Rainmaker
Cloud SeedingActivePeter Thiel-backed drone-based cloud seeding startup. Operates in Utah, Colorado, Texas, and California. $31M+ raised. Actively lobbying against state bans.
Key Facts
- Founded by Thiel Fellow Augustus Doricko after dropping out of UC Berkeley
- Uses drone-based cloud seeding with silver iodide
- Has state contracts with Utah and Colorado Departments of Natural Resources, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo
- Named in Congressional hearing in connection with Texas flood concerns
- Actively lobbying against state 'Clear Skies Act' legislation that would criminalize weather modification
Who's Behind It
Augustus Doricko
(American)CEO & Founder
25 years old. UC Berkeley dropout (physics). Thiel Fellow. Came up with the idea of a weather startup after joining the Thiel Fellowship.
Follow the Money
German-American billionaire. Born in Frankfurt. PayPal co-founder, Palantir co-founder. Thiel Fellowship backed Doricko.
Chinese-Burmese Canadian-American. CEO of Y Combinator. Born in Winnipeg to Chinese Singaporean father and Burmese-Chinese mother.
Indian-American. Born in New Delhi, moved to NYC at age 9. Co-founder of AngelList. Early investor in Uber, Twitter.
Chris Sacca's $2.4B AUM climate fund. Italian-Irish American founder from Lockport, NY.
Other geoengineering connections:
• Harvard SGRP donor
• SilverLining funder
• Stardust Solutions lead investor
• Marine Cloud Brightening funder
American VC.
American VC.
Founded by Michael Gibson (American, former VP at Thiel Foundation). Fund backed by Peter Thiel. Named after the year Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses.
Connections
Series A lead investor. Also leads Stardust Solutions and funds geoengineering research.
[E&E News]Clear Skies Act opposition
Actively lobbying against H.R. 4403 and state-level bans on weather modification.
[E&E News lobbying report]