Jeffrey Donenfeld
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Space Economy: Colorado’s Role As A SpaceTech Leader with Cody Moore of Caruso Ventures
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This week I attended the Colorado Space Economy talk, monderated by Brad Bernthal of Silicon Flatirons. Via Denver Startup Week: “Starting with an overview of how universities, government initiatives, and public sector partnerships bolster Colorado’s position in the space economy, this session features insights from founders about the state’s emerging leadership in SpaceTech. It explores…
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Touring Ursa Major’s Rocket Factory with CEO Joe Laurienti
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This week, I toured Ursa Major’s headquarters in Berthoud, Colorado, guided by CEO Joe Laurienti. The visit offered insights into their cutting-edge rocket engine production, including 3D printing technologies and the impressive Ripley engine, known for its high-pressure kerosene fuel system. Discussions covered the facility’s history, rapid prototyping capabilities, and future developments in hypersonics and…
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Discussing the SpaceX Starship IFT4 Test Flight with Mach33 Financial Group
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This morning, Aaron Burnett and the Mach33 Financial Group team hosted an engaging live audio chat following the thrilling SpaceX Starship IFT4 test flight. We covered numerous topics, including flap heating, roll control thrusters, and increased stringers for rigidity. We discussed the experimental nature of Starship, its impacts on the industry, and the utility of…
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Supply Chain Issues and Challenges: Perspectives from Aerospace Suppliers and Purchasers – Panel Discussion Notes
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I recently attended the “Supply Chain Issues and Challenges: Perspectives from Aerospace Suppliers and Purchasers” panel discussion, organized and hosted by Holland & Hart, and co-sponsored by NDIA, VCFO, and CSBR. This panel provided valuable insights into the complexities and dynamic opportunities within the aerospace and defense industries. The distinguished panelists included Carter Freeman, Vice…
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Leading the U.S. Dept. of State International Visitor Leadership Program Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Training
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Last week I led 16 international business leaders in the IVLP Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Training seminar at the Posner Center for International Development. The seminar, hosted by World Denver on May 23, 2024, covered the roles of government, private enterprises, professional organizations, and universities in fostering entrepreneurship. Participants explored how innovations are adopted across…
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Before getting off the ground, consider why smart real estate decisions matter in the Aerospace industry
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Securing real estate is a critical factor for supporting operations in the aerospace and defense industry, and its importance can be examined through several key dimensions: strategic location, operational security, scalability, and long-term investment. Firstly, strategic location plays a vital role in the success of aerospace and defense companies. Real estate situated near essential infrastructure…
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Exploring New Frontiers : Building and Investing in Spacetech
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The Boulder Startup Week Space Panel highlighted Boulder’s thriving aerospace ecosystem, emphasizing its advantages like access to talent, key institutions, and quality of life. Panelists discussed funding challenges, noting the scarcity of local aerospace-focused venture capital, with most funding coming from outside Colorado. They also emphasized the critical need for improved space infrastructure and logistics,…
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Infographics: The 5 most popular rocket engines in use today
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Note – this post is part of a series of posts generated almost entirely using generative AI, including ChatGPT4, DALL·E 2, and other tools. It’s an experiment in understanding how AI tools work, while having a bit of fun. None of the information here is doublechecked for accuracy, and in many cases it’s complete nonsense.…
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Spacecraft Power System Development Startup Amplified Space Pitches at Angel Capital Summit
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This week, spacecraft power system development startup Amplified Space‘s CEO Jerome Hittle pitched the company at the Rockies Venture Club Angel Capital Summit, as part of the Rockies Space Fund Aerospace Track. I’ve been working with Jerome and the team as a mentor and coach for the last couple of weeks, and was proud that…
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Rockies Space Fund Aerospace Panel Notes – Rockies Venture Club Angel Capital Summit
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The blog post discusses a panel on aerospace investing at the Rockies Venture Club Angel Capital Summit, focusing on the shift towards more commercial opportunities in aerospace, despite traditional perceptions of it being government-centric. Experts highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships, debunked misconceptions deterring investment, and emphasized the role of non-dilutive funding like SBIR. They…
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Starship IFT3 Lifts Off
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SpaceX’s latest Starship test marked another significant stride, despite not meeting all objectives. The launch showcased improvements with all 33 Raptor engines maintaining function, a successful stage separation, and the booster executing a flip maneuver. However, the booster’s landing ended explosively over the Gulf of Mexico. The second stage reached orbital speeds and performed a…
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Visiting the Baikonur Cosmodrome with Roscosmos
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Thanks to management at Roscosmos for providing incredibly access to me and team to the facilities at Baikonur Cosmodrome, and for hosting us during our short stay in June, 2019. The Legacy of Baikonur Cosmodrome: Gateway to the Cosmos At the heart of human space exploration lies the Baikonur Cosmodrome, a place of both historical…
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The NASA Handheld Universal Lunar Camera (HULC) will be a modded Nikon Z9
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NASA has partnered with Nikon to create the “Handheld Universal Lunar Camera” (HULC) for moon missions, based on the Nikon Z9. This mirrorless camera, with a possibly updated sensor, will withstand moon’s radiation. It’s a nod to Apollo’s Hasselblad cameras, which captured the groundbreaking lunar imagery of 1969.
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Teaching the IREX Young Leaders of the Americas VC Funding Seminar
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Today I served as the principal VC educator for a seminar with Blue Mesa Ventures, guiding 120 Central and South American entrepreneurs. The seminar, part of a U.S. Department of State-funded IREX fellowship, covered U.S. venture positioning, engagement strategies with VC firms, typical investor inquiries, and business differentiation.
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Why I Fly – Ignite Denver 39
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At Ignite Denver 39, a speaker shared insights into solo flying single-engine aircraft, emphasizing unexpected reasons behind this choice. The fast-paced presentation involved a 5-minute slot, 20 automatically advancing slides, and gratitude expressed to the production team and fellow speakers.
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LG NOVA Webinar Series: Innovation 2023 – Digital Health
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At a healthcare innovation session, experts Singh and Sabo from LG Nova Digital Health discussed challenges and opportunities in digital health, including interoperability, privacy, and infrastructure. They explored AI’s role in streamlining patient care, such as through elective surgery backlog reduction, robotic surgery, and operations management. The webinar emphasized using digital advancements to improve care…
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Teaching the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative Startup Investor Pitch Workshop
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Today, I led a Startup Investor Pitch Workshop for the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative alongside entrepreneurs Don Novak and Danny Effron. During a three-hour session, we coached 12 entrepreneurs from the Americas on their pitches, covering topics like storytelling, value proposition, and handling rejection. The workshop included interactive individual and group sessions, culminating…
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Judging the Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative Fellowship Program Eastern European Startup Pitches
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This week I served as a lead judge at the US State Department’s YTILI Fellowship Program Eastern European startup pitch event. I observed impressive pitches by entrepreneurs from 36 countries. The program provides intensive entrepreneurship and leadership training. Ukrainian startup Uff, led by Alona Prenkovska, won, advancing to the next round in Washington DC. Supporting…
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NextUp Ventures Demo Day – A fresh batch of SportsTech Investments…
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Thanks to NextUp Ventures for an engaging demo day, full of interesting pitches from emerging SportsTech Startups! A few topics covered on today’s demo day included: Athletic Turf technologies Sustainable football gear Off-field athelete/creator fund monitization Name & Likeness management and optimization Looking forward to more solid investments from the NextUp Team. How does AI feel…
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Exploring Generative AI with ChatGPT and Bard…
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As humans, I believe we’re now at the dawn of a new revolution in technology, information, understanding, and inteligence with the rise of Generative Artificial Intelligences that are becoming good enough for true productivity. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be taking a dive into Generative AI, and exploring the possitilbiites of using it for…
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Walking Kuwait City
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For two nights and a single day, Justin and I walked Kuwait City, Kuwait, Saw lots, met up with a friend, ate burgers.
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Private Pilot
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I got my private pilots license (PPL) flying a Cessna 172S. I primarily trained with Aspen Flying Club at Centennial Airport (KAPA), in addition to a number of training flights originating from Western Air Flight Academy at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport KBJC. My solo cross country training flights were from Centennial KAPA down to Pueblo…
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The Acid Lounge – Ongoing Playlist
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Dance, groove, travel, work, repeat. The master playlist for The Acid Lounge. Music on this playlist reflect scope and vibe of The Acid Lounge, spanning genres and moods. While lots of tracks that appeared on “classic” Acid Lounge radio broadcasts on Radio1190 KVCU are on the list, those classic playlists have not been comprehensively collected…
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Teaching Global Innovation Catalyst’s iX Online October Program Fundraising and Ownership Workshop
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Recently, I was honored to teach the Global Innovation Catalyst’s iX Online October 2021 Program Fundraising and Ownership Workshop for a great group of global entrepreneurs: Webinar 11: Fundraising and Ownership | GIC iX Online October 2021 Program – January 13, 2022 The Global Innovation Catalyst (GIC) Innovation Execution (iX) Program takes participants through the…