhov, Co-Founder of Varda & Partner at Founders Fund | We discuss Varda's recent space missions, regulatory challenges, and the broader impact of venture capital in the aerospace industry. Delian shares insights on the complexities of defense and space regulations, the relationship between Silicon Valley and Washington DC, and in particular, the context of the Hill and Valley Forum, which aims to bridge the gap between tech leaders and defense officials. He also shares his thoughts on the future of space exploration—from adapting to other gravitational environments like Jupiter's, to the rise of the “Space Club,” including Eric Schmidt’s new role as CEO of Relativity.

In addition, we go deeper on Delian’s investment strategy as he just hit the 6 year mark at Founders Fund, the importance of having an operational background in venture investing, and why seed investing might just be more effective as a hobby. Delian gives us the inside look at his investments in companies like Ramp, Sword Health, Varda, Hadrian, and more.

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Delian on X: https://x.com/zebulgar

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TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Welcome Delian To Sourcery!

0:40 - Live From Varda Space Factories

02:36 Stranded Astronauts

13:10 Varda's Big Milestones

20:38 Growing Space Club: Eric Schmidt, New Entrants & Competitors

23:11 The Role of Public Policy in Space Exploration

28:07 Defense Funding & Government Contracts

29:37 Friction in Venture Capital & Defense Tech

33:12 Hill & Valley Forum: Bridging Silicon Valley & DC

36:05 Challenges in Defense Tech Funding

40:17 Founders Fund Reflection & Investing Strategies

53:28 Lessons From Fatherhood

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