Coffee with a Founder Podcast: James Crowell, Crow Industries

02- Oct-2025

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger chats with Dr. James Crowell, Founder and CEO of Crow Industries, about his lifelong dream to industrialize the moon and Mars, and the intersection between futuristic ambition and real-world business grit.

Whether you’re a founder, a space enthusiast, or fascinated by defense tech, this conversation is for you.

show notes:

00:23 - Introducing Crow Industries and its mission

04:05 - Reconciling defense tech and personal ethos

06:01 - From childhood dream to company founder

11:22 - Defining company vision and motivating talent

14:05 - Balancing bold vision with business realities

19:09 - Why the Moon, and what we’ll mine there

Read More About The Episode:

00:23 - Introducing Crow Industries and its mission
James Crowell shares the origin and current focus of Crow Industries: building low-cost, high-capability unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) for extreme environments in the defense tech sector, with a long-term vision to industrialize the Moon and Mars.

04:05 - Reconciling defense tech and personal ethos
James discusses his passion for space exploration and how working in defense tech aligns with his values. He reflects on the ethical complexities of building technology for military use while maintaining a broader vision of benefiting humanity.

06:01 - From childhood dream to company founder
James explains how his deep childhood obsession with space and robotics directly shaped his life, including the founding of Crow Industries, a goal he’s had since he was 11 years old.

11:22 - Defining company vision and motivating talent
James describes how the company’s vision, to "expand life throughout the universe," drives recruitment and culture at Crow Industries. He shares how he motivates employees with the company’s larger-than-life mission.

14:05 - Balancing bold vision with business realities
The conversation shifts to the practical side of running a visionary startup. James details the challenge of balancing his grand ambitions (like industrializing Mars) with the operational necessities of building a profitable, sustainable business.

19:09 - Why the Moon, and what we’ll mine there
James offers a pragmatic take on lunar mining, explaining why oxygen will be the primary resource extracted for use as rocket fuel in space, rather than bringing materials back to Earth. He clarifies how lunar industrialization connects to the next big leap for humanity.