Panel Discussion - Strengthening your business through local partnerships

The session will explore the benefits of strengthening businesses through local partnerships within the regional cluster network. Through the perspective of the panellists and the work they’re doing locally to support businesses, this session will give delegates an insight into the different ways that being part of the space ecosystem can create opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and growth. 

To demonstrate the wide range of partnership opportunities within the space ecosystem, each panellist will share their insights on key areas of focus. Panellists will explore topics such as; developing international partnership, access to talent and skills gaps, local infrastructure development to drive R&D, and opportunities for co-investment and developing local resilience to address the supply chain. The panellists will share examples of successful partnerships and initiatives, showcasing how the UK space ecosystem has driven innovation and growth for businesses within the industry. Additionally, they will provide practical advice on how to establish and nurture partnerships, ensuring that businesses can leverage these opportunities to further growth. 

With these insights, attendees will gain a well-rounded understanding of the benefits and opportunities that come with active participation in the space ecosystem. 

Speaker Information

Chair - Jon Hulks joined the UK Space Agency in 2019 and for the last two years has been delivering its Space Ecosystem Development Programme, which supports the UK’s thriving network of space clusters to drive local economic growth and develop the UK’s space capabilities. He has previously worked in communications and public affairs across the public and private sectors. 

Marco Gomez-Jenkins is co-founder and CEO of Super-Sharp Space Systems Ltd, an Earth-Observation company developing unfolding space telescopes to capture ultra high-resolution thermal images. He holds an MBA from Imperial College London and was a Royal Society of Edinburgh Enterprise Fellow at the University of Cambridge, where he led the commercialization of SuperSharp's core technology developed at the Institute of Astronomy. He is a member of the IAF Latin-America and Caribbean Subcommittee (LAC-SC), the Small Satellite Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics, and the Royal Aeronautical Society. 

Stuart Catchpole. Cluster Manager. Space East 

Stuart is the Cluster Manager for Space East, the UKSA supported Space Cluster for the East of England. As one of the 15 such organisations around the UK, Space East is dedicated to developing a thriving, innovative, and engaged community of cross-sector businesses eager to explore the opportunities within the £18.2bn UK space sector. Stuart has grown the cluster to 200 members and £4m of project money in the first 18 months of operation. 

Stuart is an experienced Senior Manager with a background in both public and private sectors, spanning industries such as Bioscience, Advanced Manufacturing, Construction, and Education. Before joining Space East, he served as an Inward Investment Manager for Norfolk and Suffolk Unlimited. He has a passion for innovation, collaborative working and business development. 

Frank McQuade graduated from the University of Glasgow with a PhD in On-Orbit Assembly after graduating with an MSc in Astronautics and Space Engineering from Cranfield University. Following a period developing the Meteosat Second Generation Ground Control Flight Dynamics system, he worked with several space focussed organisations developing advanced digital twin solutions for a wide range of space customers including the Primes and European Space Agency. In 2010, he then joined Rolls-Royce as the Head of Engineering Capability Strategy and worked with engineering teams on a wide range of advanced technologies for Design, Manufacturing, Test and Services. In 2022 he joined the Midlands Aerospace Alliance as a Technology Manager working with Midlands SMEs on the Aerospace UP programme. Following on, he is continuing to work with space focussed companies in the region as the Midlands Space Cluster Manager. 

JENNY TAYLOR  - Executive Director: Research and Innovation Services  

Jenny has an extensive background in developing and delivering economic development and knowledge exchange programmes in the North East of England for over 20 years. Jenny was instrumental in developing the NESST proposition for government investment coordinating the bid input and co-developing the ambition surrounding NESST. She leads on engagement with UKSA aligned to NESST and ensuring delivery compliance institutionally.  

Jenny is an active member of the NE Space Leadership Group working with Space North East England to shape the next iteration of our strategy for growth and influencing policy makers to ensure appropriate visibility and support for the sector as part of our regional Industrial Strategy.  

Jenny is a member of the university senior management team and is responsible for institutional research, knowledge exchange and business development strategic deployment supporting our University ambitions for 2030.   

Dr Heidi Thiemann, Heidi is the co-founder and director of the Space Skills Alliance, a think tank and consultancy tracking the space skills gap. Since co-founding SSA in 2019, Heidi has become recognised as a leader in the space skills landscape. Previously, she led the Cornwall Space and Aerospace Technology Training programme, developing the first national HNC/HND curriculum for the space sector and supporting local businesses to identify and fill their skills gaps. Heidi holds a PhD in Astrophysics from the Open University, and a MPhys in Physics with Space Science and Technology from the University of Leicester.