Business Agenda

An aerospace engineer, he graduated from the Polytechnic University of Milan and specialized at the University of Kansas with a Master’s and PhD in Aerospace Engineering, and a Master’s in Engineering Management. He began his career in 1998 at Carlo Gavazzi Space (now OHB Italia), a leading European system integrator based in Milan, Italy, before moving to the United States, first for university studies (from 2000 to 2005) and then continuing at Swales Aerospace (now Northrop Grumman). In 2007, he joined SpaceX, Elon Musk’s aerospace company, as Mission Director for Dragon, the first commercial spacecraft for orbital flights of goods and people. In 2013, he became a partner in Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems Inc., based in Irvine, California, and in 2015, he founded Tyvak International in Turin. Recognized as one of the world leaders in the commercial and military small-satellite sector, the company went public (NYSE) in 2021 under the name Terran Orbital, and was sold to Lockheed Martin in 2024. While maintaining his activity as a private investor, since 2024, Marco provides consulting and advisory services, holds multiple board positions, collaborates closely with Trive Capital, an American private equity firm based in Dallas, and serves as the CEO of Canopy A&D, a company specializing in advanced materials for the naval and aerospace sectors.

Marino Fragnito is Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing at Thales Alenia Space. Before joining the company, he was Chief Commercial Officer of the AVIO group and Managing Director of the French branch. He managed worldwide commercial operations and coordinated the Launch Services activities of the company. Between 2016 and 2024, he was Senior Vice President at Arianespace where he managed the overall Vega launch services activities and controlled its associated Profit & Loss. From 2009 until 2016, he served at EUMETSAT as Launch Services Manager. Previously, he was Head of Mechanical Systems Development in the frame of the Vega development program at ELV. He began his career in Cannes, at Alcatel Space Industries, on telecom satellite projects. Marino Fragnito is an Aeronautical Engineer and holds a Ph.D. in Aerospace Science and Technology.

Chiara Manfletti is the Chief Executive Officer at Neuraspace and the Professor of Space Propulsion and Mobility at the Technical University of Munich. At the early stage of her career, she worked for the German Aerospace Center, DLR, as a research engineer and later joined the European Space Agency (ESA) where she was the Programme Advisor to the Director General at the agency’s headquarters in Paris. She was nominated as the first President of the then just founded Portuguese national space agency, Portugal Space. During her professional tenure, Chiara later headed the Policy and Programmes Coordination department at the ESA, prior to joining Neuraspace.

Head of Satellite & Space at Cambridge Consultants, part of Capgemini Invent and known as the deep tech powerhouse of Capgemini. With more than 25 years of experience in aerospace and telecommunications, Stewart helps companies achieve technology breakthroughs that unlock transformative business value, including a world-first Push-to-Talk satellite service and space-based carrier grade satellite connectivity that extends the reach of terrestrial services with fiber-like performance, global coverage and ultra-low latency.

Noel Rimalovski is the Managing Partner of GH Partners, an investment bank headquartered in NY and London. At GH Partners, Mr. Rimalovski leads the investment banking team providing advisory services to clients, including sales and acquisitions of companies, restructurings, private placements, credit advisory, valuations, and fairness opinions. GH’s clients include domestic and international public and private companies and government agencies with a focus in the Space and Defense industries. Prior to joining GH Partners, Mr. Rimalovski was Senior Vice President at Macquarie Capital, focusing on investing in the telecommunications and technology sectors, including $1.8bn of investments in communications infrastructure. Prior to Macquarie, he was Director in the Mergers & Acquisition Group of Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, and its predecessor Wasserstein Perella. Mr. Rimalovski commenced his career at Lazard Frères. Mr. Rimalovski earned his MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School (with honors) and BA in Quantitative Economics from Tufts University.

Drew Svor is a go-to advisor to technology, telecommunications, space and defense tech innovators navigating today’s complex regulatory landscape. He helps clients build and scale advanced networks—on the ground and in orbit—by aligning business strategy with compliance at the FCC, CFIUS and Team Telecom.

Drew counsels startups, investors and global enterprises across the U.S., Europe and Asia on spectrum authorizations, satellite licensing, foreign ownership reviews and strategic transactions involving emerging, dual-use and defense technologies. His practical, forward-looking approach helps clients accelerate innovation, mitigate national security risk and stay ahead of evolving regulatory change.

His work includes:

• Telecom and Spectrum Strategy: Advises satellite operators, mobile network providers and investors on FCC licensing, spectrum allocation and rebanding proceedings, including securing FCC approvals for mergers, acquisitions and other strategic transactions.
• National Security and Foreign Investment: Represents clients before CFIUS and Team Telecom in transactions involving cross-border ownership, network infrastructure and sensitive technologies.
• Space and Emerging Technologies: Counsels space and defense companies on orbital slot coordination, ITU filings, NOAA licensing and evolving regulation of AI-enabled and autonomous systems, including drones and dual-use technologies.
• FCC Enforcement: Represents companies and investors in FCC enforcement proceedings and investigations.

Drew’s strategic, business-minded counsel helps clients translate regulatory complexity into competitive advantage.

Outside of work, Drew enjoys rugby, running, traveling and is a devoted friend to cats and dogs alike.

Alberto Rueda Carazo is a Research Fellow at ESPI. Prior to joining ESPI, he was a teaching assistant of public international law at Sorbonne University and a Ph.D. candidate at Paris-Saclay University. He is a qualified lawyer, dually accredited in both Spain and France, with extensive experience in Space Law. Alberto has served as Co-lead of the Space Law and Policy Project Group of SGAC and as an assistant to the head of the UNOOSA’s legal and policy section.

With over two decades of experience, I am an accomplished well-connected and recognized strategic senior adviser in space policy with high professional reputation. Seasoned EU strategic adviser with exemplary track record in the TMT, space and defence industry. I worked at C-Level with major European and International organisations active in satellite, space and telecommunications sectors ( EU, ITU, UNOOSA, OCDE, UNIDO, ESPI, EUSPA, ESA, DLR, CNES, LSA, BELSPO, Greek Government, African Union, Smart Africa, Orange, TNO, SES, 3i3S). Substantial expertise in business development and advocacy to public and private customers, able to build and scale up businesses fast, digging out opportunities and bringing them to fruition from start to the completion of the contractual negotiations (Solaris Mobile, EGNOS, Galileo Operations). I advised the European Commission in space and Cybersecurity programmes. I led cross-functional teams in corporate, communication, business development, services, engineering, applying creativity, focus and dedication to achieve success. Kept the start-up company mentality from SAIT-Videohouse, pioneering the development of digital data distribution via satellite in Europe. She currently serves as Senior Director for European & Public Affairs at Aldoria and has recently taken on the role of CEO of Aldoria Belgium. Drawing on her extensive business and strategic experience in the space sector, she strengthens Aldoria’s positioning and visibility while driving new commercial developments.

Dr Ingo Baumann is co-founding partner of BHO Legal, a technology law firm based in Cologne, Germany. Ingo leads the space & satellite team of BHO Legal. Ingo has almost 25 years of experience in the space industry. He wrote his PhD at the Cologne Institute of Air and Space Law on the international law of satellite communications. Before establishing BHO Legal, he was legal adviser within the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), becoming later the Head of the DLR Galileo Project Office, and administrative CEO of DLR GfR mbH, the operating company of DLR for the German Galileo Control Centre. Ingo is advising ministries, agencies, large prime contractors, operators, SME and start-up companies across the entire value chain and application areas. He also advises clients from geospatial and defense sectors. Dr Ingo Baumann is member of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL), the European Centre for Space Law (ECSL), the Space Law Committee of the International Bar Association (IBA) and various other professional organisations. He mentors at SpaceFounders, Starburst Blast, EUSPA Academy, NATO Diana and other accelerators and programs.

Jaume Sanpera is a veteran telecom entrepreneur with 30 years of experience launching disruptive ventures, including Eurona, the first Spanish satellite operator to go public. As CEO of Sateliot, he is the strategic architect of the world’s first LEO constellation based on the 5G NTN standard. Currently leading the build-up of the Tritó satellite generation, Jaume is pioneering 5G NR (New Radio) capabilities from space to eliminate global coverage gaps and democratize connectivity for industrial and civil use worldwide.

Dr Tanja Masson-Zwaan is Assistant Professor and Deputy Director of the International Institute of Air and Space Law at Leiden University. She is President Emerita of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) and a former Vice President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF). She co-authored ‘Introduction to Space Law’ (5th ed., Kluwer 2025) and chairs the Board of Editors of Kluwer’s journal Air and Space Law. Tanja advises the Dutch Government and other institutions on space law issues and was co-founder of the Hague International Space Resources Governance Working Group. She teaches at universities worldwide and serves on various organisations’ (Advisory) Boards, including Open Lunar Foundation and the Space Sustainability Rating. See https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanjamasson/ and https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/tanja-masson-zwaan

Markus Fritz, Managing Director & Owner ADVISORIO. ADVISORIO is a premier consultancy serving global leaders in telecommunications, space, automotive, smart mobility, video distribution and ICT. Markus Fritz advises on growth strategy, market development, strategic partnerships, business models, and M&A, guiding corporations, scale-ups, public institutions, and think tanks in commercializing innovation. With 25+ years of executive leadership at SES Astra, Eutelsat, and Arabsat, he directed international commercial strategy, marketing, and strategic partnerships. As former board member of Digital Europe and ZVEI, and SAMENA Council Ambassador, he shaped policy and interoperability and open standards in the ICT industry.

Antonio Franchi works at the European Space Agency as the Head of the 5G/6G NTN Programme  Office in the Connectivity and Secure Communications Directorate.  

Antonio has over 30 years of experience in the satellite telecommunications industry. 

Prior to ESA, Antonio worked for over 20 years with a major global satellite operator, spearheading a new generation of satellite communications systems. 

Antonio received an MSc in Electronic Engineering from the University of Rome and an MBA from  the London Business School. 

He is author of 30+ articles and papers published at international conferences and professional  magazines and he holds six international patents in the satcom field.

Over the past 10+ years I have been consulting in the space and space-defense markets. I work with new and legacy space companies in hardware manufacturing and service operation to scale efficiently. We help to grow our clients top and bottom lines following the approach of “think strategically and act pragmatically.”  In my role I have colleacted extensive international experience across Europe, the US and beyond in the scaling of space companies across all functions from engineering to operations and sales. In addition I support clients from various industries like agriculture or automotive on the threats and opportunities of space infrastructure on their business model. For that I have build up a deep understanding of global markets and business models in core space domains like satellite communications, earth observation, navigation and transportation. I hold a PhD from the ETH in Zurich.

Olaf Eckart has specialized in building partnerships between BMW and external partners. He is one of the founding members of the Non Terrestrial Network (NTN) Team of BMW. He is also leading the NTN activities of the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) for more than 3 years. He is pushing multi-stakeholder alignment in the global telecommunication eco system. Satellite communication should be based on global mobile standards (3GPP) The NTN Roadmap, published by the 5GAA in September 2024 has become one of the most powerful tools to discuss the potential deployment of satellite communication in the future.

Dr. Polyzois (Zois) Kokkonis is the business development manager for satellite communications for the OHB Group, a European space and technology Group and one of the major independent forces in this industry. He has over 20 years of experience in software and telecommunications, working with major technology vendors and scaleups. After leading software development and system architecture teams, he turned into product and business development management for several worldwide deployed solutions. In 2021 he took the opportunity to shift to the space industry, which is rapidly transforming, first with the European Space Agency and since 2025 with the OHB group. Zois holds a B.Sc. in Physics from the University of Athens in Greece and a Ph.D. from the University of Münster, as well as an M.B.A. degree from the Hellenic Open University.

Warren Gebbett currently focuses on Innovation and Partnerships within the Future Business & Innovation group at SES. In more than 10 years with the company, he has held a variety of roles, from Systems Engineering for O3b Networks and Fleet Development to managing a Software Engineering team. Currently based in the Netherlands, Warren has previously lived and worked in both Luxembourg and the United States. He holds an MSc in Aerospace Engineering from Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)

Robert Nowicki is a manager, entrepreneur, and expert in strategic project management with extensive experience in the space, energy, and infrastructure sectors. He served as Chairman of the Polish Delegation to the European Space Agency (ESA), where he was involved in strengthening Poland’s cooperation within the European space ecosystem and supporting the development of the national space sector.

He also served as Deputy Minister of Development, overseeing major projects related to infrastructure, construction, and economic development. Throughout his career, he has managed and supervised numerous national and international initiatives focused on innovation, industrial strategy, and energy transformation.

Robert Nowicki has held executive and supervisory roles in both public and private organizations, including overseeing offshore operations at Orlen S.A., such as the Baltic Power offshore wind farm – awarded the Project Finance Award for the best investment in Europe in 2023.

Currently, as an advisor to the management board of Creotech Instruments, he is leading negotiations related to the IRIS² project. His expertise includes strategic development, international cooperation, risk management, and the delivery of large-scale complex projects.

Thomas Parry is the CEO and founder of SPHERICAL, a space electronics company developing mission-specific microchips and satellite systems for high-performance, resilient, and sovereign aerospace applications. His career spans both spacecraft engineering and semiconductor design, giving him a rare end-to-end perspective on how tailored electronics can unlock better space systems. Prior to SPHERICAL, he worked on satellite power and communication systems at Clyde Space and on advanced space microelectronics at SystematIC, including ESA-backed developments.

Jakob is a partner in McKinsey’s Aerospace & Defense Practice. He leads work with Private Equity and other investors investing in that space and is supporting on various strategy, M&A and growth topics.

Alexis Sáinz is the global co-leader of the Hogan Lovells Space and Satellite practice and a member of the Infrastructure, Energy, Resources & Projects group. She regularly represents export credit and multilateral development agencies, satellite operators, aerospace manufacturers, launch services providers, communications companies, financial institutions, project sponsors, private equity firms, hedge funds, and other industry participants on structured, project and vendor financings, in negotiating commercial and corporate transactions, and with commercially strategic regulatory matters. She also provides industry advice in connection with debt and equity offerings, joint ventures, mergers & acquisitions, and financial restructurings. Alexis works with investors and lenders to understand the underlying issues impacting space projects and companies, at the intersection of commercial, regulatory and financing aspects of a transaction. She works with project parties to focus on key deal points and to identify appropriate industry-based risk mitigants and efficient allocation of risk in order to build consensus and drive closure. She works with companies to build a project and financing strategy from the ground up, anticipating financing issues early in the development of a new project or the growth of a company. Alexis serves as Co-Chair for the American Bar Association’s Committee on Space Law and is a Board Member for the Washington Space Business Roundtable. She co-authored the chapter on “Commercial Satellite Programs” in the Routledge Handbook of Space Law and teaches Space Law at the George Washington University School of Law. Prior to beginning her legal career in 2007, Alexis spent over 10 years working in internet-based industries, including e-commerce and media. She previously served as a consultant for the World Bank, National Geographic, and domestic non-profit organizations in connection with internet-based technology, and she was an early member of KPMG Peat Marwick’s financial service’s e-commerce consulting practice, where she focused on emerging technologies.

Giuseppe Borghi is leading the Φ-lab Division since June 2020, with the mission to “accelerate the future of Earth observation.” He holds a PhD in robotics and artificial intelligence, as well as a Master’s degree in executive general management. After a few years in AI and robotics research at Politecnico di Milano, he transitioned to the space industry in 1998, dedicating about 30 years to driving global innovation. Throughout his career, he has held numerous executive and managerial roles, with a steadfast commitment to advancing the space industry by leveraging transformative innovations in technology and business models as key enablers of success

Mr. Schmidt is a Managing Director at KippsDeSanto & Co. and co-heads the Aerospace / Defense Group. Prior to joining KippsDeSanto & Co., Mr. Schmidt was a Senior Vice President in Houlihan Lokey’s Washington, DC office and a member of its Aerospace·Defense·Government Services industry investment banking group, where he focused on sellside and buyside M&A advisory engagements, sourcing growth capital, and conducting strategic alternatives assessments. Prior to joining Houlihan Lokey’s ADG practice, Mr. Schmidt was a cavalry officer in the U.S. Army, serving in Europe, the Middle East, and the United States in various combat arms assignments. He also served in the Pentagon on the staff of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, working on classified intelligence assessments and transformation efforts, and he served on the U.S. Army Staff, working on equipment modernization and weapons testing. Mr. Schmidt earned a B.S. in engineering (aeronautical) from the United States Military Academy at West Point, an M.S. in operations research from the Naval Post Graduate School, and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is registered with FINRA as a General Securities Registered Representative (Series 7, 63).

Mike Collett is Founder and Managing Partner of Promus Ventures, a DeepTech venture capital firm with offices in the US and Europe, investing in AI, space, robotics and other DeepTech early-stage startups. Mike has been a venture capital investor in software and hardware for more than 20 years. Mike has served on numerous Boards of Directors, including Rocket Lab, Spire Global, ICEYE, Halter, Lunar Outpost, Chef Robotics, Gauss Surgical, Recycleye, and others. Prior to Promus Ventures, Mike was Founder and Managing Partner of Masters Capital Nanotechnology Fund, a venture capital firm. While working at Masters Capital, a hedge fund, Mike invested in early-stage DeepTech startups. Prior to venture capital, Mike was a Vice President in Merrill Lynch’s Mergers & Acquisitions group. Mike holds a BA in Math and BA in English from Vanderbilt University. He also holds a MBA in Finance from Washington University in St. Louis. Mike and his wife Paige have four children and live in Chicago.

Sven Meyer-Brunswick is a Principal at Alpine Space Ventures. Prior to Alpine Space Ventures, Sven served as part of the executive team for space laser communication company Mynaric. During his more than 7-year tenure with Mynaric, he led all investor relations activities of the publicly listed company and orchestrated more than a dozen capital market transactions securing over $250 million growth capital from public and private markets, including two successful IPOs on both Nasdaq and the Frankfurt stock exchange.

Sven also shaped Mynaric’s communications strategy and led all marketing, public relations, and internal communications activities, ensuring a cohesive and compelling message for the company, introducing a new brand to the market and establishing its reputation in the industry. During Sven’s tenure, Mynaric grew from a team of 30 to more than 300 and evolved from a garage-shop prototype developer into an industry-leading scale-up with the industry’s largest customer backlog and a defensible moat for the years to come.

Before joining the space industry, Sven acquired a Master’s degree in Photonics Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark and a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Science from the Technical University of Munich. He’s also been a visiting scholar of the London School of Economics, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology and the Nanyang Technical University of Singapore and has a long history of engagement with the local startup communities.

James is the founder of Orbital Insight. Since 2013 the company has been pursuing the mission of processing geospatial data at petabyte scale to help commercial and government customers understand what we are doing on and to the Earth. Orbital Insight was, and is, a leader in showing how AI can be used to process satellite data at a global scale. In 2024 the company merged with Privateer Space – an innovative space company co-founded by Steve Wozniak. In addition to being the founder of Orbital Insight, James works as Chief Strategy Officer for the combined company. Previously he was SVP of Science and Engineering at the Climate Corporation through its $1B acquisition by Monsanto. Before his time at Climate he was CTO and Software Architect at Moon Express — a startup with the goal of putting the first commercial robot on the Moon. Previous to that, he was engineering Director of Google Book Search where he was in charge of Google’s project to scan, index, and make searchable the world’s books. He also led autonomy and robotics at NASA’s Ames Research Center. James holds PhD and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Austin, and a BA in Math and Computer Science from Rice University.

Dr Marco Esposito is Managing Director at cosine. Marco is Managing Director of cosine Remote Sensing, overseeing both the Dutch headquarters and the Italian branch, where he leads business growth, strategic positioning, industrial scale-up, and the execution of key institutional and defense programs. With a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Naples and prior experience at the Italian National Research Council and ESA/ESTEC, he combines deep technical expertise with executive leadership across the full value chain of advanced remote sensing systems.

At cosine, Marco has played a central role in transforming the company’s remote sensing activities into a scalable and strategically positioned business, leading teams across engineering, programs, operations, and commercialization. He has driven the development and market introduction of advanced miniaturized optical payloads for Earth Observation, while also overseeing the expansion of production capabilities for next-generation smart EO instruments. A major part of his current focus is the development of sovereign Earth Observation capabilities for defense and security applications. In this context, Marco leads initiatives aimed at delivering national EO observation capabilities for the Ministry of Defense, supporting the creation of strategically relevant space assets and industrial capabilities in Europe.

Matt Jenkins Chief Space Systems Officer Matt Jenkins is Chief Space Systems Officer of Vantor, a role he’s held since September 2024. He brings two decades of systems engineering leadership, including extensive experience in serving remote sensing and highly technical government missions. With extensive technical expertise in passive and active electro-optical and infrared systems, lasers and radio frequency (RF) systems, he has helped build dozens of advanced spacecrafts that are on orbit today. Previously, Matt was Head of Engineering for Amazon Project Kuiper’s Government Solutions team, where he led the design of advanced and resilient systems to support U.S. national security priorities. Before that, he was the Director of Space Engineering at Pacific Defense Strategies, where he led the development of innovative RF payloads for national security and space domain awareness missions. Earlier in his career, he spent more than 15 years at Raytheon, including serving as Chief Systems Engineer for the company’s missile warning and defense systems business, as well as leading Raytheon’s Space System Engineering team. During his time there, he led the team responsible for designing the optical imaging instrument in Vantor’s WorldView Legion satellites. Matt earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Optics from the University of Rochester, and a Master’s degree in Systems Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. He also holds two remote sensing-related patents and has developed 20+ trade secrets in optical system assembly integration and test.

Over the course of his career, Thys has built a unique blend of experience across the space, medical device, and software development industries. He began as an electronic systems engineer, contributing to the development of Earth Observation payloads for satellites—a role that immersed him in the high-stakes technical environment of the European and South African space sectors.

Transitioning into product leadership and business development, Thys served as CEO of a medical device startup, where he successfully led the company from concept to market launch in the United States with a practical, hands-on approach.

Since 2018, Thys has returned to the satellite industry as Chief Commercial Officer at Simera Sense, a leading provider of optical payloads for small satellites. He was instrumental in positioning the company as the preferred supplier of optical payloads in the international small satellite market.

EO System Architect – Reference Architecture Intelligence at Earth Observation Directorate ESA/ESTEC – E.g. Future EO mission needs to support environmental policies – Foresight 2050 – EO needs and societal challenges in the future 2021 – 2024: FutureEO Coordination at ESA/ESTEC The Netherlands – ESA Council Ministerial 2022 – coordination of EO envelope programme 2018-2021: Deputy Head Programm Strategy&Space R&D at DLR/Cologne Germany – Supporting DLR CEO – Coordinating new initiatives e.g. new DLR Institutes, Quantum Computing , … 2013-2018: Scientific Researcher – Coordinator of Copernicus in Germany, DLR/Bonn Germany – Enabling public authorities to integrate EO-data and EO-based services 2008-2013: Remote Sensing Solutions GmbH, Munich Germany

Curt Blake is Senior Of Counsel in the Seattle office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he is a member of the corporate practice. Curt is an attorney and senior executive with more than 25 years of experience leading organizations in high-growth industries—and over 10 years as CEO of Spaceflight, Inc.—at the forefront of the NewSpace revolution. He has extensive expertise in strategic planning, financial analysis, legal strategy, M&A, and space commercialization, with deep knowledge about the unique challenges of NewSpace growth and the roadmap to success in the that ecosystem. He has forged relationships with key commercial, civilian, and defense-related customers. Milestones include opening the Indian PSLV to U.S. commercial customers, the first dedicated rideshare Falcon 9 launch vehicle mission deploying a then-record 64 satellites, and launching the first non-governmental mission to the moon (SpaceIL), as well as developing, launching, and orbiting several flavors of Sherpa, the Spaceflight OTV.

Jeanne Allarie serves as the Chief Investor Relations Officer at Exolaunch, the global leader in satellite launch mission management, integration services, and deployment technologies. Dedicated to bringing Exolaunch’s mission — access to space, constellation launches, satellite deployment, and integration services — to an even greater scale, she leads the company’s activities with the investment community.

With over a decade of experience in commercial satellite launches, Jeanne previously served as Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer, where she spearheaded Exolaunch’s business development and launch strategy, driving exceptional growth and solidifying the company’s leading position in the New Space industry.

Jeanne has played a pivotal role in successfully launching over 750 customer satellites for commercial satellite operators, space agencies, universities, and scientific institutions. Her efforts have expanded Exolaunch’s global customer base, facilitated partnerships with industry giants, and enabled the company to support large constellation deployments, unlocking valuable data from space.

Oier Del Rey is an Aerospace Engineer with a degree from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and a Master’s in Space Systems Engineering from ISAE-SUPAERO (University of Toulouse). His academic background spans launch vehicle preliminary design, architecture definition, and mission analysis, and is complemented by experience in market research and strategy that bridges his technical expertise with a commercial perspective on the space industry. He currently works at PLD Space as part of the Launch Services Business Development team, where he leads commercial and institutional customer engagement, drives launch service sales, and shapes product strategy to meet the evolving needs of the space market.

Valentin BENOIT founded RIDE! in 2020, and since then a growing number of launch missions have come to life, shaping the company into a team of expert launch mission managers serving satellite operators and manufacturers worldwide. Through a network of 35+ launch providers across the United States, Europe, India, and China, RIDE! now supports clients in over 50 countries, with 45+ executed launch contracts and 21 satellites currently in orbit. The company has built hands-on experience across 7 different launch providers—Falcon 9, PSLV, Vega-C, Ariane 62, Mira, Kinetica-1, and Vigoride—and is set to expand to 10 with upcoming missions on Miura 5, Spectrum, and SpaceVan. Along the way, RIDE! has contributed to major programs such as the IRIDE constellation with Argotec HEO satellites, the Atlantic Constellation, and the Moonlight program with Telespazio.

Xavier Lansel is the Head of Marketing and Business Intelligence for Launch Services at Avio, based in Paris, France. He is supporting the Sales team dedicated to the commercialization of the Vega C launch services. Prior to Avio, Xavier worked for Novaspace as Manager on satellite manufacturing and satcom connectivity topics. Before this, he worked for the French Aerospace Research Office (ONERA) as a Key Accounts Manager for the aeronautical sector. He also worked at Marlink as a Project Manager and at Airbus Defence and Space in business development positions.​Xavier holds a Master’s Degree in General Engineering from EPF Graduate School of Engineering where he specialized in Aeronautics & Space, as well as a Master’s Degree in European Business with a specialization in Finance from ESCP Europe.

An aerospace engineer, he graduated from the Polytechnic University of Milan and specialized at the University of Kansas with a Master’s and PhD in Aerospace Engineering, and a Master’s in Engineering Management. He began his career in 1998 at Carlo Gavazzi Space (now OHB Italia), a leading European system integrator based in Milan, Italy, before moving to the United States, first for university studies (from 2000 to 2005) and then continuing at Swales Aerospace (now Northrop Grumman). In 2007, he joined SpaceX, Elon Musk’s aerospace company, as Mission Director for Dragon, the first commercial spacecraft for orbital flights of goods and people. In 2013, he became a partner in Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems Inc., based in Irvine, California, and in 2015, he founded Tyvak International in Turin. Recognized as one of the world leaders in the commercial and military small-satellite sector, the company went public (NYSE) in 2021 under the name Terran Orbital, and was sold to Lockheed Martin in 2024. While maintaining his activity as a private investor, since 2024, Marco provides consulting and advisory services, holds multiple board positions, collaborates closely with Trive Capital, an American private equity firm based in Dallas, and serves as the CEO of Canopy A&D, a company specializing in advanced materials for the naval and aerospace sectors.

Luis Gomes is the CEO of the AAC Clyde Space group. He joined the company in 2019 and is based in Glasgow, from where he runs the group’s operations in 5 different countries. Luis has worked in the space industry for over 25 years, starting as a mission design engineer at SSTL, later moving on to management of space missions. For the past 15 years, he has had executive management roles in the industry. Luis joined AAC Clyde Space to pursue the next revolution in the space industry, focusing his efforts in growing the company in particular expanding the Data and Services business.

Pieter van Duijn is Chief Technology Officer at Loft Orbital, where he leads the company’s technical vision and engineering roadmap, driving the development of the hardware and software infrastructure behind Loft’s flexible space infrastructure model. Prior to Loft, Pieter served as CTO of SSBV Aerospace & Technology Group. He brings more than 25 years of experience spanning mission design, systems engineering, electrical engineering, and project management across more than 30 ESA, NASA, and commercial space missions. 

Pierre Wilhelm is a Swiss-Italian executive and a key driver of growth at Aerospacelab, where he serves since 2021 as EMEA Business Development Director and CEO of Switzerland. In this role, he has been instrumental in securing multi-million dollar deals with both commercial and institutional partners across the region. Drawing on 15+ years in high-technology B2B markets and a track record of managing up to $200M in sales at Honeywell Aerospace, he combines deep engineering expertise with sharp commercial instincts.

Simon leads EnduroSat’s Strategic Partnerships, after founding its commercial Space Services business over the past two years. Previously, he spent six years at Spire Global as General Manager of Spire Maritime and VP of Business Development at Spire Space Services. Since 2000, Simon has built and scaled global commercial organizations across the space industry. He began his career at SES in Luxembourg and Spain, and later held roles at General Electric and Honeywell Global Tracking, driving adoption of innovative satellite-enabled services across multiple industries worldwide.

Eric Anderson is President of And One Technologies and a startup investor across multiple business areas. He emphasizes delivery of data and services via new technologies, channels and business models including facilitating government access and use of emerging commercial space products and services. Eric contributed to dozens of space systems, missions and programs as Chief Technologist for Space at Moog, at CSA Engineering, where he served several years as President, and at JPL. He earned degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT.

Johan Åman is an executive known for his leadership in the semiconductor industry. Currently serving as the CEO of Unibap Space Solutions, he brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles as the CEO of Scienta Scientific and as the VP of R&D at Mycronic. With a proven track record of driving innovation and growth, Åman has established himself as a prominent figure in the technology sector. His tenure at Mycronic was particularly influential, where he played a key role in shaping the company’s advancements in the semiconductor industry. Today, as the head of Unibap Space Solutions, Johan Åman continues to spearhead initiatives that push the boundaries of technological innovation within Edge and Cloud computing in Space.

Mr. Vincenzo Stanzione, in SITAEL since 2015, is currently CTO and head of engineering, leading the three product lines (satellites, propulsion, electronics). He has more than 20 years of experience, mainly in Satellite System Engineering, with more about 10 years spent in Thales Alenia Space, covering technical management roles in EO-Telecom-Navigation missions.

For the past eight years, Vincent Gagnon has led Innoflight’s business development, marketing, and contracts organization, driving transformative growth and strategic expansion across the space industry. Prior to joining Innoflight, he served as Director of Business Development & Marketing at L3Harris Technologies, where he successfully developed and captured new international opportunities. Under his leadership, Innoflight has achieved more than 20x revenue growth through strategic wins in both U.S. and international markets, while building enduring partnerships with government and commercial customers. His blend of technical expertise and commercial acumen has helped position Innoflight as a trusted and innovative partner in the rapidly evolving space market. Today, the company serves nearly 100 customers worldwide. Beyond driving revenue, Vincent is recognized as a force multiplier — elevating conversations around innovation, collaboration, and the future of space technologies while fostering long-term relationships that create lasting impact.

Viney Dhiri leads the Space Cloud Business Unit at D-Orbit, driving the organisation’s transition into a new era of how business is conceived, delivered, and scaled in space. With over 25 years in the space industry, he brings a rare combination of technical depth, operational leadership, and commercial acumen. He is focused on shaping space as a fully integrated digital infrastructure -connecting orbital and terrestrial systems to enable faster, more relevant decision-making. He aligns strategy, product development, and execution to deliver scalable services that unlock new markets beyond traditional space applications. His work sits at the intersection of technology, business model innovation, and market transformation – positioning Space Cloud as a foundational layer for the next generation of global services.

Dr. Victor Aguero, co-Founder of Cambrian Works, serves as CEO and CTO for the company, and has over 40 years of Space Industry experience as a researcher and contractor working across Civilian, Defense, and Intelligence sectors. Cambrian Works is a startup focused on transforming space connectivity through networking, edge-computing, and generalized manipulation to normalize space system reconfigurability, modularity, interoperability and interconnectivity. Prior to co-founding Cambrian Works, he spent 23 years at SRI International leading development of new technologies and architecting new space system concepts. He holds multiple patents and has published in journals across a variety of disciplines. He has worked on over a dozen missions, multiple constellation developments, and many novel space programs varying from Space Sciences for NASA to new capability missions and technology developments for DoD and IC entities. His last 15 years have focused on coordinating teams implementing constellation architectures and generalizing approaches to physical mobility and manipulation in space to develop the infrastructure for the dynamic, inter-connected eco-system that Space is becoming.

Michael is Director of Business Development & Product at Kepler Communications, leading international sales and product strategy for Kepler’s optical data relay network and hosted payload business. He works with satellite operators, mission developers, and government partners to enable real-time data delivery from orbit through optical communications infrastructure. With more than a decade of experience across the space and aerospace sectors, Michael has held leadership roles spanning business development, programme delivery, and mission development for both satellite and defence platforms. Prior to Kepler, he led the Space Services business at Spire Global, supporting RF and optical satellite missions for government and commercial customers. Earlier in his career at Leonardo, he worked on advanced radar, electronic warfare, and infrared targeting systems for multiple European fast jet platforms.

Lubos Fedora serves as the Senior Sales & Business Development Manager at Mynaric, where he oversees commercial customers and programs across EMEA and APAC. Based in Germany, he is responsible for developing tailored solutions for existing customers while driving new business opportunities. 

With more than a decade of experience in the aerospace industry, Lubos combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of customer requirements for complex missions. 

Before joining Mynaric, he worked at Honeywell Aerospace and Airinmar in the United Kingdom. 

Lubos holds a Master of Engineering (MEng) in Aerospace Engineering from The University of Manchester.

Jean-François Morizur is the CEO and co-founder of Cailabs, a global deeptech company. Before launching the company in 2013, he worked at the Boston Consulting Group as Senior Associate. A graduate of the École normale supérieure in Paris, Jean-François holds two doctoral degrees in quantum optics, from Sorbonne University and the Australian National University. While working on his thesis at the Kastler Brossel Laboratory, he co-invented Multi-Plane Light Conversion (MPLC), a groundbreaking technology that underpins Cailabs’ products. As Cailabs’ CEO, he is responsible for driving the company’s vision and strategic direction. Under his leadership, Cailabs has emerged as a leading company in its field, pushing the boundaries of what is achievable in the world of optical products with groundbreaking applications in space, defence, energy and other major industries.

Since 2023 Head of Sales for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Tesat-Spacecom in Backnang, Germany. Responsible for sales and key-account management for the complete product portfolio including RF, Laser, Digital and Payload products. 2006 – 2023 Project and Program manager for various equipment, payload and development programs at TESAT. PhD and Diploma in Physics from Karlruhe Institute of Technology, Germany.

Gus van der Feltz is Head of Sales & Marketing at FSO Instruments, which he joined at its founding in 2023. FSO Instruments develops and industrializes secure, high‑capacity laser satellite communication systems—critical infrastructure for Europe’s future data sovereignty and space‑based connectivity. The company combines an agile engineering culture with the industrial strength of its parent organizations: VDL, a leading European high‑tech manufacturer, and Demcon, a multidisciplinary engineering and technology group. Embedded in the Dutch optical and space‑communications ecosystem, FSO Instruments accelerates the transition of strategic technologies into scalable industrial solutions. Gus holds an MSc in Applied Physics from TU Delft and an MBA from INSEAD. With over 25 years in the Dutch high‑tech sector, including leadership roles at ASML, Philips, and multiple startups, he has extensive experience bringing breakthrough technologies to market. His work focuses on building partnerships between industry, government, and knowledge institutions to strengthen Europe’s technological autonomy.

Sabrina currently serves as Space Lead within the SnT Technology Transfer Office at the University of Luxembourg, where she supports the translation of space technologies into real-world applications. She is also the Founder and CEO of Matter Space and Defence and previously served as a Director leading KPMG’s EU Space Practice, working across government, institutions, and industry on a wide range of space and defence initiatives. After completing a Bachelor’s degree in Theoretical Physics, Sabrina entered the space sector through a Master’s at the International Space University in Strasbourg. Her career includes roles at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the European Space Agency (ESA/EAC), before she specialised in sustainability within the space sector and completed an MBA. She has held senior roles at SES Satellites and BDO, where she established and led new departments. Sabrina is also Chair of the Space and Defence Working Group at the British Chamber of Commerce for Luxembourg. Alongside her professional work, she is actively engaged in education and sustainability, lecturing on space and sustainability at institutions including the International Space University, EPFL, the European Institute of Innovation for Sustainability (EIIS), Leiden University, and institutions across the UK. She has also served as Technical Manager for Space4Climate, a group chaired by the UK Space Agency, and is a mentor for the UN Space4Women programme.

Dr. Gianluigi Baldesi is the Head of the Ventures and Financing Office at the European Space Agency, where he leads initiatives to enhance access to investors, financial institutions, and deal-flow opportunities for the space sector through the ESA Investor Network. His work includes fostering collaborations with the European Investment Bank, national development banks, and the European Commission. He also plays a key role in helping companies scale up by driving commercial growth and investment readiness through various initiatives, including the ESA Marketplace and ESA Business Accelerator. With over 20 years of experience in business and technology leadership for future aerospace missions in cross-cultural environments, Gianluigi has held various positions within ESA, including in the Technical and Space Transportation Directorate and the Strategy Department under the Director General. He holds a PhD in Systems Engineering from Supaero and Sapienza University of Rome and an Executive MBA from Columbia Business School and London Business School.

Anders Bohlin works in the Digital Infrastructure Division at the Projects Directorate of the European Investment Bank (EIB) based in Luxembourg. He works with a team of experts involved in project due diligences related to the EIB’s lending activities in the Space sector. He also works on the Bank’s business strategy with respect to financing of Space and terrestrial broadband infrastructure, innovation policy and the digital economy in general. Anders has also contributed to defining new financial instruments for digital infrastructure jointly with the European Commission, national promotional banks and the private sector. Before joining the EIB, Anders held senior positions in the telecommunications industry. Anders holds a Master’s degree from the Stockholm School of Economics.

Paul is the Global Lead for the Space Technology Group. In addition, he is the UKI Lead for Developing Businesses. He is an intrapeneur, an innovation specialist and builder of new businesses that are founded on emerging technologies.

Dr Marco Esposito is Managing Director at cosine. Marco is Managing Director of cosine Remote Sensing, overseeing both the Dutch headquarters and the Italian branch, where he leads business growth, strategic positioning, industrial scale-up, and the execution of key institutional and defense programs. With a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Naples and prior experience at the Italian National Research Council and ESA/ESTEC, he combines deep technical expertise with executive leadership across the full value chain of advanced remote sensing systems.

At cosine, Marco has played a central role in transforming the company’s remote sensing activities into a scalable and strategically positioned business, leading teams across engineering, programs, operations, and commercialization. He has driven the development and market introduction of advanced miniaturized optical payloads for Earth Observation, while also overseeing the expansion of production capabilities for next-generation smart EO instruments. A major part of his current focus is the development of sovereign Earth Observation capabilities for defense and security applications. In this context, Marco leads initiatives aimed at delivering national EO observation capabilities for the Ministry of Defense, supporting the creation of strategically relevant space assets and industrial capabilities in Europe.

Francho Garcia is one of the Cofounders and the CEO of Arkadia Space, leading all business development and sales activities, as well as investment and funding. Arkadia Space is a company developing chemical propulsion systems using hydrogen peroxide for all kinds of satellites and space vehicles. It´s working already with major customers in Europe, and in 2025 it became in the first company in Europe in successfully testing a propulsion system using hydrogen peroxide. Francho is an Aerospace Engineer with 14 years of experience in the space sector at Airbus Defense & Space, the European Space Agency, and PLD Space, having held roles across engineering, as well as management, investment, and business development.

Gabriele is a Partner at PwC Strategy& focused on AD&S sector and part of the leadership team of Strategy& Italy. With over 18 years of experience in strategy consulting, he works at the intersection of space, aerospace and technological transformation, advising both industry leaders and public institutions. Since joining Booz & Company in 2012, Gabriele has supported space agencies, defence organizations and aerospace primes across Europe on ecosystem design, industrial strategy, supply‑chain resilience and technology-driven growth, with increasing focus on upstream and downstream applications. His perspective blends strategic depth with hands‑on advisory experience, supporting the development of a robust and competitive European space value chain.

Markus Geiss is a Business Leader, Engineer and NewSpace Advocate with over 10 years of international experience in the Space sector, reaching from academia to large system integrators and NewSpace startups. Currently, Markus is the Chief Commercial Officer at Dcubed, where he’s responsible for overseeing all commercial activities and expanding the business globally. Markus Geiss holds a Master’s and PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder and he’s a graduate of the International Space University’s Space Studies Program.

Co-Founder and CEO of ISISPACE since 2006 Chairman of SpaceNed, Branche Organisation of Space Companies in the Netherlands since 2018

Richard French leads business development and strategy for Rocket Lab’s space systems division, providing end-to-end mission services and on-orbit operations with the company’s family of spacecraft and high-end satellite components including propulsion, reaction wheels, star trackers, optical systems, RF systems, solar power solutions, and more. Richard spent over a decade at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he led development of the Techstars Starburst Space Accelerator program and managed technology partnerships with industry in the Office of Space Technology. He also spent two years on detail to NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. as a Staff Technologist in the Space Technology Mission Directorate, leading development of the Tipping Point and Announcement of Collaborative Opportunity solicitations. Richard’s earlier career includes service as an engineer on various NASA missions, including being awarded the NASA Honors Early Career Public Achievement Medal for his work as a lead mechanical systems engineer on the Soil Moisture Active Passive mission, and helping to land the Curiosity Rover on Mars as a member of the Mars Science Laboratory entry, descent, and landing systems engineering team. Richard holds a Masters degree in Space Systems Engineering and a Bachelors degree in Aerospace Engineering, both from the University of Michigan.

Noel Rimalovski is the Managing Partner of GH Partners, an investment bank headquartered in NY and London. At GH Partners, Mr. Rimalovski leads the investment banking team providing advisory services to clients, including sales and acquisitions of companies, restructurings, private placements, credit advisory, valuations, and fairness opinions. GH’s clients include domestic and international public and private companies and government agencies with a focus in the Space and Defense industries. Prior to joining GH Partners, Mr. Rimalovski was Senior Vice President at Macquarie Capital, focusing on investing in the telecommunications and technology sectors, including $1.8bn of investments in communications infrastructure. Prior to Macquarie, he was Director in the Mergers & Acquisition Group of Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, and its predecessor Wasserstein Perella. Mr. Rimalovski commenced his career at Lazard Frères. Mr. Rimalovski earned his MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School (with honors) and BA in Quantitative Economics from Tufts University.

Carsten Drachmann is the Chief Executive Officer of GomSpace, a position he has held since March 2023. He brings more than 25 years of international leadership experience across the global technology sector, spanning start-ups, scale-ups, and Fortune 500 companies. Before joining GomSpace, Mr. Drachmann held CEO roles at Zero Error Systems PTE LTD in Singapore, KebNi AB in Stockholm, and the International Copyright Enterprise, also in Stockholm. He also served as Chief Sales & Marketing Officer and Managing Director for EMEA at DataPath Inc. in London. A significant portion of his career—20 years—was spent in leadership roles at Nokia, where he played a key role in driving innovation, scaling operations, and leading international market expansion. Mr. Drachmann holds an MSc in Software & Electronics from the Technical University of Denmark and an Executive MBA in Strategy & Organisation from Stanford University, with a focus on leadership in the tech industry. He currently serves on the board of RTX A/S and is recognized for his ability to accelerate growth, enhance shareholder value, and lead organizations through transformation and profitable growth.

Chris Faletra is the President and Chief Executive Officer of COMSAT, a Goonhilly company, where he is responsible for the overall strategic direction, operational leadership, and growth of COMSAT’s U.S. and UK teleport, data center, and satellite ground infrastructure business. With more than 35 years of experience in the satellite communications industry, Chris leads COMSAT’s mission to deliver resilient, secure, and globally connected ground segment services for government, commercial, and emerging GEO, MEO, and LEO satellite operators. As President and CEO, Chris oversees all aspects of COMSAT’s operations, including infrastructure investment, regulatory compliance, customer engagement, and long term business planning. Since assuming the role, he has played a central leadership role in the successful transition of COMSAT to Goonhilly ownership, development of a new Teleport Services growth strategy, and securing investment to modernize and expand COMSAT’s teleport and data center capabilities. Chris began his satellite communications career in 1986 at GTE Telecom International Systems, where he built a strong technical foundation that continues to inform his executive leadership today. Throughout his career, he has combined deep engineering expertise with commercial and operational leadership, successfully managing complex global programs and long term customer relationships across the satellite and telecommunications sectors. Under his leadership, COMSAT’s Southbury, Connecticut and Santa Paula, California teleports maintain long standing WTA Tier 4 certification, and Goonhilly, Cornwall UK teleport maintain ISO27001 certification uniquely positioning the company to support mission critical ground segment infrastructure for next generation satellite services. Chris continues to drive innovation and expansion of COMSAT’s service portfolio, ensuring the company remains a trusted provider of highly resilient, geographically diverse, and secure satellite and terrestrial connectivity solutions.

Giovanni Pandolfi Bortoletto is Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Leaf Space, a pioneering Ground Segment as a Service (GSaaS) company providing connectivity to satellites through through its Leaf Line and Leaf Key products. With a background in Space and Aerospace Engineering from Politecnico di Milano from which he directly co-funded Leaf Space, Giovanni has spent over a decade building Leaf Space’s proprietary technology stack and product portfolio.

Paul Gouws is CTO at ETL Systems, a leading designer and manufacturer of RF and digital equipment for mission‑critical satellite communications. ETL Systems’ solutions are trusted by the world’s top satellite operators and teleports to support resilient, secure, and high‑availability ground segment infrastructure. Paul joined ETL Systems in 2018 and brings more than 20 years of experience across the satellite communications ecosystem. His career spans both ends of the SATCOM link, having held lead technical roles in the design and development of advanced avionics SATCOM terminals, spacecraft RF systems, and large‑scale satellite ground segment equipment.

Ron Faith is a serial entrepreneur returning to the space industry after stints in cloud computing and mobile commerce. Most recently Ron was the CEO of Datacastle, a cloud based endpoint data protection company acquired by Carbonite last year. Prior to Datacastle, Ron worked at Apple Computer where he launched Apple’s first standalone Internet product in the mid-90s. Ron is a published author and patent owner. Ron graduated from the University of Washington with a Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering where he performed research for Boeing Aerospace and Defense Group in frequency selective surfaces. Ron attained his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College where he double-majored in Engineering Sciences and Philosophy.

Ahsun Murad is the President and CEO of Optimal Satcom, which he co-founded as a spin-off from Lockheed Martin and Comsat in 2002. Over the last 23 years since its founding, Optimal Satcom has grown to support a large segment of the satellite industry with industry-leading enterprise-level software products and systems for resource management, service planning, optimization, and business intelligence. Over 15 satellite operators, 20 of the largest satellite service providers, and major US Government DoD, allied governments, and civilian agencies use Optimal Satcom products and systems today. As a world expert in satellite communications technology with over 30 years of experience, Mr. Murad advises satellite companies and governments on satellite system design, the application and adoption of transformative technologies, and the formulation of policies. Before founding Optimal Satcom, Mr. Murad held management positions at Lockheed Martin and COMSAT Laboratories. In these positions, he headed the development of products for transmission planning and satellite capacity management and was the lead system architect for a number of commercial SATCOM and MILSATCOM projects. Before joining COMSAT Laboratories, Mr. Murad worked at the NASA Center for Satellite and Hybrid Communications Networks, where he was involved in research and development related to hybrid satellite-terrestrial mobile communications systems and complex multi-satellite systems. Mr. Murad graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India, with a Bachelor of Technology degree in Electrical Engineering. He holds a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park.

Domenico Mignolo has joined the European Space Agency (European Space Research and Technology Centre – ESTEC, Noordwijk, the Netherlands) in 2002. At ESA Domenico is currently the Head of Technologies and Products Division managing the ARTES Core Competitiveness programme in the ESA Connectivity and Secure Communications Directorate. In his career at ESA, he has been technical officer of several satellite systems, ground and user segment development projects as well as involved in standardization activities supported by the Agency. He also contributed to the initiation of several new programmes and Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects. He is author of several international publications in the field of SATCOM system and communication protocols.

Guy de Carufel is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cognitive Space, a Texas based startup which is redefining how space assets are orchestrated through AI for the effective use of Space. Guy has two decades of experience in the space industry, including working on the NASA Artemis program with safety critical software, building advanced simulation models, guidance software for launch vehicles and automation systems. Guy grew up in Canada, where he gained his master’s degree in aerospace engineering at the University of Toronto.

Koen Willems has 30 years’ experience working in different technology industries. Before joining ST Engineering iDirect (former Newtec) he was Product Marketing Manager for Europe at the electronics giant TOSHIBA. Currently Koen holds the position of VP EU/NATO Programs at ST Engineering iDirect with focus on government, defense and humanitarian satellite communication applications. In this role Mr. Willems is in charge of developing the government and defense market with a particular focus on EU programs such as the EDF European Protected Waveform (EPW), EU GovSatCom and the upcoming IRIS2 constellation. Koen has a Master’s degree in English & Scandinavian Languages (University Ghent, Belgium, 1997) and a Master’s degree in Marketing Strategy and Management (Vlekho Business School in Brussels, 1998). More recently Koen also received the degree for ‘High Studies in Security and Defence’ at the Belgian Royal Higher Institute for Defence, the SERA degree (European Session for Armament Officials) for the Defence armament economy course focusing on European challenges at the French National Institute of Higher Defence in Paris and the degree for the ‘European Advanced Strategy Course on Security and Defence’ by the Egmont Institute. You may know Koen as a ST Engineering technology evangelist through his regular appearance in editorials in satellite focused publications, white papers and speaking slots at conferences around the world.

Álvaro Sánchez, CEO of INTEGRASYS and Marquess of Antella, is a Software and Industrial Engineer with a master’s in business from ESIC Business School. Recognized as one of SSPI’s “20 under 35” professionals in 2022, Sánchez has led INTEGRASYS through groundbreaking innovations. His expertise spans satellite communications and network management. Under his leadership, INTEGRASYS has pioneered technologies to enhance satellite maneuverability, optimizing operational efficiency and resilience. Álvaro’s forward-thinking approach continues to drive the company’s contributions to the evolving needs of the space and defense industries.

Arad Gharagozli is the Founder and CEO of Galaxia, Canadian space and defence technology company developing advanced satellite platforms that enable real time threat detection and intelligence relay for defence and commercial applications. He is also the founder of the Pulsar Institute, a Canadian non profit advocating for space strategy reform and next generation STEM education, and the founder of the Dalhousie Space Systems Lab, which anchored space research in Atlantic Canada a decade ago. As an aerospace engineer, Arad trained with the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency in spacecraft manufacturing and operations. His work focuses on building sovereign, scalable and agile space systems that bring modern capabilities to orbit and here on Earth.

Dennis Moore is Chief Commercial Officer of Reflex Aerospace, a German satellite manufacturer delivering tailor-made platforms for commercial and defence customers. Dennis spearheads the company’s commercial strategy and oversees sales, marketing, and customer relationships, as well as Reflex’s upcoming plans for global expansion. He brings with him almost 20 years of sales and consultancy experience in the aerospace industry. Dennis is passionate about co-creating the future of the #NewSpace and #NewDefence landscape and proud to be part of a world-class team.

As the VP of Sales at ReOrbit, Srinath focuses on providing secure communication solutions for national sovereign & defence capabilities. With over 20 years of experience in the satellite sector, he possesses a strong industry background and expertise in delivering secure communications. Furthermore, Srinath has actively advocated for sovereign digital development and resilient communication infrastructure. As a space enthusiast, he is inspired by the positive impact that space has on our everyday lives.

Romeo graduated in 2017 with an MSc in Aerospace Engineering from Politecnico di Torino, completing part of his studies at TU Delft and obtaining a double degree with Politecnico di Milano thanks to the Alta Scuola Politecnica honor program. In 2024 he obtained a PhD in Statistics (Analytics for Economics and Management) from the University of Brescia, with a focus on artificial intelligence and multi-criteria decision-making. He currently works at AIKO as Senior Product Manager for orbital_OLIVER, an onboard AI-driven autonomous planning and data processing solution. In this role, he also serves as Project Manager for multiple space programs, including the recently launched AIX — a testbed advancing the satellite-as-a-service paradigm. Prior to AIKO, he worked at Apogeo Space as Program Manager, overseeing the company’s satellite missions from design to operations (worth a venture capital investment of 5M€). At Apogeo Space he coordinated cross-functional engineering teams, and worked closely with institutional clients such as the European and Italian Space Agencies. He also led digital innovation initiatives, including the integration of process automation across the organization. Beyond his career in the aerospace sector, Romeo worked for a nearly two years as a consultant within the automotive sector across Switzerland and Belgium.

Entrepreneur and investor with over 5 decades of international executive experience with Satellite, PayTV, and Consumer Electronics industries. Successfully conducted business in dozens of countries. Clients and project implementation for companies that included: Airspan, ARSAT, AT&T, GloboSat, Glowlink, Lucent, Motorola, NahuelSat, RuralWeb , SuperCanal , Tdh SA, Telesat , among others. Currently Founder and Managing Partner – Advantage IT International Inc. International Telecom Consulting since 1999. Previous Projects Founder and Managing Partner – Clarke Belt 2.0 an NGSO Communications Satellite Project. International Advisor – nexTenna – A low cost electronically steerable flat panel antenna technology for cell phones to football sized antennas for Satellites. VP & Satellite Advisor Astrapi – Spiral Modulation company Prior employment VP at Oak Communications-TV/Com-Hyundai , assisted transition company from Analog Cable – Satellite /PayTV hardware vendor, to focus on a digital development of an industry 1st demonstrable 1-45Msps variable consumer Satellite modem and a 256 QAM cable modem. The development resulted in the industry’s 1st deployed Satellite DVB compliant systems in both the Americas and Europe. Total of 6 new DTH Projects launched, 5 in Americas and 1 in Europe. VP Uniden USA, Ft Worth consumer electronics company, Regional, National Accounts and International sales, marketing and business development responsibilities. Within Satellite division launched 1st successful Analog Satellite PayTV network in Brasil ( became GloboSat). Launched 1st Satellite delivered PPV utilizing AT&T Satellite and ANI system (TVN). Regional Sales Fla – Motorola C&E – Two way communications equipment sales. Other Activity Former Member of Board of Directors of (SBCA) Satellite Broadcasting & Communications Association Speaker and panelist at numerous Industry trade events, and Governmental Regulatory bodies including ITU in Geneva. Mr. Brady has earned Bachelors of Technology degree from University of North Florida and is based in Jacksonville Florida and a US Citizen. Loves Family, Friends, Football, Flyfishing, and Florida.

Danny Tham brings over 25 years of experience in satellite communications, throughout which he has witnessed first hand the key phases in the evolution of the satellite industry. His career spans the boom and bust cycle of NGSO satellite broadband in the late 1990s, the peak years of satellite pay TV, and today’s renewed convergence between satellite and mobile communications driven by new technologies and services. He currently heads the Uncoordinated Space Systems Division within the Space Services Department of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau, responsible for satellite systems primarily associated with scientific services and emerging space applications. He has deep expertise in satellite coordination and the practical application of the ITU Radio Regulations, and is extensively involved in World Radiocommunication Conferences and in delivering technical assistance and capacity building activities to ITU Members worldwide.

Jesper Noer – Chief Commercial Officer, Gatehouse Satcom – a Cobham Satcom Company With more than two decades in technology and communications, Jesper Noer is an experienced leader in the satellite communications industry. As Chief Commercial Officer at Gatehouse Satcom he drives global commercial strategy and business development, ensuring the company’s solutions address the evolving needs of the satcom ecosystem. Through Gatehouse Satcom’s work with 5G NTN NB‑IoT and 5G NTN NR, he has helped drive the adoption of open, interoperable technologies that integrate satellite connectivity into the broader telecom ecosystem. This shift toward standardization enables true multi‑vendor environments, integration with terrestrial networks, and a more scalable path for global IoT and broadband services. Following recent merger with Cobham Satcom’s Networks division the company is uniquely positioned to deliver end‑to‑end 5G NTN solutions by combining Gatehouse Satcom’s expertise in 3GPP‑compliant waveform and protocol stacks with Cobham Satcom’s ground station and radio access network capabilities. This joint strength enables operators and service providers to accelerate deployment, simplify integration, and ensure full alignment with the future standardized satellite connectivity landscape.) At SmallSat Europe, Jesper will share insights on how NB‑IoT and NR NTN are reshaping IoT and high‑performance communication networks. Known for combining technical understanding with strategic vision, he remains a strong advocate for collaboration and innovation across the space technology landscape.

Martin plans and orchestrates Lacuna’s IoT constellation and helps shape the future of non-terrestrial connectivity. Coming from a non-5G background, Martin has been instrumental in pioneering regulatory approaches for satellite IoT operations in the 862–870 MHz and 902–928 MHz bands, enabling scalable and globally harmonized deployments outside traditional cellular frameworks. His work sits at the intersection of spectrum policy, satellite network operations, and emerging NTN ecosystems, bringing a pragmatic perspective to how open standards and regulatory alignment can accelerate the next generation of direct-to-device and IoT connectivity.

Stefan van Look is Head of Government and Institutional Affairs at OQ Technology. He has a background in both private and public sector organizations. Prior to joining OQ Technology, he served as an Economic Attaché for the Netherlands and the British Embassy. He is the primary contact at OQ Technology for regulatory and spectrum matters, government partnerships, and EU policy and funding.

Florian Loire is a Manager within the Space Infrastructure Practice at NOVASPACE, a leading consulting firm specialized in the Space sector. He joined Novaspace in early 2025 after more than a decade at ArianeGroup working on various functions in the fields of Strategy, institutional relations and marketing on European launcher programmes and demonstrators, from Ariane 6 to THEMIS. Responsible for Strategic planning elaboration and communication on the civil Space Transportation perimeter at ArianeGroup, in the first 6 years after the creation of this Joint Venture between Airbus and Safran. Contributing to complex tender proposals at ArianeGroup towards ESA on large-scale programmes, such as Ariane 6 and THEMIS (reusability demonstrator). Participation to EU Horizon Europe flagship programmes, such as SALTO. Expertise in Access to Space and European space sector governance. Master Degree in ‘European Affairs in Business’ at Sciences Po Bordeaux (France)

Davide Petrillo serves as the Managing Director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). He brings extensive international experience across the aerospace sector, having previously led Voyager Space Europe as Managing Director in Torino, after earlier roles as Business Manager at Alten Ltd in London and Business Analyst at Accenture in Milano. Davide was also elected Vice President for Education and Workforce Development of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) in 2021. From 2020 to April 2023, he served as Executive Director of the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), guiding one of the world’s largest young‑professional space networks through a period of significant growth. Davide’s early career included leading the FELDs experiment selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) for the Drop Your Thesis! 2014 program. In 2015, he and his team received the IAF Hans von Muldau Team Award for best team project at the 66th International Astronautical Congress (IAC). Davide holds an M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Padova, Italy.

Royce Dalby is the President, co-founder, and Chairman of the Board at Hydrosat. With a deep expertise in the aerospace and defense sectors, Royce co-founded Hydrosat to bring advanced remote sensing data to agriculture and water management industries globally. Before Hydrosat, Royce co-founded Avascent, the largest management consulting firm focused on the aerospace industry. He led the company’s space practice, and over 16 years he supported the C-suites of all the world’s largest aerospace companies. The company was acquired by Oliver Wyman in 2022 for $100 million. Earlier, he was the co-founder and president of BeGlobal, an international logistics company. Royce also served as Director of Russian Operations for Analytic Services Inc., an aerospace analytics firm that supported U.S. government operations. His experience spans decades of leadership in space and defense-related industries. Royce holds a Master of Science in Science and Space Policy from George Washington University.

Paul Struhsaker is a Serial Entrepreneur, Innovator, International Engineering Executive, Lecturer, and Author. He is currently the Executive Director/CEO of the Wireless Power Consortium, setting the worldwide standards for smartphones /consumer electronics (Qi) and kitchen (Ki) wireless power solutions used in billions of products. Paul’s previous work experience includes serving as CTO of Dell Client Solutions, SVP of Software Engineering at Comcast NBCUniversal, and CTO of Broadband at Texas Instruments. Paul founded four successful startups: WiFi innovation leader Aironet Wireless (acquired by Cisco), micro-cellular 4G/5G access point innovator Airspan, 4G wireless innovator Raze Technologies, and SatBridge, a hand-portable microsatellite terminal. He began his career at the National Security Agency and served as a Navy Nuclear Submarine Officer and master diver, roles integral to his duties in the U.S. Intelligence Community.

Thierry DRAUS is Vice President of Business Development – Future Business and Innovation at SES, where he drives innovation at the intersection of space infrastructure, secure connectivity, and European strategic autonomy. He focuses on transforming emerging technologies including Quantum-Safe networks, Direct-to-Device, and next-generation satellite infrastructure into scalable, mission-ready solutions. His work bridges technology, policy, and market execution to convert innovation into sustainable growth and long-term impact.

Hazel Quibell is the Head of Missions at Craft Prospect, where she is focused on developing and implementing novel mission concepts utilizing quantum technologies and machine learning for space applications. She has a broad background in space systems engineering with experience in the full mission development lifecycle, from concept feasibility through to AIVT and launch and operations.

Jordan Vannitsen is the Co-founder and CEO of Odysseus Space, where he leads the development of laser solutions for critical space missions. Based in Luxembourg, he focuses on delivering end-to-end optical communication services that simplify data transfer from space to enable high-performance, reliable and secured connectivity for satellite operators.