How do you build hardware like software?

For our 50th episode, we sit down with Karthik Gollapudi, Co-Founder of SIFT, to break down what happens when the fast, iterative mindset of software development is applied to aerospace, defense, robotics, and other physical systems. 

Karthik spent more than four years at SpaceX, working on simulation and flight software for Dragon. He saw first-hand how SpaceX’s culture of rapid iteration and continuous testing could make incredibly complex hardware development move faster. When he started wondering whether these principles could become the foundation for a company, he called his now co-founder - who told him that “four different companies are actually trying to hire me to build that.”

Today, SIFT is building the observability layer for hardware: bringing telemetry, logs, video, and other data together to continuously monitor the health of complex systems and understand what changed when something goes wrong.

We discuss:

🚀 How SpaceX applies software development principles to hardware

🔍 Why hardware needs continuous observability - not occasional testing

📡 The challenge of making sense of telemetry, logs, video, and multiple time sources

🤖 How AI could fundamentally change the way physical systems are designed and built

💰 Lessons from building SIFT, raising $70M+, and convincing investors to back a new category

Karthik also shares his perspective on where AI-driven hardware development is heading - from autonomous systems that discover solutions humans wouldn't think of to physical structures that look more like biology than traditional engineering.

A conversation about the technology, culture, and infrastructure needed to build the next generation of hardware - faster.

Follow Karthik and SIFT:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karthikgollapudi

https://www.siftstack.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/sift-stack/

https://www.youtube.com/@Siftstack

https://www.instagram.com/siftstack/?hl=en

https://x.com/SiftStack

Follow NewSpaceVision:

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast is sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

He helped land a spacecraft on a comet. Now, he decides which space startups get funded.

Koen Geurts went from operating one of ESA’s most iconic missions to becoming a Senior Investment Manager at HTGF - one of Germany’s most active early-stage investors.

In this episode, we cover:

• What it’s really like to land on a comet (and bounce multiple times)

• The transition from space engineer to VC

• How HTGF thinks about early-stage space investments

• Where Europe is falling behind - and where it can win

• Contrarian bets (like propulsion) vs overhyped ideas (like space data centers)

• Why government contracts are critical for scaling New Space companies

A rare inside look at both engineering and capital within the space ecosystem.

Follow Koen & HTGF:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kgeurts?originalSubdomain=dehttps://www.linkedin.com/company/high-tech-gruenderfonds/https://www.htgf.de/en/venture-capital-investor-2/

Follow NewSpaceVision:

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast is sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

In this episode of the NSV Podcast, we sit down with Lukas Werling, co-founder & CEO of InSpacePropulsion Technologies, or ISP Tech, a German startup building non-toxic chemical propulsion systems for satellites and spacecraft.

After more than a decade at DLR’s rocket engine test site in Lampoldshausen, Lukas spun out ISP Tech to commercialize advanced green propulsion technology. We discuss:

• The journey from research scientist to founder
• How to spin out of a major research institution
• Chemical vs. electric propulsion
• Why agility in orbit is becoming critical
• Europe’s funding environment for deep tech

ISP Tech is building the mobility layer of space, enabling satellites to move precisely, responsively, and safely in an increasingly crowded orbit.

Connect with Lukas and ISPTech:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukas-werling/https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspacepropulsion-technologies-isptech/https://www.isptech.space/

Europe talks about space sovereignty.

Sovereignty is built with capital.

On the latest episode of the podcast, investor Filip Kocian joins us to unpack the financial infrastructure behind Europe’s space ambitions - and why funding decisions today will define the industry’s future.

Space is no longer niche. It’s industrial strategy, defense, and economic resilience rolled into one... yet capital markets still struggle to match the scale of those goals.

In our conversation, Filip explains:

🚀 Why space investing is becoming industrial policy💰 What separates investable companies from science projects⚖️ How dual-use tech is reshaping venture strategy🌍 The structural gap between Europe and the US🔭 Where the next generation of winners will emerge

Follow Filip (and write him an email):

[email protected]

https://www.linkedin.com/in/filipkocian/

https://filipkocian.substack.com/

https://x.com/fikocian

Follow Expansion:

https://www.expansion-vc.eu/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/expansion-ventures/

Follow NewSpaceVision:

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast is sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

What if you could take the temperature of the entire planet - accurately, continuously, and in high resolution?

In this episode, we sit down with Max Gulde, co-founder & CEO of Constellr, whose team is launching a global thermal intelligence layer powered by microsatellites. Their goal: unlock new capabilities across agriculture, defense, urban planning, climate resilience, and beyond.

Max shares the unfiltered story behind Constellr’s rise - from ISS payload fiascos and 14 failed grant applications, to two successful satellite launches and major governmental partnerships. Along the way, he breaks down why thermal is the most underrated data source in Earth observation, and why accuracy (not just resolution) is the real game-changer.

We also dive into:

🌡️ Why temperature is the only continuous environmental variable - and why that unlocks “interpolated” EO data

🚀 How Constellr went from a Fraunhofer spin-off to a venture-backed space company

🔭 The difference between thermal sensing and traditional optical/radar data

🌍 Agriculture, defense, urban heat, industrial monitoring - and the markets thermal will reshape

🛰️ What’s coming next: 10+ satellites, meter-level thermal, and a queryable digital twin of the planet

Max’s stories are wild, insightful, and often hilarious - so don’t miss it.

Follow Max & Constellr:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-gulde-6563573/

https://www.constellr.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/constellr/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxe1n8xrOopkNKsDQqxVnUQ

https://www.instagram.com/constellr__/

Follow NewSpaceVision:

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast is sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

What goes up must come down - but in Europe, nothing comes back from space. That’s the problem Sebastian Klaus, co-founder & CEO of Atmos Space Cargo, set out to solve.

After a career that spanned aerospace engineering, special forces missions, and a commercial pilot’s license, Sebastian is now leading a team building reentry capsules with inflatable heat shields - a technology that sounds like sci-fi but is already flying.

Atmos aims to return anything from orbit: biomedicine experiments, 3D-printed tissues, semiconductors, quantum materials , even strategic supplies. With a successful first flight under their belt, they’re positioning themselves as Europe’s answer to Dragon and Starship, but with a lighter, modular approach.

In this episode, we cover:🛰️ Why Europe’s lack of reusable spacecraft is a strategic weakness🔥 How inflatable heat shields could reshape reentry tech🌍 Civil applications: biomedicine, semiconductors, materials made in orbit⚔️ Dual-use vision: from rapid relief to rapid defense💡 The future: daily launches, in-space industry, and orbital data centers

Make sure to follow Sebastian, Atmos, and NewSpaceVision:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-klaus-b7676853/

https://atmos-space-cargo.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/atmos-space-cargo/

https://www.instagram.com/atmosspacecargo/?hl=en

https://x.com/atmosspacecargo

Most satellites see the Earth in two dimensions. But what if we could measure not just the surface, but the height and volume of what covers it - forests, crops, even infrastructure? That’s the mission of KappaZeta, an Estonian startup building a 3D Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) constellation that could transform how we monitor our planet.

In this episode, we sit down with Martin Jüssi, Space Mission Manager at KappaZeta, who takes us on a journey from tinkering with map editors in video games to leading a groundbreaking space mission. We unpack how KappaZeta is turning Europe’s Sentinel-1 satellites into a new kind of forest-monitoring powerhouse, why 3D data is the missing piece for carbon markets, and how Estonia built one of the most dynamic space ecosystems in Europe.

We also dive into:

🌲 How 3D SAR can track forest biomass, carbon stock, and timber resources
🛰️ Why KappaZeta’s “passive satellites” are a cost-effective way to enhance Sentinel-1
⚡ The dual-use potential: from forestry and agriculture to defense and disaster response
🇪🇪 How Estonia went from Skype to space startups - and what’s next

Most VCs don’t grow up dreaming about corner offices. Bogdan Gogulan did - and he got one, or close enough. Starting as an analyst climbing the corporate finance ladder, Bogdan’s journey to becoming CEO of a space-focused venture capital firm is nothing short of impressive. In this episode , he opens up about how the space industry surprised him, why switching from back-office brilliance to front-line dealmaking meant more than just a career pivot, and how his roots in the defense world helped shape his investment philosophy.

Today, as CEO and managing partner at NewSpace Capital, Bogdan is one of the few investors playing squarely in space’s “valley of death” - the messy middle between early-stage promise and actual scale. We talk about why this growth stage is so brutal, how his team identifies the global category leaders worth betting on, and what it really takes for founders to make the leap from scrappy startup to international force. We also explore why space investment is no longer about “selling the dream,” why government contracts are useful but insufficient, and how exactly NewSpace Capital is quietly building an impressive portfolio of companies shaping the orbital economy.

Follow Bogdan & NewSpace Capital:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bogdan-gogulan/

https://www.newspace.capital

https://linkedin.com/company/newspace-capital

Follow NewSpaceVision:

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast is sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Check out what GLOBBLE looks like here: https://www.stellar.tc/pages/globble

The future of mobility isn’t just electric—it’s connected. And as autonomous and software-defined vehicles take over the roads, seamless connectivity will be as essential as the engines themselves. But how do you ensure perfect, uninterrupted internet for cars, trucks, and trains moving across vastly different terrains? Enter Stellar, the startup building a bridge between terrestrial and satellite networks to keep vehicles online—everywhere.

In this episode, we sit down with Damien Garot, CEO and co-founder of Stellar, who brings decades of experience from OneWeb, Eutelsat, and Thales Alenia Space (previously Alcatel). Damien breaks down why the car industry is now in an arms race for connectivity, how SpaceX's Starlink advantage is shaking up legacy automakers, and why space-based networks will be a game-changer for autonomous driving, fleet management, and beyond.

We also explore:

🚀 The real reason big telcos and automakers haven’t cracked vehicle connectivity yet

🌍 Why Europe’s automotive giants are at risk of falling behind—and how space tech can help

📡 How Stellar’s software stitches together 5G, Wi-Fi, and satellite into a seamless network

💡 The rise of software-defined cars and why connectivity is becoming a competitive edge

Damien doesn’t just talk theory—he’s building the infrastructure that will reshape the automotive industry from the ground up.

Follow Damien & Stellar: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dgarot/

https://x.com/damiengarot

https://www.stellar.tc/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/stellartc/

Follow NewSpaceVision:

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast is sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Building a space company is hard - but doing so at 21 is just another level. Shoaib Iqbal started Esper Satellite Imagery while still in college, and in just a few years, he’s built one of the most capital-efficient hyperspectral satellite companies out there.

In this episode, Shoaib joins us to share what it’s really like to start and scale a satellite business from scratch, talking about the surprising ways hyperspectral imaging is being used today and how Esper differentiates from competitors.

Similar to our last guests, he also touches on what happened when their first satellite failed, as well as why cost efficiency is the real game-changer in this field.

Follow Shoaib and Esper:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shoaib-esper

https://www.linkedin.com/company/esper-sats

https://www.espersatellites.co

Follow NewSpaceVision:

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast is sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Before SpaceX was SpaceX—before reusable rockets landed on drone ships or astronauts flew aboard privately built spacecraft—it was just an idea. And Hans Koenigsmann was there when that idea took shape.

Interviewed by Elon Musk in his living room and brought on as SpaceX’s fourth technical hire, Hans was a cornerstone of the team that turned an audacious dream into a company that now dominates the launch industry. From assembling avionics systems with a credit card budget to solving the mysteries of rocket anomalies, Hans’s fingerprints are all over the milestones that redefined space exploration.

In this episode, he takes us back to the scrappy, electric early days of SpaceX, where desks were doors and failures were inevitable—but never final. He shares how his German engineering roots collided with California’s startup chaos, the art of managing risk when lives and millions of dollars are on the line, and what it feels like to lead through moments of triumph and catastrophe.

We also dive into the future of space: how Starship could reshape the entire industry, why reusability isn’t just economical but essential, and where Europe fits into this rapidly shifting landscape.

Hans is candid, insightful, and brimming with hard-won wisdom—this is a conversation you’ll want to sit down for.

Follow Hans: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hans-koenigsmann-2a141b5/

https://www.instagram.com/hanskoenigsmann/

https://x.com/HansKoenigsmann

Follow NewSpaceVision:

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast is sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]