Van Espahbodi

Founding Partner at Generational Partners

Interviewee

Van Espahbodi is a Co-Founder and Partner at Generational Partners, an early-stage venture capital firm investing at the intersection of space, cyber, and defense tech. With over two decades of experience in deep-tech venture capital and advanced technology commercialization, Van focuses on backing technical founders from elite industrial and national security talent networks, often writing the first institutional check and supporting companies through early commercialization and government adoption.

Van began his career on Capitol Hill before joining Raytheon Technologies, where he managed defense procurement and led classified overseas projects. He later joined NATS, the British equivalent to NASA, overseeing transatlantic technology transfer and drone and space tech spinouts.

After eight years in London, Van co-founded Starburst, the first global aerospace and defense startup accelerator, which grew to 70 employees across 10 countries with a portfolio of over 100 startups.

Van holds active U.S. security clearance and advises the Intelligence Community, NASA, NATO, and the US Space Force.