OVER DEZE AFLEVERING
Watch the show on television by downloading the SuperCrowd.tv Channel app to your Roku or Amazon Fire TV or e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or Amazon Fire TV. You can also see it on YouTube.
Devin: What is your superpower?
Sascha: Balance of persistent curiosity paired with the practical focus required to run a sustainable business.
Sustainable innovation only truly scales when it delivers a clear economic advantage over status-quo alternatives. For decades, aerospace propulsion has relied on toxic, highly explosive, and expensive solid rocket propellants. Sascha Deri, Founder and CEO of bluShift Aerospace, is turning that paradigm on its head by proving that clean technology can outperform traditional fuels while drastically reducing costs.
From its headquarters at a former naval base in Brunswick, Maine, bluShift Aerospace has developed a proprietary, non-toxic, bio-derived solid rocket fuel. Beyond being virtually carbon neutral and safe enough to eat on camera, this innovative propellant is significantly cheaper to produce and far easier to transport than petroleum-derived counterparts. As Sascha explained during our interview:
“We found that it not only worked, but it worked better than the petroleum fuel... Here’s something which is better for the planet. It’s virtually carbon neutral, the fuel itself. It’s non-toxic... It performs better. It’s a little more energy-dense than the petroleum version is, and very easily had all over the United States.”
This breakthrough bridges the gap between environmental responsibility and market viability. By combining a high-performance bio-fuel with advanced hybrid rocket engine designs, Sascha and his team are creating scalable propulsion solutions for both research and commercial space applications. They have already achieved a world record by launching a commercial rocket using bio-derived fuel and are now advancing toward full commercialization.
“I’ve always wanted to find that intersection between how technology can benefit humanity and the universe and the planet.”
— Sascha Deri
To fund this expansion and scale production, bluShift Aerospace is raising capital from everyday investors through a regulated investment crowdfunding campaign on Wefunder. Grounded in community-backed capital and hard-nosed engineering, Sascha demonstrates that aligned incentives can accelerate both planetary impact and business success.
tl;dr:
Sascha Deri founded bluShift Aerospace to build cost-effective bio-derived rocket propulsion systems.
The company’s non-toxic solid rocket fuel offers superior energy density at lower costs.
Everyday investors can back bluShift’s growth through their active Wefunder investment crowdfunding campaign.
Sascha defines his superpower as persistent curiosity balanced with pragmatic business execution.
Today’s episode explores how open feedback and innovative engineering advance sustainable aerospace technology.
How to Develop Pragmatic Curiosity As a Superpower
Sascha defines his superpower as a balance of persistent curiosity paired with the practical focus required to run a sustainable business. As Sascha explained, “the first part is the persistent curiosity, sort of that ongoing, like, what if this? Why not that? … Curiosity is great … But then there’s time for doing an execution that’s really needed to bring that commercial opportunity home. And so I think that’s my other sort of, I would say, complementary superpower is the curiosity and then the chill that comes … knowing when to like bring it in … what is the minimal viable product that can get us faster to commercialization.”
While visiting his brother’s farm in Maine, Sascha noticed an everyday, bio-derived substance sitting on a windowsill. Driven by curiosity, he wondered if it could replace traditional petroleum-derived solid rocket fuels. He spent two weeks preparing the substance for a test burn and discovered that the non-toxic, bio-derived fuel actually performed better and offered higher energy density than petroleum alternatives. Sascha then channeled that initial breakthrough into building bluShift Aerospace and developing commercial-scale hybrid engines.
Actionable Tips for Developing the Superpower:
Cultivate persistent curiosity by continually asking “what if” and “why not” when examining complex problems.
Balance creative exploration with strict execution focused on commercial viability and revenue generation.
Remain open to feedback from team members, advisors, and external sources to refine your strategic path.
Identify the minimum viable solution needed to bring innovations efficiently to market.
By following Sascha’s example and advice, you can make pragmatic curiosity a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.
Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!
Guest Profile
Sascha Deri (he/him):
Founder & CEO, bluShift Aerospace
About bluShift Aerospace: bluShift Aerospace is a propulsion company based in Brunswick, Maine, developing rocket engines and boosters for defense testing, commercial aerospace and suborbital research. Our MAREVL hybrid engine technology uses a proprietary, non-toxic, bio-derived solid fuel and is designed to combine throttle control with simpler manufacturing and lower production costs. Our near-term commercial focus is supplying boosters for hypersonic testing and targets, while continuing to advance applications in scientific research and commercial space. We aim to build a scalable American propulsion business that makes demanding missions more accessible and reduces the hazards associated with manufacturing and handling rocket fuel.
Website: blushiftaerospace.com
Company Facebook Page: facebook.com/bluShiftAero
Instagram Handle: @blushiftaero
Other URL: wefunder.com/blushiftaerospace
Biographical Information: Sascha Deri is the founder and CEO of bluShift Aerospace, combining a background in physics and electrical engineering with more than two decades of entrepreneurial experience. In 1999, he co-founded altE Store, a renewable-energy products business. He founded bluShift in 2014 to pursue a different approach to rocket propulsion using a proprietary, bio-derived fuel. Under his leadership, the company has progressed from early experiments to a demonstration launch, full-duration engine testing and government-funded propulsion development. Raised in Maine, Sascha is committed to building an aerospace business that connects technical innovation with environmental responsibility, practical customer needs and skilled manufacturing opportunities in his home state.
LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/sascha-deri
Personal Facebook Profile: facebook.com/sascha.deri.1
SuperCrowd Career Path Job Postings
Managing Director, BCRF Venture Philanthropy Program — The Breast Cancer Research Foundation · New York, NY · Remote OK · 450–475/yr
Community Impact Senior Program Officer, Florida — Knight Foundation · Miami, FL · 114–115/yr
Sustainable Investing Co-op — Wellington Management · Greater Boston · Remote OK · 19.00–35.00/hr
Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge - Program Manager, National Programs — Enterprise Community Partners · Portland, OR · 83,000–95,000/yr
Head of Impact, Americas — Intrepid Travel · Golden, CO · Remote OK · 80,000–90,000/yr
Manager, Project on Impact Investing — Harvard Business School · Boston, MA · Remote OK · 69,500–113,700/yr
Support Our Sponsors
Our generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today’s advertisers include Startup showcase and Impact Membership. Learn more about advertising with us here.
Max-Impact Members
(We’re grateful for every one of these community champions who make this work possible.)
Alisa Evans, Mission Enrollment | Brian Christie, Brainsy | Cameron Neil, Lend For Good | Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Eric Coury, Arthia AI | Joey Hayes, thru | John Berlet, CORE Tax Deeds, LLC. | Justin Starbird, The Aebli Group | Ken Steele, Rotarian | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Marcia Brinton, High Desert Gear | Mark Grimes, Networked Enterprise Development | Mike Babbit | Coledger Solutions | Mike Green, Envirosult | Nick Degnan, Unlimit Ventures | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Sharon Samjitsingh, Health Care Originals | Add Your Name Here
Upcoming SuperCrowd Event Calendar
If a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.
Join the SuperCrowd Impact League! You can be recognized for making impact investments via Reg CF. See how your activity compares to your peers. It’s free. Win valuable prizes. Start now!
SuperCrowd Impact Member Networking Session: Impact (and, of course, Max-Impact) Members of the SuperCrowd are invited to a private networking session on October 13th at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT. Mark your calendar. We’ll send private emails to Impact Members with registration details. Upgrade to Impact Membership today!
SuperCrowdHour, October 21, 2026, at 9:00 AM Pacific. Devin Thorpe, CEO and Founder of The Super Crowd, Inc., will lead a session on “Before You Click ‘Invest’: Due Diligence for Crowdfunding Investors.” Drawing on his experience as a former investment banker, impact investor, and crowdfunding expert, Devin will explore the key questions investors should ask before putting money into a crowdfunding offering. The session will break down practical due diligence steps, including how to review a company’s financial information, understand its business model, assess risks, evaluate the offering terms, and identify important questions that may not be obvious at first glance. Attendees will learn how to distinguish promising opportunities from potential red flags and develop a more disciplined approach to evaluating impact crowdfunding investments. Whether you’re considering your first crowdfunding investment or already building a portfolio, this SuperCrowdHour will provide practical insights to help you make more informed investment decisions.
SuperGreen Live is where climate solutions meet the capital and community needed to scale them. This global virtual gathering brings together entrepreneurs, investors, sustainability leaders and changemakers to explore practical solutions for building a greener future. Expect inspiring conversations, innovative companies, investment opportunities and actionable ideas—all designed to help turn climate ambition into meaningful progress. Join the growing community working to accelerate solutions for people and the planet on February 4, 2027. Learn more at SuperGreenLive.org.
Visit Our Complete Community Event Calendar
If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 10,000+ changemakers, investors and entrepreneurs who are members of the SuperCrowd, click here.
Manage the volume of emails you receive from us by clicking here.
We share educational information—not investment advice. Some links may generate compensation. See our full disclosure.
We use AI to help us write compelling recaps of each episode.
Get full access to Superpowers for Good at www.superpowers4good.com/subscribe
