Branson Ready for His Biggest Test Yet as Space Shot Beckons

Branson Ready for His Biggest Test Yet as Space Shot Beckons
Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Galactic poses before ringing the First Trade Bell to commemorate the company's first day of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Oct. 28, 2019 in New York City. Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images
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Richard Branson plucks a dried grasshopper from a jar, takes a bite, and pronounces the insect surprisingly tasty before slurping down a vegan yogurt and offering to trial the concoction on Virgin Atlantic Airways flights.

The UK billionaire, a serial creator of companies spanning record labels to airlines to fizzy drinks and bridal gowns, is in his element. He’s meeting with fellow entrepreneurs at a so-called “Pitch to Rich” session in Israel, where the contest’s winner gets a business-class flight to London for a week of hot-housing at Virgin’s own innovation hub.