Intergalactic’s McCann is Disrupting the Aerospace Value Chain
I had the pleasure of interviewing Brian McCann, CEO of Intergalactic, maker of advanced thermal management systems for the defense aerospace, civil aviation, and space sectors. Brian has spent most of his career in the aerospace industry, most notably as a senior executive at RAM Aviation, Space & Defense, the company his grandparents founded in St. George, Utah nearly five decades ago.
Thank you so much for joining us!
What motivated you to launch your startup?
Every startup is an attempt at taking advantage of a window of opportunity. In the space and sky sectors, that window hasn’t been so wide open since the original Space Race of the 1960s. For the first time in decades, the defense aerospace, commercial aviation, and space sectors are all experiencing incredible pressure to innovate. This innovation imperative brings the promise of better counter-nuclear defenses, flying taxis in metropolitan areas, permanent bases on the moon and Mars, and much more. None of these amazing possibilities will come true unless we deal with the constraining problem of heat. We’re building Intergalactic with a tight focus on removing heat barriers in space and sky.
What is it that excites you about what you’re building?
What we’re doing is very hard, and that’s what makes it rewarding and exciting. Silicon Valley is littered with failed hardware and software startups. Our systems are integrated hardware-software machines, and they have the huge responsibility of regulating temperature in the most extreme conditions we know of. When we achieve a breakthrough, like our systems passing flight qualification or going on a new program, it’s incredibly satisfying. In addition, we’re building key technologies in a massive, emerging value chain. I really think the space economy will be the next internet-level market opportunity, and we’re still in the early innings of its development.
What has been your biggest challenge when growing your startup?
There’s a reason the aerospace value chain hasn’t seen real innovation in a half-century. It’s really hard. There are sticky technical challenges everywhere. We also face resource tradeoffs at every turn. Developing qualified aerospace-grade hardware is extremely resource-intensive, which is a major deterrent to innovation. For those who choose to innovate, however, the rewards are tremendous.
What are your future plans for your startup?
We have big ambitions. We don’t just want to be a relevant aerospace supplier. We want to own the thermal management layer of the emerging space and sky value chain. We want to define the technology and product standards for the next generation of mind-blowing innovations in aviation and space exploration. To do this, we have to bring the best aspects of aerospace and blend them with transferable ideas from elsewhere: growth models from Silicon Valley, operating models from highly regulated industries that still manage to innovate and move fast. Down the road, we want to be the reason some innovation-averse legacy thermal management companies divest. We want all their lunch money.
If you had to share, “words of wisdom,” with a Founder who’s about to start their own startup, what would they be?
It’s cliche, but surround yourself with great people. Talent is the differentiator in every industry, regardless of market idiosyncrasies. Great people magnify the efforts of the whole company and drive things forward.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
You can follow Intergalactic on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/18066375/admin/ and on Twitter at @intergalactichx.
This was very insightful. Thank you so much for joining us!
