GLIC 2015 Space Conference Highlight Key Industry Issues
Munich, Germany, June 26, 2015--The last day of GLIC 2015 found a unanimous consensus over the interesting, unusual and innovative topics covered by the conference. The conference co-roganized by co-organized by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Media, Energy and Technology featured high-level speakers from the government and private space sectors globally.
The discussion of the previous panels evolved into one simple question that opened the closing day: ‘What do venture investors do? What do they look for?’
These important inquiries raised by Uli W. Fricke from Triangle Venture Capital Group allow us ‘to understand how to build an appropriate business plan which will draw investors’ attention and give them the desire to invest’ as declared by Chris Zott – Professor of Entrepreneurship at IESE Business School.
On the other side Pierre L. Godart - Chief Financial Officer at Airbus Safran Launchers - explained that ‘there are many opportunities in the commercial space sector’ but unfortunately ‘this latter one is seen as scientific and not commercial’ that is why ‘corporations need to go out of their comfort zone and develop new ways to expand business!’ and ‘especially aerospace companies, not the usual investors of start-ups’ added Rachel Villain – Principal Advisor at Euroconsult.
Indeed ‘Space is an enabler and is able to push the frontiers of knowledge’ claimed Christina Giannopapa, Senior Advisor at ESA. Another ‘strength of space is its multicultural character’ reckon Amnon Ginati - Head of the integrated & telecommunications related applications at ESA. And multiculture is key to open up new businesses. As a matter of fact SES is building the African market: ‘providing connectivity with integrated offerings of GEO and MEO satellites’ as described by Philippe Glaesener – Vice President of Middle East & Africa at SES.
Additionally the discussion was highly compelling following a declaration of Bernd Hoefer – CEO of A9C Capital asserting that ‘the space industry is one of the least innovative industries at all’ which raised the perplexity of the audience.
However as emerged from the Results & Recommendations session not only ‘space entrepreneurs play an exciting global game in business’ (Gerd Gruppe - DLR) but it is precisely ‘now the time to become a space entrepreneur: barriers are low and private capital markets are active!’ (Niels Eldering – ESA). Space Agencies can also play an important role to facilitate the implementation of new space businesses: providing new policies capable of changing the treatment of intellectual property and make it more accessible.
The second day of the conference gave several ideas on how to capture the imagination of Business Angels and start a business.
Panel 1 on the second day delivered precious insights on how to create a successful company by providing the view from entrepreneurs such as Max Beaumont of Giaura selling carbon credits as a climate solution; Scott Larson of Urthecast sending cameras in space, taking data and pushing it into applications to facilitate everyday life; Mikhail Kokorich of Dauria Aerospace making OBC software development faster and cheaper; Nobu Okada at Astroscale cleaning up the space from micro and large debris; and Sias Mostert developing a network of space commercial services.
Following on Panel 2, Devi R. Gnyawali explained the core elements of new venture creation: Opportunity, Ability, Propensity, and Likelihood. Unfortunately as Claire Jolly – Head of OECD Space Forum well said: ‘since the crisis arrived, it is becoming harder to get money for small companies’. However, ‘governments can play an important role in providing support for innovation’ said Gale Allen – Deputy Chief Scientist at NASA.
Nevertheless, ‘those entrepreneurs willing to face risks are more likely to develop their business’ claimed Michael K. Simpson – Executive Director of the Science World Foundation. Indeed, as Scott Hubbard – Director of the Stanford Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation teaches, ‘it is ok to fail’; actually ‘most successful entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley have previously failed 3 times!’
There is definitely a ‘valley of death’ being ‘the gap between technology creation and successful commercialization’ that businessmen need to know how to bridge as informed by John Freisinger – CEO and President at Technology Ventures Corporation. Thankfully, all Space Agencies are acting to ‘support good ideas’ (Amnon Ginati from ESA), ‘promoting new enterprises’ (Takayuki Kawai from JAXA) and ‘incubating new start-ups’ (Didier Lapierre from CNES).
The first day of the conference was dubbed the "SpaceUP Unconference‘ featuring innovation, creativity, design, new ideas and risks.
SpaceUp benefited from an impressive participation of young minds ‘presenting a diversity of new ideas on both innovation and space’ declared Ms. Andrea Jaime Albalat, organizer of the event.
While during the Chief Technology Officers Conversation many questions were asked such as how do you relate to new ideas coming from Small and Medium Enterprises? Do you partner or do you do an inside out process? Either way ‘Europe needs a cultural change in order to adopt an innovative system where new ideas are tested and valued even if they do not work’ claimed Prof. Dr. Andreas Rittweger, Director of the DLR Institute for Space Systems.
Another interesting contribution on how to scan innovation and encourage new businesses came during GLIC 2015 Opening Ceremony: ‘Innovation comes from connection of space and non-space. Different specialties must be connected to innovate’ said Prof. Jean-Jacques Dordain – Director General of ESA. ‘Sharing best practices’ is also paramount in the innovative process added Mr. Jean-Yves Le Gall, President at CNES.
Finally the two high-level keynote speeches of Ms. Candace Johnson Founder/Co-Founder SES, Loral-Teleport Europe, Europe Online, VATM, GTWN, Succes Europe and HH Prince Dr. Turki bin Saud bin Mohammad Al Saud President of KACST were given, suggesting the probability of a new system to reduce the cost of space exploration is on its way.
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