TechCrunch Daily Crunch This founder helped build SpaceX’s most powerful rocket engine. Now he’s building a ‘fighter jet for orbit’
Apr 10, 2026
A deep dive into a founder who helped build SpaceX’s most powerful rocket engine and is now developing a nimble ‘fighter jet for orbit’. Coverage of a $95M fund backing fintech and future-of-work startups. A pilot where autonomous vehicles share pothole data with mapping apps for safer streets.
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Collide Capital Raises $95M Fund For Early Stage Deals
- Collide Capital closed a $95 million fund to back early-stage fintech, supply chain, and future-of-work startups.
- Founders Brian Hollins and Aaron Samuels previously raised $66 million in 2022 and plan $1M–$3M average checks across ~30 companies.
Waymo Shares Pothole Data With Cities And Waze
- Waymo and Waze launched a pilot to share pothole data from robo-taxis with cities and Waze users in five initial markets.
- The program covers Austin, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and the Bay Area where Waymo already found about 500 potholes.
Founder Reused Government Research To Build Portal
- Jeff Thornburg moved a government research concept into commercial work after helping turn a government project into SpaceX's most powerful engine.
- At Portal Space Systems he revived NASA's solar thermal propulsion idea and aims to deploy high-powered orbital propulsion within two years.