Show notes
One of the exciting parts of working with startup companies is working with founders who start with an idea, gather a group of like-minded, passionate individuals, and then make the vision come true. I am your host Kevin Blevins, and today I'm thrilled to welcome back to our show Aleksey Matyushev, co-founder and CEO of Natilus. Natilus is a company that produces autonomous cargo aircraft, aiming to revolutionize the global air freight business. Aleksey has participated in an earlier Siemens Pioneers podcast posted back in January of 2021, and now we've invited him back to discuss all the exciting changes at Natilus over the last two years.In this episode, he shares the company's remarkable journey over the past two years. We learn about their growth in personnel, the expansion of their physical facilities, and their progress in building a full-scale prototype. Aleksey also discusses the challenges they've faced, including the pilot shortage and supply chain issues, and how they've navigated through them. He highlights the importance of technology, efficient team structures, and partnerships with key suppliers in overcoming these challenges. The conversation also touches upon Natilus' plans, potential product expansions, and the significance of sustainability considerationsWhat You’ll Learn in this Episode:How the pandemic impacted the startup ecosystem (4:59)The recent Silicon Valley Bank collapse and its effect on startup funding (7:44)The concept of "Dry Powder" in the aviation industry (12:47)How long it takes to raise money for a startup and the funding process (17:34)Natilus' focus on developing cargo aircraft in the aviation market (19:16)Natilus' relocation from San Francisco to San Diego (28:52)Challenges faced by Natilus in the last two years, including supply chain issues (37:42)Advice from Aleksey to fellow entrepreneurs (52:09)Connect with Aleksey MatyushevLinkedInWebsiteConnect with Kevin BlevinsLinkedIn