Meet the SpaceFund Team
SpaceFund is a renaissance team of leaders in the space and financial worlds, who have come together to build something new. The SpaceFund team includes the founders of some of the most influential and successful companies, groups, and projects in the space and finance industries. Our advisors and partners buttress our foundation and leverage our capabilities. This is the right team to find, finance, and build the startups that will change the future. And more than that, we have the tools, the resources, the network, and the experience to guide those companies to profitable exits.
SpaceFund Executive Team
Rick Tumlinson
Founding Partner
A “godfather” of the space revolution, Rick Tumlinson has spent 30+ years defining, enabling and founding many of the pillars of the frontier movement, from the private takeover of Russia’s Mir space station, to the X-Prize, and the first private ticket to ISS. Six-time congressional witness, his prolific writings set the philosophies and legislative pillars of NewSpace itself.
Meagan Crawford
Managing Partner
As an entrepreneur, business educator, space industry pioneer, experienced executive, and investor, Meagan Crawford co-founded the world’s longest running space business plan competition, and has taught, coached, and advised hundreds of space startups through their earliest stages – including some of the current generation of successful companies.
SpaceFund Partners
David Johnston
Venture Partner
Co-founder of 7 tech startups before 30. A pioneer in decentralized applications, he co-founded the first crypto angel investor group and co-founded the first all-crypto venture fund. He is also the founder of Yeoman’s Capital, the world’s first all-crypto family office.
Roland Hicks
Venture Partner
Managing Director, SkyBridge Asset Management. Founding Member of the Silicon Valley Blockchain Society. Co-founder and advisor to several blockchain and world changing companies ranging from the web to real estate.
SpaceFund Team
Leo Womack
Investment Committee Chair
Leo is the CEO and founder of Ramsey Financial Group, a single family office, where he manages a diverse investment portfolio of public and private companies involved in real estate, oil/gas, medical devices, agriculture, and other industries. He has 30+ years of investment experience and is a co-founder of the Houston Angel Network.
Jaime Velasco
CFO
Jaime is a finance executive with international experience in companies ranging from $5 million in revenue to Fortune 100 companies. He has served as divisional CFO for Bank Santander (a 70,000+ employee international organization), helped raise seed and venture capital, and led a number of companies to successful exits.
Andrew Granatstein
Analyst
Space enthusiast, with a background in aerospace engineering, entrepreneurship, data analytics, and business development.
Rich Evans
Communications Director
Social media, science communication and PR expert with experience across the space industry, including corporate, non-profit, startup, and film projects.
SpaceFund Advisors
Olga Feldmeier
Senior Advisor
Founder of Smart Valor and christened as ‘Bitcoin Queen’ by the media, Olga is a visionary entrepreneur focused on the intersection of banking and blockchain technology.
E. David Ellington
Senior Advisor
Founder & GP of Emory Capital Group. Former Trustee of the $18B San Francisco Retirement Board. Founder of Silicon Valley Blockchain Society. Lawyer, entreprenuer, investor.
Gavin Gillas
Senior Advisor
Chief Partnership Officer at Yeoman’s Capital. Experienced tech CEO and entrepreneur with a history of success in IP-driven, high-tech companies. Experienced startup mentor and investor.
Amit Pradhan
Senior Advisor
President of Silicon Valley Blockchain Society. Executive Chairman of Zero Labs, and GP at JetVentures. Creator, investor & speaker focused on the future of responsible AI & decentralization.
Grant Bonin
Senior Advisor
Chief engineer, payload systems at RocketLab. Former mission manager of the world-renowned SpaceFlight Laboratory with over 20 spacecraft in orbit.
Dr. James Logan
Senior Advisor
20 years as NASA Chief of Flight Medicine and Medical Operations. Mission Control Surgeon, Deputy Crew Surgeon or Crew Surgeon for 25 space shuttle missions.
Dr. John Mankins
Senior Advisor
Former head of NASA’s Exploration Systems Research and Technology Division. Creator of today’s aerospace global standard TRL System (Technology Readiness Level).
Jonas Norr
Senior Advisor
Investing in early stage ventures for 15 years, Jonas has been the Founder or a C-level exec to 5 companies, 2 of which made public offerings. Sectors included: renewable energy, biotech, education, media, and real assets.
Ken Sunshine
Senior Advisor
CFO and investor in several technology firms. Extensive experience in capital markets, IPOs, M&A, contracting, and the financial, regulatory, and legal matters unique to space companies.
Dustin Boyer
Senior Advisor
Commercialization Manager and Strategic Analysis in support of DARPA SBIR/STTR Programs. Director, Zukin Partners and an investor with more than 12 years experience working with high tech and space companies.
Shawn Usman
Senior Advisor
Founder of Rhea Space Activity. Astrophysicist with over a decade of federal service in developing high-risk/high-reward R&D efforts to support U.S. intelligence community reconnaissance operations.
Ethan Pierse
Senior Advisor
Director at The CryptoAssets Institute, Founder of Borderless Ventures, Former Managing Partner, Nest Venture Capital. Serial entrepreneur in digital and ecommerce in the US and Western Europe.
Irina Litchfield
Senior Advisor
Founder, Blockchain Cubed. Speaker, author, and community leader. Angel investor. Global Blockchain ambassador. Inventor of Linguistic Messaging Optimizer tool.
Paul McDonnell
Senior Advisor
Former Technical Director at a FTSE 250 company and founder of several startups in the fields of space education, retail and artificial intelligence.
Ivan Rosenberg
Senior Advisor
Managing Partner Invista Inc. Co-Founder of The Aerospace & Defense Forum. Founder of Uniquely Abled Project. 30+ years experience in executive management and organizational excellence
Sheik Mohammed Irfan
Senior Advisor
Serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, author, blockchain strategist. He also manages a blockchain-focused global venture fund Bloccelerate VC
