Past Events
Invited Speakers
Ankit Somani
Co-founder & CEO · Conifer
Ankit Somani is the co-founder of Conifer, a startup developing rare-earth-free electric motors using ferrite magnets for mobility, tools and equipment, and industrial applications. After roles at Google and CPO of HireVue, he launched Conifer to address supply chain and sustainability challenges in mobility. The company raised a $20 million seed round, with investors including True Ventures, MFV Partners, MaC Ventures, and Voyager Ventures.
Brian Hardin
Co-founder & CEO · Aluminio
Brian Hardin is the Co-founder and CEO of Aluminio, a company involved in advanced materials and manufacturing. He has spoken at events such as Advanced Materials & Manufacturing, demonstrating his expertise in these areas. In his current role, he leads efforts to innovate within the materials sector.
Ian Brooke
CEO · Astro Mechanica
Ian Brooke is the founder and CEO of Astro Mechanica, a San Francisco-based aerospace startup backed by Y Combinator (W24) and investors including United Airlines Ventures, pioneering the turboelectric adaptive engine—a revolutionary hybrid-electric jet propulsion system that maintains peak efficiency across all speeds from takeoff to Mach 3+, enabling sustainable supersonic commercial flight, long-range cargo, national defense applications, and even cost-effective orbital launches via air-breathing stages. A lifelong pilot who began flying at age 16 and inspired by fighter jets like the F-15, Brooke—a University of Colorado Boulder physics graduate and serial entrepreneur with a prior successful venture—launched Astro Mechanica in 2021 to disrupt a stagnant industry, rapidly prototyping engines in months using off-the-shelf components and raising significant funding (including $27M+ rounds) to challenge incumbents like Boeing and GE. Passionately advocating for a new "Turboelectric Age" of abundant, point-to-point global mobility—shrinking transcontinental trips to hours at economy fares while slashing fuel use—he drives milestones like supersonic demonstrations targeted for 2025 and vertical integration toward building the next-generation aerospace titan.
Jared O’Leary
Founder & CEO · SirenOpt
Jared O’Leary is the co-founder and CEO of SirenOpt, a startup that enhances materials manufacturing through real-time, non-destructive sensing using cold atmospheric plasma and machine learning. He earned his PhD in chemical engineering from UC Berkeley, where he developed the core technology behind SirenOpt. The company has secured $6.6 million in seed funding in a round co-led by Voyager Ventures and TOMORROW (part of Visionaries Club).
Kira Wyckoff
Founder & CEO · Leeta Materials
Kira Wyckoff is the founder and CEO of Leeta, a materials startup developing microwave-assisted manufacturing processes to produce high-quality, low-cost metal based powders. She earned her PhD in Materials Science from UC Santa Barbara. Leeta has raised a $4M seed round led by Voyager Ventures.
Nare Janvelyan
Investor · Voyager Ventures
Nare is an investor at Voyager Ventures where she partners with visionary founders to accelerate the success of category-defining deep tech companies. With her PhD in Chemical Physics from Harvard developing metal-based nanomaterials, she understands the technical complexities founders face when translating lab innovations into market-ready solutions. She also led commercialization strategies for late-stage technology companies while working in management consulting, giving her a unique perspective on scaling deep tech ventures.
Nathan Ratledge
Co-founder & CEO · Alta Resource Technologies
Nathan Ratledge is the co-founder and CEO of Alta Resource Technologies, which uses engineered proteins to extract critical minerals like rare earth elements from low-grade ores and waste streams. He holds a PhD from Stanford, and has raised $10 million in seed funding from investors including DCVC, Voyager Ventures, In-Q-Tel, and Orion Industrial Ventures.
Roman Teslyuk
Founder & CEO · EARTH AI
Roman Teslyuk is the founder and CEO of EARTH AI, a vertically integrated mineral exploration company using AI to find critical metals for the energy transition. He’s a geologist with experience across the world and a Y Combinator alum. The company has raised funding from Cantos, Tamarack Global, and Y Combinator among others.