Former OpenAI exec Kevin Weil joins Stoke Space board
Original: Former OpenAI exec Kevin Weil is now on the board of Stoke Space
Why This Matters
Stoke Space represents a rare fully-reusable rocket bet, and Weil's board role signals growing tech-industry interest in next-gen launch infrastructure.
Kevin Weil, former OpenAI CPO and early investor in Stoke Space, has joined the Seattle-based rocket startup's board as a director. Stoke, which has raised $1.34 billion including a $510M Series D in 2025, is developing the fully reusable rocket Nova to compete with SpaceX.
Kevin Weil, a tech executive with prior roles at X, Meta, Planet Labs, and OpenAI, has joined the board of directors at Stoke Space, a Seattle-based startup developing fully reusable rockets. Weil and his wife Elizabeth are early investors in Stoke through their fund Scribble Ventures, having backed the company since CEO Andy Lapsa cofounded it in 2020 after going through Y Combinator. Lapsa credited Weil with helping him navigate Silicon Valley fundraising from the beginning. Stoke has since raised a total of $1.34 billion, including a $510 million Series D in 2025. Weil most recently led OpenAI's scientific research acceleration efforts, departing in April 2026 after the program was distributed across the lab; he had previously served as OpenAI's Chief Product Officer from June 2024 to October 2025. Stoke is building Nova, a rocket designed for complete and rapid reusability — a milestone no company has achieved, with SpaceX's Starship being the closest competitor. Lapsa dismissed speculation about a potential OpenAI investment in Stoke, saying Weil's board role is focused on scaling the company itself.