From Failing Geometry To Outerspace: The Rise Of A Great Investor
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What if the kid failing every class grew up to build one of the world's most successful satellite companies and then bet it all over again?
Gabe Dominocielo went from straight Fs to straight As overnight, found his way to Chico State, and turned a summer job into a decade-long legal tech business that made him a multimillionaire by 30. Then he risked it all to co-found Umbra, a satellite company that captures the highest-resolution radar imagery from space, seeing through clouds, darkness, and weather that blinds every other satellite in orbit. On this episode of America's Angels, Gabe shares how he raised money from crypto believers when traditional VCs laughed him out of the room, how hedge fund legend John Burbank handed him enough capital to fail six times (and only needed him to be right once), and why his angel investing thesis comes down to one rule: if the idea isn't bizarre, he won't touch it. Jenny and Andrea also dig into his move to Austin, his philosophy of helping people "find their exceptionalism," and the one investment he passed on that still keeps him up at night.
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Founder
Gabe Dominocielo is a lifelong entrepreneur with a pragmatic approach to capital.
Dominocielo is best known for being the co-founder of Umbra Lab, Inc., a technology company specializing in advanced space systems. The company has become a model for how to build a long-lasting and profitable defense technology business.
Since 2025, Dominocielo has been focused on his family office.