Kevin Weil Joins the Stoke Space Board
Kevin Weil, former executive at OpenAI and a well-known figure with experience at companies like Twitter and Meta, is now part of the board of Stoke Space. The Seattle startup is investing in reusable rockets to compete with SpaceX. The story began when Andy Lapsa, CEO of Stoke, met Weil while co-founding the company in 2020. At that time, Lapsa was navigating the uncharted waters of fundraising and networking in Silicon Valley. Weil, already an investor in Stoke along with his wife Elizabeth through Scribble Ventures, brought the necessary experience to the table.
Stoke Space has managed to raise an impressive $1.34 billion, including a $510 million Series D round in 2025. The goal is to develop a rapidly reusable rocket that can fly later this year. With Weil on the board, the expectation is that the company will continue to grow. Interestingly, while Weil was at OpenAI, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, considered Stoke as a potential competitor to SpaceX. However, Lapsa prefers not to comment on rumors, focusing on Weil's role at Stoke.
The Rocket That Could Redefine the Market
Stoke is developing the Nova, a fully reusable rocket, something that no one has achieved yet. SpaceX came close with the Starship, but the technological challenges are enormous. The idea of complete reusability, which once seemed distant, is now becoming a reality. This is vital, especially when considering space data centers. Imagine harnessing solar energy and escaping the political constraints of Earth. To achieve this, it is necessary to drastically reduce the cost of putting chips into orbit.
Complete reusability is Stoke's trump card, and Weil can help the company secure military contracts, which are essential for its success. He already has experience connecting Silicon Valley with the U.S. Department of Defense. Furthermore, Weil is no stranger to the space sector. He was president of Planet Labs, a satellite Earth observation company, for three years until it went public in 2021.
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