On this week’s episode of Pathfinder, we sit down with Jordan Noone, the cofounder and founding CTO of Relativity Space. Noone now holds the same titles at Embedded Ventures, a self-described deeptech VC “skunkworks” that he runs with cofounder Jenna Bryant.
Embedded Ventures has partnered with the US Space Force on R&D, and backed early-stage startups like Slingshot Aerospace and Inversion. Jordan is also the cofounder and CEO of KittyCAD, which aims to reinvent how engineers and companies create hardware products.
Pathfinder is brought to you by SpiderOak Mission Systems, an industry leader in space cybersecurity.
A sneak peek at our discussion:
- Jordan’s rebellious streak as a student and his take on medieval history
- Heading up USC’s Rocket Propulsion Lab, a finishing school for rocket junkies
- Interning, then working full-time, at SpaceX
- Meeting cofounder Tim Ellis (our guest on Pathfinder #0009)
- Becoming the youngest person to get an FAA license to launch a rocket to space
- Getting accepted into and graduating from Y Combinator (YC W16, to be exact)
- The advantages of 3D printing combustion chambers, engines, and other rocket parts
- Bringing the design and product ethos of Silicon Valley to dual-use technologies at Embedded
- Market conditions and what Jordan’s seeing with pricing rounds, startup valuations, etc.
- Conflicted cap tables and the geopolitical aspects of venture capital
- His views on how space SPACs could affect future industry financing activity
