What connects high-thrust rocket propulsion with zero-emission industrial heat? On Episode 12 of the Throttle Up podcast, host Justin Starbird sits down with Franck Lahaye, Co-Founder and COO of Airthium, and Sascha Deri, Founder and CEO of bluShift Aerospace, to explore how hard-tech innovators navigate pivot points and scale breakthrough hardware.

Franck shares Airthium’s ambitious mission to tackle roughly 20% of global CO2 emissions by replacing fossil fuel boilers with high-efficiency, high-temperature heat pumps delivered through a zero-upfront-cost "Heat-as-a-Service" model.

Meanwhile, Sascha highlights bluShift’s strategic transition toward commercializing bio-derived hybrid rocket engines for hypersonic testing and suborbital payloads, proving that adaptability is a founder's strongest asset.

Together, they unpack real-world lessons from the hardware trenches: maintaining engineering agility, knowing when to pivot when physical reality challenges early assumptions, and leading lean, cross-functional teams toward commercial readiness.

They also discuss their community-driven growth via Wefunder equity crowdfunding and announce an upcoming joint live webinar on November 12th.

Tune in for a candid look at the grit, economics, and engineering required to build physical technology that changes industries!

Why does developing a rocket engine typically cost hundreds of millions of dollars, and how can smart engineering choices fundamentally alter those economics?

In this episode of Throttle Up, host Justin Starbird sits down with Sascha Deri, founder and CEO of bluShift Aerospace, live from the test site to break down the real financial and operational realities of rocket propulsion.

Sascha explains why bluShift opted for hybrid rocket technology, how non-toxic, bio-derived fuel eliminates massive safety and regulatory overhead, and why lower development costs don't mean sacrificing commercial performance.

They also dive into bluShift’s addition of a 15-inch motor platform designed for rapid test iteration, and explore how bluShift plans to disrupt the current global shortage of solid rocket motors in aerospace and defense!

Make sure to like, subscribe, and follow bluShift on all of our socials for more behind-the-scenes engineering updates from bluShift Aerospace!

What if we could fix the housing shortage and clean up waste plastic at the same time? On this episode of Throttle Up, host Justin Starbird sits down with Matt Pouliot, co-founder and CEO of ATLAS, following their showcase at bluShift's rocket engine test, to talk about how his team is turning unwashed waste plastic and fiberglass into structural building materials.

Matt shares how his background in construction and Maine politics led him to large-format 3D printing. Instead of waiting days for concrete to cure or dealing with rotten wood, ATLAS pre-engineers structural components, from footings to full bridge kits, that snap together on site like Lego blocks.

They dive into the realities of scaling physical hard tech, why dirty plastic recycling is a game-changer for water conservation, and how building a local manufacturing ecosystem in Maine helps tackle real-world problems that software alone can't fix.