On Tuesday 21 February, techUK will host its first Space Tech and Finance Summit at our London offices.
The in-person event, in collaboration with the D Group, will feature a Pitching Session, which will highlight the pioneering work that is present within the space industry.
Hear from space start-ups and SMEs about the latest R&D emerging from the sector, whilst we examine the economic outlook for private sector investment into the UK’s space and satellite sector, the incentives driving access to capital and what’s needed to fulfil the UK’s ambition of a world-class space economy.
Speakers
We are pleased to be able to include a keynote session with George Freeman, Minister of State in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
George Freeman MP
Minister of State (Minister for Science, Research and Innovation)
‘Opportunity and importance of investing in UK space’
Mark Garnier MP, Chair of APPG for Space
Daniel Jones, Research Cluster Project Business Partner, UKSA
Sam Adlen, Chief Strategy Officer, Satellite Applications Catapult
Rob Desborough, Managing Partner and Chief Executive, Seraphim Capital
Peter L R Hewitt, Co-Chairman at Universal Defence and Security Solutions
15:10– 16:00
Pitching session
Space Solar, Martin Soltau, Co-CEO
PlanetWatchers, Dominic Edmunds, CEO
Satellite Vu, Anthony Baker, Founder and CEO
Odin Space, James New, CEO
Space DOTS, Bianca Cefalo, CEO & Co-founder
16:00-17:00
Close & Networking
About
The UK has set out ambitious strategies for the national space sector. Both the National Space Strategy and Defence Space Strategy outline a desire to make the UK one of the most innovative and attractive space economies in the world. What space tech innovation will shape this future? What cutting edge research and development will help sustain the UK’s competitive edge in space science and technology? How can this be best commercialised through the 2020s?
At this exclusive techUK and D Group event, we will bring together some of the most innovative space tech start-ups and businesses operating today, showcasing the UK’s strengths in satellite manufacture, communications, end-to-end satellite service delivery, and high-end navigation systems. We will also explore terrestrial tech that has the potential to “spin in” to the UK space sector, as well as the emerging sectors that government has targeted for high-growth, from in-orbit servicing/manufacture to active debris removal.
If you have any questions, or would like to participate in the pitching session, please contact the team below.
Sophie James
Head of Telecoms and Spectrum Policy, techUK
Sophie James
Head of Telecoms and Spectrum Policy, techUK
Sophie James is Head of Programme for Communications Infrastructure and Services at techUK, and oversees the UK Spectrum Policy Forum.
Sophie was promoted to Head having been Programme Manager for Communications Infrastructure and Services, leading techUK's telecoms activities, engagement and policy development. Previously, Sophie was Programme Assistant across a variety of areas including the Broadband Stakeholder Group, Central Government, Financial Services and Communications Infrastructure programmes.
Prior to joining techUK, Sophie completed a masters in Film Studies at University College London; her dissertation examined US telecoms policy relating to net neutrality and content distribution.
Mia joined techUK in September 2023 as the Programme Manager for telecoms and net zero.
Sitting across two teams, Mia works to ensure that policy and regulatory conditions promote investment and innovation in the telecoms sector. And, that policy enables technology and digital solutions to deliver net zero ambitions.
Prior to joining techUK, Mia worked as a Senior Policy Adviser at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) leading on manufacturing and industrial decarbonisation policy.
Mia holds an MSc in International Development from the University of Manchester and a BA(Hons) in Politics and International Relations from the University of Nottingham.
Outside of work, Mia enjoys travelling, running, and cooking.
Tales has a background in law and economics, with previous experience in the regulation of new technologies and infrastructure.
In the UK and Europe, he offered consultancy on intellectual property rights of cellular and IoT technologies and on the regulatory procedures at the ITU as a Global Fellow at the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI).
Tales has an LL.M in Law and Business by the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV) and an MSc in Regulation at the London School of Economics, with a specialization in Government and Law.
Matthew joined techUK in August 2023 as a Programme Assistant, supporting the Telecoms and Central Government markets, as well as the Digital Connectivity and Spectrum Policy Fora.
Before joining techUK, Matthew worked in marketing, data, and events across a number of sectors, including education and consumer goods. He studied German and Dutch at University College London and the Universiteit van Amsterdam.
Minister of State (Minister for Science, Research and Innovation),
George Freeman was appointed Minister of State in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 7 February 2023.
George was previously Minister of State in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from 26 October 2022 to 7 February 2023, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from 17 September 2021 to 7 July 2022, a Minister of State at the Department for Transport from 26 July 2019 to 13 February 2020, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Life Sciences at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department of Health from July 2014 until July 2016. He also served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of State for Climate Change from 2010 to 2011.
He was appointed government adviser on Life Sciences in July 2011, co-ordinating the government’s Life Science and Innovation, Health and Wealth Strategies (2011), and the Agri-Tech Industrial Strategy (2013). He was appointed the Prime Minister’s UK Trade Envoy in 2013.
Following a PhD working on a NASA Mars mission, Sam joined VEGA as a consultant focusing on satellite applications. From there he held senior space sector strategy roles in Finmeccanica, successfully exited a start-up in the logistics sector and was Lead Technologist for Space at Innovate UK.
Sam engages broadly across the space sector in shaping future direction and the benefits space can deliver to earth. He co-founded the UKSpace In-Orbit Services and Manufacturing working group and the Spatial Finance Initiative, and is Co-Chair of the Space Energy Initiative. He is also a Non-Executive Director of the Satellite Finance Network.
Sam holds an MPhys and PhD from Oxford University and an MBA from Imperial College London. He is an Honorary Senior Visiting Fellow at Bayes Business School, University of London.