SpaceTech Acceleration on a global scale

Candace Johnson is an international telecommunications expert and entrepreneur. She was co-initiator of SES/ASTRA and architect of SES global, the largest satellite system in the world. She has founded and run five successful ventures and been involved in many more. She is the founding president of Europe Online Investments S.A., the world’s first and internet via satellite network, as well as founder of Loral Cyberstar-Teleport Europe, Europe’s first independent private transborder satellite communications network. She is currently the President of Johnson Paradigm Ventures, a principal investment firm specialising in telecommunications and software companies. She was awarded the “Lifetime Achievement Award” along with Vinton Cerf & Tim Berners Lee in the 2002 World Communication Awards. Other accolades include the UN-sponsored World Teleport Associations “Founders Award” and one of the 50 most powerful women in Europe for both Time & Fortune magazines.

Captain Jacob Singleton currently serves as the Space Innovation Lead for Dstl’s Space Group within the Cyber and Information Systems Division where he focuses on new innovative platforms to accelerate commercial solutions for defence technology needs. As a liaison to the USAF AFWERX program, he seeks to foster engagement across industry and international partners to support transformative opportunities for defence acquisitions. Capt Singleton comes from the Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate where he built the Air Force Space Accelerator Program. At the Space Vehicles Directorate, he also served as a Space Systems Engineer in the Guidance, Navigation, and Controls program.

Chris is the Head of Business Strategy at the Catapult, working with start-ups and SMEs on how to best commercialize their technologies. From business planning and modeling to funding, Chris helps entrepreneurs to grow and scale through collaborative and commercial programmes that the Catapult is running.

Craig Clark set up Clyde Space in 2005 originally to focus on supplying power solutions for small satellites, convinced there was a niche in the market. By 2017 Clyde Space had a 30-40 per cent share of the global CubeSat power market. It has supplied over 700 power systems for small satellites, making it the world’s biggest supplier of this kind of power solution. In the last two years Glasgow has built more satellites than any other city in Europe. Craig Clark has galvanised the space engineering sector in Scotland.

Dr Justin Hill is one of the pre-eminent patent prosecution attorneys in the EU with an effective grasp on the most complex and obscure patent issues. He has held the position of Head of Patents at Dentons since May 2017 although has been involved in patents and IP law for a considerable time longer. His practice focuses on a broad range of IP matters, covering the filing and management, exploitation (licensing) and enforcement of IP rights including patents, designs, trademarks and trade secrets. These activities are conducted before the European Patent Office and other patent offices, as well as national and international Courts. Justin and his team are known as opposition specialists frequently represent patent owners and opponents in opposition and appeal hearings at the European Patent Office. Justin also acts as an advisory board member for Seraphim Capital.

Elizabeth Seward has over 15 years of experience in the space industry and is a Senior Strategist for the Space Systems division of Airbus Defence and Space, responsible for the UK strategy across all areas of satellite manufacturing. Previous roles include leading the Earth Observation, Navigation and Science Marketing team, Thermal Engineering and Mission Systems Engineering, where she worked on projects such as the first study for the ExoMars rover and a mission to return a sample from an asteroid. Elizabeth is on the executive board of Women in Aerospace Europe and the chair of their UK local group, promoting women in the Aerospace industry. She is also active in the International Astronautical Federation, sitting on several committees.

Gareth Bathers has been with Cyient since 2007 and has over 15 years of Project and Programme Management experience. Gareth has experience of managing projects both within the UK and from Cyient’s headquarters in Hyderabad, India. Gareth has been responsible for managing the European portfolio of Geospatial projects, utilising his practical knowledge of Geospatial technologies and Project Management experience and is currently the Geospatial Lead Consultant for new business.

Irene is an Executive & Venture Coach, advising and coaching on entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, investor pitches and leadership development. Irene has more than 18 years of experience in coaching entrepreneurs and management teams. Her specialities are : investor pitches; pitch coaching; entrepreneurship; intrapreneurship; presentation training; executive coaching; public speaking; investor presentations; start-ups; IPO roadshows; private equity; intercultural communication; presentation skills; networking; entrepreneur; entrepreneurship; investment readiness.

Jay is a keynote speaker, author and presentation consultant. She graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering and then went on to practise as a lawyer for 17 years before specialising in effective communication and public speaking. She has written a number of books including “The Presentation Book for Senior Managers” and “Ultimate Presentations”. Jay now works with business leaders and professionals across many different industry sectors helping them master presentation skills and better connect with their audiences. She has been a guest lecturer at Manchester Business School and a mentor and judge for start-up accelerator Mass Challenge UK.Her other main area of interest is speaking on the topic of diversity in the workplace – Jay is an advocate for women in leadership. She is a Trustee and Council Member for the Women’s Engineering Society (UK) as well as a member of the Governing Body at Dundee University. She has also served on the Executive Board for Women in Banking & Finance (UK) and is currently the Head of Mentoring.

Laura Crabtree was one of the Crew Operations & Resource Engineers (CORE) who helped put the United States back in the Manned Space Flight business. As one of the initial members of the operations team for SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, she was on console for the first Dragon mission in 2010, the first mission to the ISS in 2012, and was an integral part of the commercial crew contract that delivered Astronauts to the International Space Station in 2020. During her time at SpaceX, Laura was also a part of the early F9 Recovery, Dragon Recovery, and Dragon operations teams, and was responsible for crew and ground operator flight training, flight software test, CONOPs development and simulator design. Prior to SpaceX, Laura spent 5 years at Northrop Grumman working various programs for DARPA and other DoD customers, including a 4 year operations assignment in North Yorkshire, England.

Matt O’Connell is a member of the board of two satellite companies, Spaceflight Industries and Globecomm Systems. Matt founded GeoEye, a leading global provider of satellite and aerial imagery and digital mapping information, in 2006 by merging 2 satellite imaging companies, Orbimage and Space Imaging. Under his leadership, GeoEye grew to 760 employees producing $360 million (2012), with a total enterprise value around $1.3 billion and an equity value of approximately $850 million. In January 2013, he concluded its sale to DigitalGlobe. He was elected to the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2007 and served as Chair of the Audit and Finance committee for several years. Until July 2016, Matt was CEO of OneWeb, a start-up focused on using low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellites to provide broadband and telecom services around the world.

Mike has worked for Dstl since 2007, after receiving his Masters for the study of chemical processes on interstellar ice grains, and then his PhD for work on solid-state Lithium-Ion conductors. Having then begun his career at Dstl researching materials for Defence applications, he spent two years providing technical advice and support to Dstl programme directors covering a wide range of research and technology areas. Prior to taking up his current role, Mike spent two years leading a research programme seeking to to understand how MOD could transform its command, control, information and intelligence enterprise to address the challenges and opportunities of operating in the information age.

From the Beats by Dr. Dre brand sale to Apple Inc. for $3B (including Beats Music), to The North Face and Vans brands reaching over $1B in sales in North America, to taking Ubiquity Software public on the Alternative Investment Market on the London Stock Exchange and selling it to Avaya, Inc., Rafferty has taken companies through hyper-growth, investments, global expansion, mergers, acquisitions and IPO. Infusing design-thinking and culture into organization development, strategy and execution, Rafferty delivers high-return on investment projects and training on leadership, purpose and storytelling at Jack Industries. As an Astia Angel Investor, she invests in women founded/led/invented companies. She has twice been appointed Company Secretary managing Board operations, governance and executing the eventual sale of the companies, served as an Executive Director of entities in Ireland, England, Wales, Island of Jersey, China, Korea, Canada and the United States and served as an independent Director for a non-profit.

Robert E. Meyerson is an American aerospace engineer and executive known for his role in the development of reusable rocket launch systems. He is the former Senior Vice President at Blue Origin, and led the Advanced Development Programs business. Meyerson joined Blue Origin in 2003 as Program Manager later becoming the first company president. Working with company founder Jeff Bezos, Meyerson evolved a 10-person research-focused organization into a leading commercial space company with more than 1,200 employees.