Conversations at the long frontier of technologies shaping the future of human civilization.
Brannon and Abe open the series with the final frontier itself — space. Most people think about launch and SpaceX and what's going up. But space is the backbone of so much of today's world and economy: communications, Earth observation, GPS, defense — already $600B+ and barely started. The interesting story isn't what's going up. It's what happens once you're up there. Joined by Jeff Thornburg, CEO of Portal Space Systems and former architect of SpaceX's Raptor engine.
The next frontier is in post-production. Subscribe on YouTube or join the AlleyCorp Deep Tech newsletter to be first to hear when it drops.
Principal at AlleyCorp. Formerly Lead Manufacturing, Automation, and Integration Engineer at SpaceX — working on Falcon 9 propulsion and the Starship Raptor engine. Princeton MAE, Harvard MBA. Invests at the frontier of robotics, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing.
General Partner at AlleyCorp. Twenty years of engineering across Alphabet — launched Play Books on Android, built Verily Life Sciences' product org, and established the Google Research product management function. Writes sci-fi → sci-fact.
We'd love to hear about your work. Reach out to discuss partnerships, funding, or simply to share your frontier story.
Deep dives into the technologies reshaping civilization
With Jeff Thornburg, CEO of Portal Space Systems. Why chemical propulsion has hit its ceiling, and why a different approach could reset the equation for the orbital economy.
In post-production. Subscribe on YouTube or join the newsletter to hear it first.
Dispatches from the Frontier
Brannon and Abe launch the show with a first-principles look at the orbital economy and in-space propulsion, featuring Jeff Thornburg of Portal Space Systems.
Read on Substack →Recapping the inaugural DTNY summit with 400+ attendees, Abe's panel at Manifest 2026, plus NVIDIA's Dream Zero robot foundation model and Waymo's new world model.
Read on Substack →Featuring keynote speaker Pablos Holman — hacker, inventor, and expert in advanced energy, AI, robotics, manufacturing and deep tech.
Read on Substack →Subscriber-access tickets for DTNY 2026 plus newly confirmed speakers joining the Newlab summit lineup.
Read on Substack →Unveiling the first set of speakers for the Deep Tech New York conference, shaping the trajectory of technology for the next half century.
Read on Substack →Nuclear milestones from the DOE Pilot Program, advanced reactor deployments, portfolio momentum, and a teaser of the Rule of 50.
Read on Substack →Announcing the inaugural Deep Tech New York summit at Brooklyn's Newlab — bringing together founders, researchers, and investors at the frontier.
Read on Substack →Firmware to fusion — the deep tech swell begins to surge. Valar Atomics selected by DOE to achieve criticality on U.S. soil by July 4, 2026.
Read on Substack →How AI is rewriting the development process for mission-critical automation — and why the line between software and hardware is dissolving.
Read on Substack →End-of-summer check-in on the deep tech portfolio, what's coming out of the lab, and where the next wave is forming.
Read on Substack →Reindustrialize, radical AI, and ecosystem building — the monthly dispatch on space, energy, robotics, and frontier technology investments.
Read on Substack →Why science is a strong-link problem, and why the PhD pipeline is what gets us out of stagnation.
Read on Substack →Understanding The Long Frontier
The Long Frontier is about finding the people who are making it happen, hearing their stories, digging into the history of how we got here, and putting some context around it. Each conversation goes deep on a single frontier — aerospace, energy, manufacturing, robotics, biotech — with the builders, investors, researchers, and engineers doing the work.
Our audience is the builders. The investors, researchers, scientists, the curious people, the kids dreaming these dreams. If you've ever looked at what's coming and thought I want to help build that — you're our people.
Brannon invests in early-stage robotics, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing at AlleyCorp. He spent his pre-investing career at SpaceX as Lead Manufacturing, Automation, and Integration Engineer — working on the propulsive systems behind the Falcon 9 reusable launch vehicle and the Starship Raptor engine, and commissioning a multi-million-dollar robotic factory line. Earlier, he earned his degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton (where he played Division-1 football and won two Ivy League championships, and built an air-hockey-playing robot as his senior thesis), and his MBA at Harvard Business School. He was born in California, but Denver is home.
Abe leads robotics investments and incubation at AlleyCorp, with two decades of engineering and product leadership behind him. At Alphabet he launched Google Play Books and Magazines on Android, built the Verily Life Sciences product organization and its Boston office, shipped multiple AI/ML and computer-vision products, and established the product management function at Google Research. Earlier he founded a Web 2.0 startup and contributed to unmanned aerial vehicle work in defense — and before any of that, he dropped out of high school to run fishing boats and factories in the family aquaculture business. He holds a BS in Computer Engineering from the University of Rhode Island, an MS in Electrical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic, and an MBA from Harvard. He writes about deep tech at sci-fi → sci-fact.
Each episode of The Long Frontier is a self-contained deep dive into a specific deep tech domain. Episodes alternate between Brannon and Abe as hosts, with each bringing their unique expertise and perspective. We typically feature one or two guests—founders, researchers, or industry experts—who can offer insight into the current state and future of their field.
Episodes are designed to be technical but accessible. Whether you're an engineer, investor, entrepreneur, or simply curious about the future, you'll find something valuable in our conversations.
AlleyCorp is a deep tech investment firm focused on backing founders building the foundational infrastructure of the future. We invest across space, energy, robotics, biotechnology, and frontier materials. The Long Frontier is our platform for engaging with the broader deep tech community, sharing knowledge, and celebrating the work being done to reshape civilization.
We'd love to hear from you
If you're founding or working on a deep tech company, we'd love to hear about your work. Whether you're looking to discuss funding, partnership opportunities, or simply want to share your story on the podcast, reach out.
Founders: thelongfrontier@alleycorp.com
Questions about the podcast, sponsorship opportunities, or media inquiries? We're here to help.
Email: thelongfrontier@alleycorp.com
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