Today’s guest is Bill Perkins, a hedge fund manager, film producer, high-stakes poker player, and author of Die with Zero. If he wasn’t in those lines of work, Bill tells Ryan he’d be a farmer.

More importantly for our purposes, Bill is the founder of SkyFi. The startup doesn’t fly its own satellites, and is instead tackling what it sees as a software problem.

SkyFi is developing a clean, consumerized experience for buying satellite imagery through a web browser or smartphone app. Behind the scenes, SkyFi’s platform pulls from 70+ satellites and leverages partnerships with more than a dozen EO partners. The app is in beta, with a global launch slated for next year. The marketplace supports (or will support) high-res satellite imagery, night, hyperspectral, satellite video, SAR, and stereo. Prices start at $20 for an existing image and $175 for a new one.

This convo was a fun one that you won’t want to miss. Just don’t listen to this episode at 2X speed.

CHAPTERS

(02:39) Bill voted early

(05:17) Die with Zero

(08:12) Life as an energy trader, what types of data funds are buying to gain an investing edge, and how it all ties into the origin story of SkyFi

(15:02) Bill’s frustrations buying millions in satellite imagery—and the industry status quo in sales cycles, target customers, and user experience

(30:36) Is SkyFi a consumer-focused venture? Who will use the product? Why would anyone use it?

(33:20) Bringing on Luke Fischer and handing him the reins as CEO, raising venture money, and recruiting from non-traditional space backgrounds

(45:30) The pitch to partners and how SkyFi signs on satellite operators

(36:25) Putting satellite imagery, data, and analytics into the hands of the geniuses of the world will help us solve “intractable problems,” like pollution, deforestation, and illegal fishing

(50:04) Sci-fi, wakeboarding, aliens, and the answer to: “Why are you building an Android app?” (Editor’s note/trigger warning: Both Bill and Ryan use Androids.)

SHOW NOTES

SkyFi website: https://www.skyfi.com/

Bill's Twitter: https://twitter.com/bp22

SkyFi's socials: https://twitter.com/SkyfiApp | https://www.linkedin.com/company/skyfi-imaging/ | https://www.instagram.com/skyfi.app/

Die With Zero: https://www.diewithzerobook.com/welcome

Ryan's Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ryandoofy

Payload SkyFi coverage: https://payloadspace.com/exclusive-skyfi-raises-7-15m/ | https://payloadspace.com/skyfi-beta-app/

Apply to be a SkyFi beta tester: https://r66ka677lo0.typeform.com/to/n1mWYCjZ

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Why Bill Perkins Is Slinging Satellite Imagery

Valley of Depth