About Will
Will Bruey's path to founding Earth's first commercial space factory began in mission control. As a SpaceX hardware engineer, he led eight Dragon missions to the International Space Station, learning firsthand the complexities of sending cargo to space and bringing it back. After a stint in finance as Director of Global Equities Tech at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, he connected with Delian Asparouhov from Founders Fund. The pitch was simple: reusable rockets had made space accessible, now it was time to manufacture there. Will's response? "The easiest yes I've ever given."
About Varda
Founded in November 2020, Varda Space is revolutionizing manufacturing by taking it off-planet. Their thesis is remarkably straightforward: microgravity enables the creation of materials impossible to make on Earth, and pharmaceuticals—the most expensive chemicals per kilogram—are the perfect starting point. In less than three years, they've designed, built, and landed the world's first commercial space factory. They're one of only three companies globally with commercial reentry vehicles, alongside SpaceX and Boeing. The difference? Varda's capsule, unburdened by human rating requirements, can do it cheaper and more frequently than anyone else.
Key Takeaways
The Power of Simple Theses: Varda's entire business is built on a clear first principle - microgravity is a unique manufacturing environment now accessible through reusable rockets. "Most startups fail trying to do more than the bare minimum to hit their thesis," Will explains. By focusing solely on this core insight, they've moved faster than anyone thought possible.
Building Dual-Use from Day One: What started as a quest for pharmaceutical manufacturing accidentally became America's first commercial hypersonic test platform. When sharing aerodynamic data with the Air Force Research Lab, they discovered they were both building similar capabilities. AFRL became a customer, demonstrating how commercial innovation can serve both private and public sectors.
Speed Through Simplicity: Rather than treating their spacecraft like traditional satellites (capital investments), Varda approaches them like shipping trucks (operational expenses). This mindset shift enables rapid iteration and scaling. They've already booked spots on every SpaceX rideshare mission through 2026.
The Regulatory Innovation Challenge: Even with government contracts, Varda faced an eight-month delay bringing their first capsule home. The lesson? When you're doing something truly new, sometimes you have to help write the rulebook. They're now working to establish clear frameworks for future commercial reentry vehicles.
Think Big, Start Small: While Varda's long-term vision includes large-scale space manufacturing, they're starting with pharmaceutical molecules. By targeting high-value, low-mass products first, they can prove their model while building toward bigger ambitions. Their metric for success? "If you can see more than one shooting star of a capsule come in per night."
For more about Varda: varda.com
For more about Will: LinkedIn | X
For more Crossing the Valley:
Want to join the team? They're hiring! jobs@varda.com
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