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I’m launching a startup to make molecular nanotechnology a reality. Still engineering, but not software. Founding a company isn’t great work/life balance no ma

I’m launching a startup to make molecular nanotechnology a reality. Still engineering, but not software. Founding a company isn’t great work/life balance no matter the field, but it is significantly more rewarding in deep tech imho.

maximinus_thrax 2y ago
Sounds fascinating! Can you disclose the name of the company?
- adastra22 2y ago
  Very early stage as we're still fundraising for the seed round to start the lab, but most of the core team is already assembled. It's still in stealth mode, and this is supposed to be a pseudonymous HN account so I won't post details here. But you can reach me at the email in my profile if you're curious to know more.
einpoklum 2y ago
Not quite the career choice I'd recommend for someone about to start a family (and whose spouse is not independently rich).
- adastra22 2y ago
  This would be my second time. The first startup got started right after my wife gave birth to our second child. And not gonna lie, the challenges introduced by that very nearly wrecked our marriage. But the alternative of a BigCo job would have killed me on the inside, and I'm very lucky to have had my wife's support then and now. If OP's wife is pregnant I would not recommend switching careers right now. That would be maximizing time away from home when you are needed most. But that's not how I read the OP: > if I need a full time position once my wife and I start having kids Sounds like they're still thinking about it, and maybe a few years off.
nvader 2y ago
What's the status of the software tools used in this industry? Is there a state-of-the-art "CAD" tool for Nanotechnology design?
- adastra22 2y ago
  Long story, short answer is no current standard. We want to make one: https://github.com/atomCAD/atomCAD https://github.com/atomCAD/atomCAD Not as important and pressing as the actual laboratory work to bootstrap the technology though.

maximinus_thrax 2y ago

Sounds fascinating! Can you disclose the name of the company?

adastra22 2y ago
Very early stage as we're still fundraising for the seed round to start the lab, but most of the core team is already assembled. It's still in stealth mode, and this is supposed to be a pseudonymous HN account so I won't post details here. But you can reach me at the email in my profile if you're curious to know more.

einpoklum 2y ago

Not quite the career choice I'd recommend for someone about to start a family (and whose spouse is not independently rich).

adastra22 2y ago
This would be my second time. The first startup got started right after my wife gave birth to our second child. And not gonna lie, the challenges introduced by that very nearly wrecked our marriage. But the alternative of a BigCo job would have killed me on the inside, and I'm very lucky to have had my wife's support then and now. If OP's wife is pregnant I would not recommend switching careers right now. That would be maximizing time away from home when you are needed most. But that's not how I read the OP: > if I need a full time position once my wife and I start having kids Sounds like they're still thinking about it, and maybe a few years off.

nvader 2y ago

What's the status of the software tools used in this industry? Is there a state-of-the-art "CAD" tool for Nanotechnology design?

adastra22 2y ago
Long story, short answer is no current standard. We want to make one: https://github.com/atomCAD/atomCAD https://github.com/atomCAD/atomCAD Not as important and pressing as the actual laboratory work to bootstrap the technology though.