Savvy is HQ Trivia + Wordle (feat. Scott Rogowsky) | E2245 - This Week in Startups Recap

Podcast: This Week in Startups

Published: 2026-02-04

Duration: 54 minutes

Guests: Scott Rogowsky, Dr. Trevor Bennett

Summary

Scott Rogowsky discusses his new mobile game, Savvy, which merges the interactive elements of HQ Trivia with the puzzle appeal of Wordle. The episode also features Dr. Trevor Bennett of Starfish Space, highlighting their innovative space servicing missions.

What Happened

Scott Rogowsky, known for his role as the host of HQ Trivia, has launched a new venture called Savvy. This game blends the interactive nature of HQ Trivia with the puzzle-solving fun of Wordle. Savvy is a live, interactive word puzzle game available on school nights, and it has already seen a promising start with 2,100 participants in its series premiere. Rogowsky aims to monetize Savvy through a subscription model, offering additional games, digital prizes, and more incentives to keep users engaged.

Scott Rogowsky reflects on his time with HQ Trivia, which at its peak in April 2018 drew 2.5 million concurrent viewers. However, by January 2019, the numbers had dwindled significantly, prompting Rogowsky to leave for a new opportunity. He attributes the decline to leadership challenges and a lack of experienced executives who could effectively manage the company.

The conversation then shifts to Dr. Trevor Bennett of Starfish Space, who discusses their work in the space industry. Starfish Space focuses on satellite servicing using their Otter vehicles, which are designed to de-orbit and clean up space debris. The company operates these Otters as a service to provide continuous improvement and better customer service.

Starfish Space's Remora mission demonstrated successful autonomous rendezvous capabilities using a lightweight camera system and on-board processing. This significant achievement supports their business model of operating a 'starfleet' of servicing vehicles. The company has secured a $52.5 million contract with the Space Development Agency, highlighting the growing demand for orbital cleanup services as the number of satellites continues to increase.

Dr. Bennett explains that the decreasing cost of launches, driven by companies like SpaceX, is instrumental in the evolving space economy. He discusses the need for hundreds of servicing vehicles in space to meet future demands, especially as the space economy expands to include manufacturing and cloud computing.

Starfish Space's innovative approach to servicing the satellite industry positions them as a crucial player in the emerging space economy. Their focus on service rather than selling hardware allows them to adapt quickly to the needs of the industry and customers, ensuring they remain competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

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