Panel: The UK Space Ecosystem - A catalyst for growth

The UK Space Ecosystem plays a critical role in supporting the UK to deliver on its ambitions for space. This insightful panel session, featuring leads from UK Space Agency and Satellite Applications Catapult, will highlight key support through Agency funded activities that enable SMEs to grow their businesses. You will also hear from SMEs who have directly benefited from engagement with the UK Space Ecosystem and Agency funded programmes.

Speaker Information

Simone Hartless, Head of Cluster Growth, Satellite Applications Catapult Ltd - Simone is the Satellite Applications Catapult’s Head of Cluster Growth working in collaboration with UKSA and partners to create a thriving and connected UK Space Ecosystem. With nearly twenty years’ experience championing innovation and regional economic development. For over half her career, Simone has focused on the UK business growth agenda, particularly in innovative sectors, facilitating the development of local and regional clusters. Currently she strives to support the development of local and national policy; design and deliver impactful and strategic projects to grow the economy; and connect stakeholder communities to benefit from satellite data and space technologies.

Stuart Gregory, Finance Director, C.Brandauer & Co Ltd - I’ve been with Brandauer for nearly 8 years (in June) starting as Financial Controller then becoming Finance Director in 2019 – which also coincides with our move into Innovation – our 1st project starting late 2019 early 2020 – this was an area we were keen to explore to open up new opportunities and grow the business. My background is varied as I was originally in industry straight from school before moving into practice in my late 20’s to become ACCA qualified gaining my skills in audit, tax and accounts in the West Midlands before moving back into Industry for a private equity business that manufactured items for the oil and gas sector (large items) before joining Brandauer in 2016 going to the opposite side of the spectrum of tiny, small precision made components to tight tolerances for various sectors. I would like to think my focus is more commercial than analytical in approach to finance.

Aleix Megias Homar, Co Founder and COO, Open Cosmos - Aleix Megías joined Rafel early on as a co-founder of Open Cosmos and is the VP of Operations. Aleix has worked as systems engineer and mission manager of Earth Observation missions at Airbus and the European Space Agency, establishing his end-to-end programme management and team leadership skills. He heads the delivery of programmes and business operations at Open Cosmos and has been instrumental to grow the company from its roots to where it is today.

Flow Collingwood, CEO and a Co founder, Pan Galactic - Flow Collingwood is the CEO and a Co founder in Pan Galactic, his background  includes working in commercial strategy, business development and legal functions for blue chip brands over the past 20 years with the past 7 years working within blockchain.

Since 2022 Flow and his fellow founders have been developing the future of Space based blockchain solutions for data in working on its Galactic OS project and which brings quantum safe security measures with the benefits of blockchain to increase data integrity and security in a sustainable way.

Pan Galactic are graduates of the UK Space Agency Accelerator ‘Explore’ and ‘LEO’ programmes and have recently won Business to Business StartUp of the Year for the North East, Yorkshire and Humber 2024. Pan Galactic are also national finalists for the same category and for UK SpaceTech StartUp of the Year and Innovative StartUp of the Year 2024.

Glenn McCauley, Board Member, Space Hub Yorkshire - Glenn is an innovation and commercial adviser, Trustee and NED who specialises in developing practical solutions to complex industrial challenges. He is one of the founders and members of the leadership team of Space Hub Yorkshire (SHY), the UKSA funded regional Space cluster for the Yorkshire region. As an adviser with extensive experience in developing trade and investment programmes Glenn has led on SHY’s internationalisation activity and their work on Foreign Direct Investment, including their work with LEPs/Combined Authorities on attracting overseas investment to the Yorkshire region. Glenn is passionate about promoting Yorkshire’s Space sector capabilities to a wider audience and to use Space as a catalyst to inspire the next generation and to help deliver prosperity to all.