How Building in Space Will Improve Life on Earth with Delian Asparouhov

August 11, 2022

AI Summary

5 min read

How Building in Space Will Improve Life on Earth

Delian Asparouhov, a principal at Founders Fund and co-founder of Varda Space Industries, joined The Startup Ideas Podcast to explain why the next frontier of industrial innovation isn't a new app or software platform—it's manufacturing in low Earth orbit. The conversation ranged from the necessity of in-person work for world-changing companies to the specific mechanics of building a space-based manufacturing business, with Asparouhov arguing that the same forces that made cloud computing cheap are now making space accessible.

The Case for In-Person Work

Asparouhov is blunt about remote work: "It's just insane that we ever pulled away from that reality." He argues that early-stage startups building something genuinely novel cannot afford to be distributed. The reason is not just about coordination but about the kind of innovation that happens when people are physically together. "There's a type of organic connections that just don't possibly happen if you're entirely remote," he said. "You can try to do Zoom happy hours, but it's just never quite the same."

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What you'll learn

1 (00:00) **Space as an Industrial Outpost** - Delian compares early space habitation to living on an oil rig, emphasizing the need for economic incentives to make it viable.
2 (04:41) **The Case for In-Person Work** - Delian argues that world-changing innovation requires intense, in-person collaboration, especially in early-stage startups.
3 (09:34) **Hiring on Merit vs. DEI** - Delian explains why early-stage startups must hire based on merit, not diversity metrics.
4 (15:20) **Geopolitical Threats: TikTok and China** - Delian discusses the national security risks of TikTok and China's long-term strategy.
5 (18:18) **Atlas Shrugged and the Relevance of Ayn Rand** - Delian recommends Atlas Shrugged for its allegorical relevance to modern debates.
6 (19:13) **Remote Work Makes Work Transactional** - Delian argues remote work kills serendipity and the "idea sex" needed for breakthrough innovation.
7 (23:37) **The "Working Hard" Debate** - A nuanced discussion on whether extreme hours are necessary for world-changing innovation.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Are you stuck creating on the couch? In today's episode, we explain how one small group can change the world, debate whether these people need to meet in real life, and Delian shares why he feels start-ups must hire based on merit. Hosts Sahil Bloom and Greg Isenberg are joined by guest Delian Asparouhov, principal at the Founders Fund and co-founder of Varda. Delian explains the secret to running a billion-dollar fund while simultaneously launching his first company, shares his take on where the venture world is headed and explains how China is taking control with TikTok.

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THIS EPISODE

Delian Asparouhov: https://twitter.com/zebulgar

Sahil Bloom: https://twitter.com/SahilBloom

Greg Isenberg: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg

Production & Marketing Team: https://penname.co/

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SHOW NOTES

00:00 Sneak Peek

01:11 Welcoming Delian<