Shawn Ryan Show Episode #223: Baiju Bhatt - Co-Founder of Robinhood & CEO of Aetherflux
Release Date: July 31, 2025
Introduction
In Episode #223 of the Shawn Ryan Show, host Shawn Ryan engages in an in-depth conversation with Baiju Bhatt, the co-founder of Robinhood and CEO of Aetherflux. The episode delves into Baiju's personal journey, his role in revolutionizing the financial industry, and his ambitious venture into space-based solar energy.
Early Life and Education
Baiju Bhatt shares his immigrant background, growing up in Virginia with parents who moved from India. His father, a dedicated scientist, worked at NASA's Langley Research Center, sparking Baiju's early interest in science and mathematics.
"My dad had always wanted to study physics... he was like, I'm going to devote my life to science."
[19:51] Baiju Bhatt
Baiju discusses the challenges his family faced, including his father's health issues, which led to financial struggles and shaped his determination to excel academically.
Building a Creative Outlet: Car Building During COVID
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Baiju sought a creative outlet beyond his work at Robinhood. He embarked on building a classic car, specifically a 1992 Porsche 911 RS, inspired by his love for automobiles.
"I wanted to try my hand at building stuff, like actual stuff... start out by building a car first."
[09:59] Baiju Bhatt
This project not only provided a satisfying diversion but also deepened his understanding of mechanical engineering and product design.
Co-Founding Robinhood: Revolutionizing Finance
Baiju recounts the genesis of Robinhood, founded alongside his college roommate, Vlad Teneff. Motivated by the frustration surrounding the 2008 financial crisis and the Occupy Wall Street movement, they aimed to democratize access to the stock market.
"If we could make access to market, zero commission, which is kind of what the original idea behind the company was, wouldn't that actually be kind of directly speaking to the frustrations that people have about not being a part of the financial system?"
[103:29] Baiju Bhatt
Robinhood's zero-commission trading model broke traditional barriers, attracting millions of users and prompting major brokerage firms to follow suit by eliminating their own commissions.
"We released it publicly in 2015 and had like 100,000 people on the waitlist in the first month."
[117:50] Baiju Bhatt
Navigating Challenges: GameStop and Market Events
Baiju discusses the GameStop trading frenzy of January 2021, where Robinhood found itself at the center of a tumultuous market event fueled by Reddit-driven trading.
"There were two freight trains... The first was democratizing finance for all, and the second was Internet meme culture. And those two collided and created the GameStop saga."
[141:30] Baiju Bhatt
Faced with regulatory challenges and a surge in user activity, Robinhood temporarily restricted trading on certain stocks, leading to widespread criticism and conspiracy theories. Baiju explains the regulatory clearinghouse requirements that necessitated these actions.
"We ended up raising a bunch of money over the next couple of days to help support that capital requirement."
[143:16] Baiju Bhatt
Faith and Spirituality
The conversation shifts to personal beliefs, with Baiju sharing his spiritual journey and experiences with psychedelics that led him to explore deeper existential questions.
"After I did psychedelics... it made me realize that there's definitely something more to this than any of us have put together."
[59:03] Shawn Ryan
Shawn Ryan recounts his transformative experience with psychedelics, which rekindled his faith and prompted him to seek a higher purpose.
"After that experience, it made me realize there's definitely something more to this..."
[60:09] Shawn Ryan
Baiju and Shawn discuss the interplay between science, spirituality, and the quest for meaning, highlighting their differing yet complementary perspectives.
Introducing Aetherflux: Space-Based Solar Power
Transitioning to his latest venture, Baiju introduces Aetherflux, a company focused on harnessing solar energy from space and beaming it to Earth. He elaborates on the technical aspects and the potential impact of this technology.
"We're putting two satellites into space. The first one next June."
[152:28] Baiju Bhatt
Baiju explains the design and functionality of the satellites, which will collect solar power and transmit it to ground stations using laser systems. This innovative approach aims to create a decentralized energy grid, reducing reliance on traditional energy sources and enhancing energy security.
"The first one is going to do an output of about a kilowatt of power out of the laser system into free space."
[165:37] Baiju Bhatt
He envisions a future where a constellation of such satellites provides continuous power to various applications, from powering small neighborhoods to supporting defense infrastructure.
"Imagine a fleet of satellites dedicated to powering naval ships or industrial applications... It's the brave new world."
[191:18] Baiju Bhatt
Closing Thoughts
Baiju reflects on his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the importance of customer feedback, product-market fit, and the relentless pursuit of innovation. He expresses his passion for disrupting industries and his commitment to leveraging technology for societal benefit.
"If you have the ability to make this contribution to the technical landscape of humanity, I think it's on us to try stuff like this."
[192:36] Baiju Bhatt
Shawn concludes the episode by applauding Baiju's achievements and expressing excitement for the groundbreaking work Aetherflux is undertaking.
Notable Quotes
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"Capitalism is also an incredible force for innovation."
[145:08] Baiju Bhatt -
"It's not a foregone conclusion that this is going to happen. It's a tremendously challenging technical problem ahead of us."
[191:02] Baiju Bhatt -
"Aetherflux is put together from existing commercial uses for the technology and try to package these things together so that they're more than the sum of their parts."
[154:14] Baiju Bhatt
Conclusion
This episode of the Shawn Ryan Show offers a comprehensive look into Baiju Bhatt's multifaceted career—from revolutionizing the financial sector with Robinhood to pioneering space-based solar energy with Aetherflux. Through personal anecdotes and visionary insights, Baiju illustrates the blend of technical expertise and entrepreneurial spirit driving his endeavors to create a more accessible and sustainable future.
Note: Advertisements and non-content sections from the transcript have been omitted to focus solely on the substantive discussions between Shawn Ryan and Baiju Bhatt.