Past Events
Invited Speakers
Augustus Doricko
Founder and CEO · Rainmaker
Augustus Doricko is the founder and CEO of Rainmaker, a next generation cloud seeding company. He is a UC Berkeley dropout, Thiel Fellow, and member of the El Segundo hardtech scene. Rainmaker uses weather resistant drones to increase precipitation, and novel radar hardware to measure how much man-made precipitation is created. Our first priority is reversing the desertification of the American west, and ultimately we will terraform deserts into abundant, green, arable land.
Mike Grace
Founder & CEO · Longshot Space
Mike Grace is the CEO of Longshot Space, building a hypersonic accelerator ("space cannon") to launch payloads into orbit at $10/kg—compared to SpaceX's $3,000/kg. After serving in the Army, Mike studied economics and did an astrobiology internship at NASA Ames, which led to a career in aerospace and biotech startups. He holds a master's degree in genetics. Longshot has raised $5M+ from VCs and the US Air Force, with backing from Sam Altman, and is building a 1,600-foot accelerator in the Nevada desert, working toward a 6-mile space cannon for LEO launches.
Sean Hoge
Founder & General Partner · Starship Ventures
Sean Hoge is the founder and general partner of Starship Ventures, a deep tech venture capital firm investing in companies solving humanity's grand challenges. He successfully raised over $30 million for Starship's debut fund. Sean is a serial entrepreneur and technologist who co-founded crossfader.fm (backed by Kleiner Perkins, Index Ventures, and Google Ventures) and later joined NVOLV as Head of Product. Notable portfolio companies include Atmos, BRINC, and Clubhouse. He graduated from Tulane University's A.B. Freeman School of Business.
Tristan Semmelhack
co-founder · Reflect Orbital
Tristan Semmelhack is the co-founder and CEO of Reflect Orbital, a company pioneering space technology to deploy orbital mirrors for reflecting sunlight, aiming to enhance solar energy applications. He leads the company's strategic direction, including product development and partnerships in the space industry. With a background in aerospace engineering and entrepreneurship, Semmelhack has driven innovative projects in satellite technology and sustainable energy solutions. His notable achievements include founding Reflect Orbital in 2021 and securing funding to advance orbital infrastructure. Semmelhack's expertise spans space systems, orbital mechanics, and clean energy technologies.