Robinhood Founder’s Energy Venture: A Revolution?
- Baiju Bhatt, who stepped down as Chief Creative Officer at Robinhood last year, has launched a space company called Aetherflux, aiming to revolutionize renewable energy and national defense.
- Bhatt said Wednesday that he wants to transition Aetherflux from an "aspiring space company" to a "space company" quickly.
- Conventional concepts for space solar power have involved massive geostationary satellites using microwave transmission.
Baiju Bhatt, the co-founder of Robinhood, is boldly venturing into the space industry with Aetherflux, a company poised to redefine renewable energy. This innovative initiative aims to capture solar power in space and beam it to Earth using fiber lasers, possibly revolutionizing both national defence and energy distribution. Aetherflux has already secured notable funding as it prepares to launch a demonstration satellite next year, with the department of Defense already onboard. News Directory 3 is keeping a close watch on this groundbreaking project. Could this be the future of energy? Discover what’s next in the world of space exploration.
Robinhood Co-Founder Aims to Beam Solar Power From Space With Aetherflux
Updated June 20, 2025
Baiju Bhatt, who stepped down as Chief Creative Officer at Robinhood last year, has launched a space company called Aetherflux, aiming to revolutionize renewable energy and national defense. aetherflux has raised $60 million to prove that beaming solar power from space is viable.
Bhatt said Wednesday that he wants to transition Aetherflux from an “aspiring space company” to a “space company” quickly. His interest in space dates back to his childhood, as his father worked as a research scientist at NASA.
Conventional concepts for space solar power have involved massive geostationary satellites using microwave transmission. Aetherflux is taking a different approach, using fiber lasers to convert solar power back into focused light that can be precisely targeted at receivers on the ground, Bhatt said.
the company plans to launch a demonstration satellite in June of next year.
Aetherflux is initially focusing on national defense, with the Department of Defense having approved funding for the program. The technology would allow the U.S. to have energy in the battlefield without the logistical challenges of transporting fuel, Bhatt explained.
The company’s initial target is a laser spot larger than 10 meters in diameter on the ground, but Bhatt believes they can shrink it to five to 10 meters, or even smaller. These receivers would be portable and of little strategic value if captured, he said.
Bhatt draws inspiration from Elon Musk, who has demonstrated the ability to master multiple industries. he believes an outsider outlook is an advantage.
Unlike software companies, space hardware requires a different approach. “We build one spacecraft, we bolt it to the fairing inside of the SpaceX rocket, we put it in space, and it detaches, and then the thing better work,” Bhatt said.
If Aetherflux succeeds, space-based solar power could provide baseload renewable energy, working day and night, anywhere on Earth.This could transform energy distribution, providing power to remote locations and emergency power during disasters.
Aetherflux has hired physicists,mathematicians,and engineers from various organizations,and is still hiring,Bhatt said.
Bhatt self-funded Aetherflux’s first $10 million and contributed to a recent $50 million round led by Index Ventures and interlagos, with participation from Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, and NEA.
A 2007 study suggested promise in the approach Aetherflux is taking,but no one acted on the report. Bhatt said he was not aware of it at the time.
What’s next
Aetherflux plans to launch a demonstration satellite in June of next year. Success could lead to widespread military and commercial applications for space-based solar power.