From (almost) Homeless to $1B in LOIs: Building Space Hardware with $2
- S2E41
- 37:16
- April 25th 2025
In this episode of Lobster Talks, I sit down with Ashi and Reza, the unstoppable founders of Spaceium—a YC-backed startup building orbital gas stations. 🚀
They share the raw and incredible story of how they went from nearly homeless right before YC to raising $6.3M, signing $86.5M in commercial contracts, and securing $1B+ in LOIs—all before launching their first mission to space.
We cover:
How they pitched an insanely hard idea and actually built it
The truth about LOIs and how they converted them into binding contracts
YC’s impact on hardware companies
How they managed product, sales, and investor traction simultaneously—while not sleeping 🧠💥
Whether you're a founder, investor, or just obsessed with space, this episode is a masterclass in grit, hardtech, and startup survival.
00:00 Introduction to Spaceium
00:25 Meet the Founders: Ashi and Reza
00:44 Spaceium's Revolutionary Space Stations
01:56 Challenges and Innovations in Space Refueling
04:02 The Dual Mission: Refueling and Repairing
05:13 Competing with SpaceX?
06:24 From Homeless to YC Success
08:59 The Power of LOIs and Contracts
11:42 The YC Experience and Building Hardware
20:00 Building Hardware in the US
20:45 Managing Customer Expectations
22:40 From LOIs to Binding Contracts
24:06 Setting Timelines for Startups
26:38 Pricing Strategies for Unbuilt Products
29:11 Upcoming Missions and Exciting Developments
30:58 Challenges and Rewards of Building Hard Tech
32:55 Book Recommendations and Final Thoughts
36:21 Where to Follow and Contact Us
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