Robinhood Co-Founder Baiju Bhatt Launches Space Data Center Venture

Robinhood co-founder Baiju Bhatt left the brokerage firm to launch Cowboy Space Corp., a venture focused on building data centers in space [1, 2].

The move signals a shift in the ambitions of high-net-worth tech founders who are increasingly pivoting toward the "final frontier" to solve terrestrial infrastructure limits. By moving data processing to orbit, Bhatt aims to realize a childhood dream of space-based computing [2, 3].

Bhatt departed Robinhood as a billionaire ^[1]. His transition to the space sector follows a career defined by persistence and high-risk ventures. During the early stages of building Robinhood, Bhatt said he received 70 rejections from potential investors ^[4].

Cowboy Space Corp. seeks to establish a new paradigm for how the world stores and processes information. While traditional data centers require massive amounts of land and cooling infrastructure on Earth, space-based centers could potentially leverage the natural cold of the vacuum of space to manage thermal loads.

Bhatt's personal history reflects a trajectory of scaling from modest beginnings to extreme wealth. In his 20s, he bought a used BMW for $31,000 ^[5]. That early financial period stands in contrast to the capital-intensive nature of his current project, which requires the immense resources necessary for orbital launches, and satellite maintenance.

The venture represents a bold bet on the future of the space economy. While most space startups focus on satellite internet or tourism, Cowboy Space Corp. targets the backbone of the digital economy—the data center—shifting it from the ground to the stars [1, 2].