When Jamie Gull graduated from Stanford University in 2007 with a master’s degree in aeronautics, there was a place he wanted to go after: the desert.
The Mojave Desert is specific. A company called Scaled Composites had spent years by developing experimental aircraft out on this barren land, and Gull wanted inside.
He could try to get a more traditional aerospace job, but Gull was worried he would “work for five years in a latch”-a common joke for these biggest, slow companies. But in gradual complex materials? “I knew I was going to build something and do it quickly and be a college graduate who would have a real effect,” he said.
Two years later, Gull jumped to SpaceX, where he helped make Falcon 9 Rocket reusable – an important milestone in the company’s company history and the foundation on which he has created an extremely valuable business.
Now Gull is preparing for a new challenge: Starting an early stage technology fund called Ventures of Wave Mode. Just last week, the first $ 15.1 million Wave fund was closed and has already begun.
Gull has made nine investments in newly established companies covering industries such as nuclear power (deep fission), humanoid robotic (Persona AI) and, of course, aerospace (aircraft industries). He told TechCrunch that he expects to make about 25 seed or precursor investments from this fund. (Gull refused to name Anchor LP and said that the rest of the fund was filled by high nets, with support from other chapters and “large family offices”).
The appearance of Wave’s operation comes at a time when deep technological funding is increasing, partly enhanced by increased attention in fields such as aerospace and defense. It is enough for a trend earlier this year, a new Deep Tech fund based in Silicon Valley called Leitmotif has broke $ 300 million in funds from the Volkswagen group, part of an offer to lift newly established companies and construction in the United States.
TechCrunch event
Francisco
|
27-29 October 2025
It is the kind of environment that looks mature for someone with a background like the gull – and not just his past as a successful aerospace engineer.
Close to the end of his time at SpaceX in 2016, Gull launched Angel Investing, betting on companies such as Boom Surpersonic, K2 Space and Varda. He also founded the electric vertical conquest and landing (EVTOL) Talyn Air as part of Y C Combinator’s Winter 2020 lot and became a partner at the YC Pioneer Fund he still holds. (Talyn was acquired In 2023 by another company Evtol, Ampaire.)
Gull wants to put all this varied experience – to make rapid prototypes by setting up a start, angel investment – for use in Wave mode.
“I can really take advantage of it to help all my founders go through these early stages when things are like the most uncertain and then help them build their companies,” he said.
Gull also believes that Deep Tech is going to be a place for great returns in the next 10 to 20 years. The newly established companies in this area may require more funds ahead, they have said, but they can utilize non -influence funding (such as government contracts or lending supported by assets) on scale and establish a more stable trench from software companies.
The transition to these great returns will take time and the seagull is fine with it. While began his career as a willing builder, he also knows the value of patience.
When it was in gradual complexes 15 years ago, one of the works it worked was Stratolaunch, the largest plane in the world at that time. It was such a complex aircraft that remained in growth long after Gull moved to SpaceX and beyond.
It was not until 2019, when Gull and co-founder Talyn Evan Mucasey were planning to head to a “fly-in” (think: show car but for cool planes) at Mojave Airport that he got a suggestion that he could see the giant plane flight.
“I called a friend and said,“ What time should we be there for the plane broadcast? “And he said, ‘6 AM’ I was like, it doesn’t make sense, “Galla said.
Sure, as Gull and Mucasey approached the airport, there was a Stratolaunch, was parked on the runway and prepared for a flight. They landed and, per Gull’s memory, Stratolaunch took 15 minutes later.
“I think it was almost 10 years after working on a computer screen,” Gull said. “It was wild.”
