Gabe Dominocielo of Umbra
An exclusive Tech Tribune Q&A with Gabe Dominocielo (co-founder) of Umbra, which was honored in our:
Tell us the origin story of Umbra – what problem were you trying to solve and why?
I started Umbra in 2017 with my lifelong friend, David Langan. I was previously an entrepreneur, and David worked at what is now Northrop Grumman Innovations. After David left Northrup, we both saw a fundamental change in the space industry. SpaceX was substantially reducing satellite launch costs, and satellite parts were becoming commoditized. That’s when we understood the opportunity to build and launch a low-cost, high-performance commercial satellite using both “off-the-shelf” parts and a unique, proprietary radar and antenna that David invented. The unique intellectual property offered unrivaled unit economics.
We saw a need for persistent satellite imagery of high-demand areas. Optical satellites can’t generate images when it’s dark or cloudy. Umbra satellites, on the other hand, can actively illuminate the Earth, allowing them to generate images through clouds and at night. This gives our customers reliable and persistent access to areas of interest.
What was the biggest hurdle you encountered in your journey?
David and I bootstrapped Umbra for the first few years. This allowed us to make a lot of mistakes early, often, and on our own dime, which was a tremendous learning experience. After we took outside capital, we used our knowledge and IP to take a very deliberate strategic approach with fewer risks and hurdles.
What does the future hold for Umbra?
Umbra does not make forward-looking statements. We believe it’s best to disclose what we are doing after we achieve it. That said, however, Umbra is focused on bringing value to our customers in order to help them offer better insights. Umbra hopes to continue to innovate, reduce customer costs, and improve the user experience for our customers.
What are your thoughts on the local tech startup scene in Santa Barbara?
Santa Barbara is an incredible place to start an aerospace company. It’s a part of the industry’s rich history. Not many people know this, but the Lockheed brothers started what is today Lockheed Martin just down the street from Umbra’s Santa Barbara facility. Jack Northrop, founder of what is today Northrop Grumman, graduated from Santa Barbara High School almost exactly a hundred years before I did.
What’s your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Focus, invest in yourself through self teaching, use first principles, and make mistakes but learn quickly from them. What I learned early on is to not be distracted by things that do not serve a clear mission objective. If your business can create value for your customers, you will be successful. What you build should be a positive force in your industry. There are two ways to build the tallest building: you can put your head down, focus, and build the tallest building, or you can try to tear down everyone else’s building, which is impossible.