In this episode of Lobster Talks, Gabriel dives deep into the groundbreaking Y Combinator Winter 2025 Demo Day. Discover how the latest YC batch shattered revenue records, including a startup already pulling in $50 million in profits and another hitting $2 million in revenue at demo day. They discuss why the quality bar is rising, the explosion of AI-powered startups, and whether the AI wave has peaked or is just getting started. Plus, get insights on what metrics truly matter beyond vanity revenue, navigating technical debt in the era of AI-generated code, and the strategic decisions founders face regarding fundraising and acquisitions. Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at the future of startup investing.

00:00 - 00:50 Intro

00:50 - 01:23 What's StarCloud?

1:23 - 02:05 Why GPUs in Space?

02:05 - 03:35 Abundant Energy

03:35 - 05:50 Why No One Did It Before

05:50 - 07:30 Starship Economics

07:30 - 08:50 Philip’s Background

08:50 - 10:00 Can Anyone Start a Space Company?

10:00 - 12:30 Building in Space

12:30 - 13:20 Does Space Solar Affect Earth?

13:20 - 17:00 Raising an $11M Seed Round

17:00 - 19:00 Spending Habits

19:00 - 20:00 Hiring at StarCloud

20:00 - 21:00 Relocating

21:00 - 24:15 Hard vs. Easy Startups

24:15 - 25:35 Skepticism & Critics

25:35 - 27:00 The Rebrand

27:00 - 29:25 Next Steps

29:25 - 30:25 Book Recommendations

30:25 - 30:56 Closing Thought

In this episode of The Lobster Talks, we sit down with Philip Johnston, Founder & CEO of Starcloud (formerly Lumen Orbit). He’s on a groundbreaking mission to build massive GPU data centers in outer space—tapping into abundant solar energy, sidestepping Earth’s power constraints, and completely rethinking what’s possible for cloud computing.

Listen in as we explore:

• How Starcloud plans to harness orbital launch cost drops (thanks, Starship!)

• Why running GPUs in space could transform data processing

• The challenges and breakthroughs of launching a next-gen satellite

• Raising a massive seed round—oversubscribed by top VCs

If you’re curious about the frontier of hardware, AI, and space tech, don’t miss this deep dive into the future of data centers… in orbit!

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Join us on the Lobster Talks Podcast as host Gabrielle sits down with Michel Tricot, co-founder and CEO of Airbyte—the open-source data integration platform that skyrocketed to a billion-dollar valuation in record time. Michel reveals Airbyte’s origin story (including scrapping their first product in the midst of COVID), how they built a thriving open-source community, and their unique approach to monetization. Get ready for insights on scaling without burning cash, harnessing AI to automate the mundane, and the power of “making something people need. ” Don’t miss this episode if you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or tech enthusiast looking to understand Airbyte’s meteoric rise and the future of data infrastructure!