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CEO,
Space DOTS Ltd
Partner – Global Space Practice Leader,
PwC
Associate Director – Head of NewSpace,
CNES – French Space Agency
Executive VP Technology and R&D – CTO,
IAI – Israel Aerospace Industries
Copernicus Flight Dynamics
Manager at European Space
Operations Centre (ESOC),
ESA
President,
HIT09
Space Applications Expert
CNES – French Space Agency
Business Development Manager,
Planetek Italia
Head of EMEA Aerospace,
Amazon Web Services
Head – Global Industrial Partnerships,
ClearSpace SA
Electrochemical Technologist,
Breton
Europe Sales Manager,
Ansys
Research Director,
Jaxa
Founder and CEO,
Satellogic
Principal Cloud Security Architect,
OneWeb
VP of global supply Chain,
Satellogic
Earth Observation Strategist,
Terrawatch Space
Chief Climate and Sustainability Officer,
European Space Agency – ESA
PHD and Environmental
Monitoring Area Manager,
MAPSAT
Founder & Partner,
E2MC Ventures
Founder & CEO,
D-Orbit
President and Founder,
OMB
Chief Commercial Officer (CCO),
Vanzetti Engineering S.p.a
Full professor,
Dept of Agronomy, Food, Natural
Resources, Animals and Environment
(DAFNAE) UniPD
Executive Committee Member,
Telespazio
Full professor,
Dept of Agronomy, Food,
Natural Resources, Animals and
Environment (DAFNAE) UniPD
System Engineer,
Sener
Chief Commercial Officer,
The Exploration Company
Full professor,
Dept of Agronomy, Food, Natural
Resources, Animals and Environment
(DAFNAE) UniPD
Full professor,
Dept of Land, Environment, Agriculture
and Forestry (TESAF) UniPD
Account Executive,
Planet
Executive Director,
EPFL Space Center
Co-Founder, CEO,
Deep Planet
CTO & Operations,
Enginsoft
CEO,
Bluetensor
R&D Manager,
Enginsoft
Processes and Materials,
HRC Group
R&D Additive Manufacturing Division,
Solidworld Spa
Co-founder and Director,
Qascom
Senior Solutions Sales Manager,
Echostar Mobile
Startup and Venture Lead,
Seraphim Space
BASS Programme Manager &
NEWSPACE Team,
CNES
CEO,
Smart Industry
Partner and Head of Global Innovation,
Arieli Capital
Programme Manager (PM) for
space systems,
European Innovation Council
Professor Associate,
IUSS University
Head Researcher,
CNR IRET
President,
CEAS
Head of Exploration, Infrastructures and
Scientific Satellite Department,
ASI – Italian Space Agency
Professor,
University of Naples Federico II
PostDoctoral Research Assistant,
UNIPD-CISAS
COO,
T4i
General Director,
Aerospace Valley
Professor,
UNIPD
Associate Professor of Space
Systems ,
University of Padova
CEO ,
Logic Group e Blu Electronic
Chief Technical & Innovation
Officer,
Telespazio Group
CEO,
ZERO
Director,
Osservatorio Astronomico,University
of Padova
CTO,
EIE
Founder, President & CEO,
EIE GROUP
Senior Scientist- retired full
professor,
Italian National Institute for
Astrophysics and University
of Padua
CEO,
OHB-OHB-I
Chief Commercial Officer,
ISOCLIMA
Journalist,
Corriere della Sera
Ventures Analyst,
Plug and Play Tech Center
and Takeoff
General Manager,
Kayser Italia
Project Manager,
Italian Space Agency (ASI)
Navigation
2023 Edition
2024 Edition
Show Dates & Location
May 20 – 22, 2025
Venice, Italy
Contact Us
veneto@advbe.com
+39 (0)6 88 64 49 49
© Copyright 2024 Space Meetings Venice. All rights reserved. Designed with ❤️ by Bullitt Creative Agency
CEO,
Space DOTS Ltd
Bianca Cefalo is the CEO and Co-founder of Space DOTS Ltd, a Spacecraft Thermal Engineer, Deep Tech Sales Expert and Public Speaker.
Former Space Systems Product Manager at Airbus DS UK, then Director of Aerospace and Defence at Carbice US, Bianca earned her MSc in Aerospace and Astronautical Engineering from the University of Naples ‘Federico II’ (Italy), specializing in Spacecraft Systems, Hypersonic Aerodynamics, Microgravity and Satellite Remote Sensing.
In 2013, Bianca moved to Germany, becoming the youngest Italian analyst assigned to the HP3 Instrument aboard the NASA/JPL Insight Mars Mission, landed on Mars in 2018.
Over the past +12 years, Bianca has contributed to the delivery of multiple science and commercial spacecraft platforms sponsored by NASA, ESA, DLR, UKSA and EU.
Partner – Global Space Practice
Leader, PwC
Luigi is a Partner in PwC Advisory France. Within PwC he leads the Space Practice worldwide, and core space strategy consulting team based in Paris and Toulouse, focused on serving institutional and commercial stakeholders in the space sector, as well as non-space companies with specific commercial interest in space products and applications. He has 22 years of experience in the space sector and he has extensively supported the Space Industry, Space Agencies, intergovernmental organizations, and governments in Europe and Worldwide. He is a member of the International Astronautical Federation Technical Committee (chair of the IAF Space Economy Committee), and a regular keynote and panel speaker at space-related events worldwide.
Associate Director – Head of
NewSpace,
CNES – French Space Agency
Thomas Fouquet is the Associate Director – Head of NewSpace at the French Space Agency @Cnes. He joined Cnes in 2017 after spending more than a decade in California as an entrepreneur and investor in the Tech sector. He is also a Board Member of SpaceFounders – the European space accelerator and MEDES – the Space Physiology and Medecine Institute. He holds a Ph.D. in Physics and an MBA.
Executive VP Technology and
R&D – CTO,
IAI – Israel Aerospace Industries
Eytan Eshel has joined IAI in October 2021 and appointed EVP technology and R&D – CTO.
In 2015 Eshel joined Elbit Systems, as Vice President of Elisra division. In this position, he was responsible for business line of SIGINT, Ground and Naval EW and C4I and served at the corporate management level, and as director in the ELBIT’s Australian company – ELSA. In 2020 Eytan Eshel was appointed to the position of VP Marketing and business development in Elbit Land and IMI Division, in this position he was responsible for the international marketing and new business in more than 60 countries.
Between the years 2010 to 2015 Eshel has served as the Head of Military R&D (DDR&D – Directorate of Defense Research & Development in IDF and MOD), in charge of R&D and full-scale development programs of the entire IDF. He served at senior IDF team whose mandate was to define the army’s force building plans. BG Eytan initiated and managed international programs and cooperation with other countries in a grand scale.
Between 1983 to 2014 Eytan Eshel served in various key positions in the IDF, the Israeli Air Force and MOD – DDR&D (Directorate of Defense Research & Development). Throughout his military career he served in a variety of command, professional and staff positions and initiated, set up and led many major programs. Eshel reached the senior position of Head of Military R&D in the rank of Brigadier General.
Copernicus Flight Dynamics
Manager at European Space
Operations Centre (ESOC),
ESA
Mr Francesco Affaitati, M.Sc., is Flight Dynamics Manager for various EU Copernicus Sentinel Missions. He is currently working for the European Space Agency as Flight Dynamics Manager for Earth Observation Missions at the European Space Operation Center (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany. He joined the European Space Agency in 2000 as Data System Engineer, then Flight Dynamics Engineer supporting more then 20 Missions including Integral, Rosetta, Mars Express, GOCE, Swarm and the Copernicus Sentinels.
Mr Affaitati holds a M.Sc. degree with honours in Electronics Engineering from the University of Padua, Italy. His interests range from Flight Dynamics, Space Missions Operations, Ground Segment Architectures, to Computer Science, Robotics, Automation and AI.
Before joining the European Space Agency, Mr Affaitati was a researcher in a high tech company in Venice developing Autonomous Robotics and Vehicles for Space, Land and Sub-Sea.
He is member of various engineering associations, including the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) where he also cooperate as reviewer.
When he is not busy with Space Operations, he enjoys sailing; he is currently President of the ESOC Sailing Club in Darmstadt.
President,
HIT09
Ernesto Benini is full professor of « Aircraft Propulsion » at the Department of Industrial Engineering of the University of Padova and President of Hit09. He has more than twenty years of experience in the research and development of advanced methods for the design optimisation of propulsors. He is Principal Investigator of numerous private and European research projects, as well as a scientific advisor to major international companies in the propulsion sector.
Member of ASME, AIAA and AHS. Chair of AIAA Gas Turbine Engines Technical Committee – Education. Editor of ASME « Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power ». Author and co-author of more than 300 scientific publications concerning the Fluid Dynamics of Machines. He has also been granted with 12 international patents. He has received numerous awards for his academic and scientific activity, including numerous « Best Paper Awards », the gold medal for the best Academic Curriculum and the New York Academy of Sciences nomination for the « Outstanding young researchers » award. He has been recently included in the Top 2% most cited scientists worldwide according to the Stanford University ranking.
Space Applications Expert
CNES – French Space Agency
Graduate from SUPELEC Electronics Engineering school in 1985.
Master in Space Systems from Delft University in 2005.
• Joined CNES in 1986.
• 25 years of experience in development of electronic hardware and software on board satellites for numerous space projects (SPOT, HELIOS, MYRIADE microsatellites).
• Joined the Navigation Division in 2010. Managing the initial set up of an external GNSS laboratory and responsible for the development of a software platform able to process real measurements and to simulate signal propagation.
• Since 2015 working in Strategy Department in charge of promoting and fostering the usage of space technologies and data. In a first stage, for transport and mobility fields then, since 2020, for agricultural and forest sectors.
Business Development Manager,
Planetek Italia
Massimiliano is a Geophysicist. After an experience of more than 15 years in the location services industry, he is now working in Planetek as Business Development Manager operating in the remote sensing and aerospace industry, crossing many fields of applications and ranging from environmental and territorial monitoring to government entities and smart cities to solutions for defence and security, up to scientific and planetary exploration missions. Recently, he joined the Planetek Iride team in the ambitious Space Program which aims to launch a new constellation of satellites by 2026.
Head of EMEA Aerospace,
Amazon Web Services
Guido’s experience in Aerospace spans over 35 years, from ground station operation to satellite payload management and customer support, from business development and sales to the more recent engagement leading the newly formed Amazon Web Services Aerospace & Satellite business unit in EMEA.
The profound knowledge of the aerospace business, while understanding customers’ needs, allows Guido to be very effective in developing new and untapped vertical markets, and proposing the most appropriate solution even to complex or innovative requirements. An early supporter of the ground virtualization evolution, he envisions a future with a cloud based seamless infrastructure, where space is one of the key elements of the global communication and content distribution network.
Guido’s primary task is to support innovation in the regional space market segment by focusing on joining space and satellite requirements with advanced cloud capabilities, enabling an epochal transformation of the space ecosystem. This touches every aspect of the space business: from ground systems, to communications links, to data analytics and intelligence, to the spacecraft and rockets, human mission, in-orbit manufacturing and much more.
Head – Global Industrial
Partnerships
ClearSpace SA
A veteran Space professional entrusted with cradle-to-grave leadership across programs addressing both the Space-for-Earth and Space-for-Space commercial ecosystems, technical, operational, and executive leadership authority and P&L accountability for highly visible fleet-level satellite communications, earth observation, deep space exploration/resource utilization, active debris removal and in-orbit servicing solutions.
Frederic’s subject matter expertise and successful leadership of technically leveraged engineering teams, architecting and supporting current and next generation state-of-the-art technology, strategies, roadmaps and programs and leading integrated PMO teams have provided multiple opportunities to work alongside world-class minds.
Current responsibilities as Head – Global Industrial Partnerships consist of defining, driving, supporting, managing and overseeing the company’s partnerships, systems/subsystems and service mission solutions’ technology development and roadmap from conceptualization through launch and in-orbit mission performance addressing ClearSpace’s active debris removal and in-orbit servicing solutions.
Electrochemical Technologist,
Breton
Fabio Bassetto has been working in the R&D Department of BRETON since 2005, after a Master Degree in Industrial Chemistry. One of his first achievements was the development of a pilot plant to produce doped metal oxides by means of new industrial processes. Afterwards he has been working on both development and improvement of new thermosetting polymers (especially with reduced carbon footprint) to be used in composites materials produced by BRETON.
Fabio Bassetto was involved in the development of Electrochemical Division of BRETON and he now works on several projects about the fuel cells and lithium batteries, in collaboration with some universities. He is co-author of several patents and scientific contributions concerning the production of both new thermosetting for composite materials and energy conversion/storage systems.
Europe Sales Manager,
Ansys
Roberto Gemma is the EMEA Product Sales Manager for Ansys regarding STK product line. He has been supporting business development and reseller manager roles, in various countries in EMEA region. He received his BSc in Computer Science Engineering and a Master in Geographic Information Systems from the University of Rome RomaTre. He is responsible for supporting AGI’s Business Partners and Users to help them using and leveraging Ansys STK technology. He has spent 10 years between AGI and Ansys and 15 in the industry, proving efficiency and effectiveness of modeling and simulation software in the aerospace and defense domain.
Research Director,
Jaxa
Munetaka Ueno is research director of Space Exploration Innovation Hub Center, JAXA, and a professor of Osaka University.
After his Ph.D in physics from Kyoto University, Japan in 1994, he joined Department of Earth Science and Astronomy, University of Tokyo, then moved to Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), JAXA in 2009. His former occupations were head of mission instrument technology group, director of space science program office, and Chief engineer of JAXA.
His research interests include observational astronomy, solar system science, scientific instrumentation and systems engineering in space development.
He has been involved in several space missions, AKARI (Infrared Astronomical Satellite), AKATSUKI (Venus orbiter), and HAYABUSA mission.
He served a director of Astronomical Society of Japan, a chair person of Standing Space Agency Subcommittee, International Project Management Committee, and a member of space science advisory committee of ISAS, JAXA. He was also recently selected as project manager for the moonshot R&D project.
Founder and CEO,
Satellogic
Emiliano Kargieman is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Satellogic. Over the past 25+ years, his career has taken him across the world having served many roles in the technology sector.
Prior to Satellogic, Emiliano co-founded three companies: Core Security Technologies, where he developed the first automated penetration testing software and gained the loyalty of clients such as Apple, Cisco, Homeland Security, NSA, NASA, Lockheed Martin, and DARPA; Aconcagua Ventures, a group focused on investing in high-tech startups across Latin America and developing them into global businesses; GarageLab, a problem-solving laboratory with an innovative multidisciplinary approach involving science, technology, art, and business. Additionally, he has served as an independent consultant and member of the Special Projects Group at the World Bank.
Emiliano has a formal background in Number Theory and Philosophy.
Principal Cloud Security
Architect
OneWeb
Wendy is OneWeb’s Principal Cloud Security Architect and senior security advisor. Prior to joining OneWeb, Wendy was Experian’s DevSecOps Security Managing Adviser and defined and the strategy for the organisation’s global DevSecOps transformation initiative. She is a thought leader with over 80 blogs and articles, including an article for the Cloud Security Alliance. Wendy is active in the community, regularly sharing experience through keynotes, including with Black Hat EMEA and MEA, as well as the Financial Times Live webinar series. She honed her technical consulting skills with Cisco, PwC and Deloitte as a security architect after a doctorate from the University of Oxford.
VP of Global Supply Chain,
Satellogic
Alessandro Comune serves as VP of Global Supply Chain. He joined Satellogic in April 2021 bringing 20 years of experience gained internationally in several technical and managerial roles.
Most recently, Alessandro provided leadership to the Procurement Team of OHB Systems in Munich, Germany, heading the Subcontractor Management Department. He dealt with the selection and management of space equipment suppliers, negotiating & executing complex development contracts from kick-off to final deliveries for earth observation and scientific missions within the ESA institutional market.
Previously, Mr. Comune was Project Manager at ABSL Space Products in Oxford, UK (now a division of EnerSys Advanced Systems) delivering Lithium-Ion batteries to several Satellite customers around the world. In 2007 he worked for Airbus Defence & Space in Stevenage, UK as Principal Engineer where he gained experience in the Eurostar E3000 telecoms satellite platforms and related customizations and evolutions.
Alessandro started his career in the Aviation Industry working on different Commercial and Military aircraft projects in Italy for Leonardo (former Alenia Aeronautica) and in the US at Lockheed Martin for the JSF F-35 program. He earned his MSc in Aeronautical Engineering cum laude from University of Napoli “Federico II” in Italy.
Earth Observation Strategist,
Terrawatch Space
Aravind is the founder of TerraWatch Space, a strategic advisory and communications firm, specialising in Earth observation, satellite data and its applications. Aravind works on strategic assignments with space agencies, NewSpace startups and private investors around the world, while also working with organisations across sectors in supporting their adoption of Earth observation data. With a multidisciplinary background and over a decade of cross-functional experience across software and space sectors, he is an expert in strategy, market analysis, business modeling, space tech, satellite data and applications. Aravind is also the author of the TerraWatch Space newsletter and the host of TerraWatch Space podcast, both aimed at demystifying Earth observation for all.
Chief Climate and Sustainability
Officer
European Space Agency – ESA
Andrea Vena is the Chief Climate and Sustainability Officer of the European Space Agency – ESA. He has over than thirty years of experience in the space sector both in industrial and institutional areas.
Graduated in Electronic Engineering, with a Master in Telecommunication Systems, he started his career in Alenia Spazio, the space branch of Finmeccanica (today Leonardo).
In 2000, Andrea started his career at ESA by joining the Strategy Directorate. In 2006 he was appointed head of the Corporate Strategic Planning Office and, in 2016, head of the Corporate Development Office, in charge of establishing a corporate strategy for the development of the organisation.
On June 1st, 2021, Andrea has been appointed Chief Climate and Sustainability Officer to ensure that ESA and its programmes contribute to the Paris Agreements on Climate Change and the European Green Deal.
PHD and Environmental
Monitoring Area Manager,
MAPSAT
Mariano Focareta has more than 24 years’ experience in the development of research activities and applications on satellite remote sensing for environmental monitoring and field verification and control activities. He received its master’s degree in applied Geology at the University Federico II of Naples (Italy) in 1996 and in 2001 completed PhD in Engineering Geology at the same University.
He has currently a permanent position as project manager, remote sensing applications, environmental monitoring expert and field activities at MapSat. He has a strong experience in remote sensing product validation, image detection, geological data processing, geomorphological evolution modelling, creation of thematic maps, photo-interpreter of drones, aerial and satellite data in environmental fields and product validation.
Founder & Partner,
E2MC Ventures
Raphael Roettgen is the founder of E2MC Ventures, a space-focused early-stage venture capital firm. He is also the co-founder of Prometheus Life Technologies, a space biotech startup that was the first startup to win the Orbital Reef innovation challenge.
He lectures on space entrepreneurship and finance at several universities including the International Space University (ISU) and the Swiss Institute of Technology at Lausanne (EPFL), hosts the popular Space Business Podcast, and is the author of “To Infinity”, an introductory book on the space economy.
Previously, Mr. Roettgen held senior roles at global investment banks and hedge funds and was also a fintech entrepreneur in Brazil.
He holds degrees in finance from Wharton, machine learning from PUC-Rio and space studies from the International Space University, where he also serves as a governing member. He is a PhD candidate at the University of Luxembourg.
Founder & CEO,
D-Orbit
Luca is a visionary entrepreneur, seeking a profitable and sustainable expansion of the humankind in space. In 1998 Luca quit his Airborne Officer career and got a Master’s in Aerospace Engineering in Italy (2003). After a year working in a US research lab on nanotechnologies applied to space propellant, he came back to Europe, where, in 2005, he successfully concluded a Master’s in Strategic Leadership Towards Sustainability.
During his Ph.D. studies in Advanced Space Propulsion – concluded in 2008 with honors – Luca founded IRTA (startup providing advanced vision and slow-motion tracking techniques). In 2006 he co-founded The Natural Step Italia (The Natural Step is an international NGO that helps corporations and communities to pursue their objectives within a strategic sustainability framework), where the idea of applying strategic sustainability to the space sector originated. In 2008 he applied for the European Astronauts Corp among 10,000 candidates and positioned between the first two hundred.
In 2009 Luca won a Fulbright scholarship and in 2010 obtained a Certificate in Technology Entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley, California. After an internship position at NASA Ames Research Center, he went back to Italy and founded D-Orbit, developing a solution for Space Logistics & Transportation.
President and Founder,
OMB
Beginning his activities in 1980, Paride buys and takes over a small mechanical company based in Prevalle (Officine Meccaniche Bresciani). In over forty years of history, he observes his company grow bigger, expand and acquire small business realities, incorporating them in internal business units.
Following the path drawn by Adriano Olivetti, Paride always tried to put two key fundamental factors at the top of his business philosophy: worker’s wealth and developing innovation. The latter is being pursued as continuous improvement, relentless research towards new markets of the future. The first project on hydrogen valve begins in 2013, foreseeing years ahead the changes that we acknowledge today. A few years later, finally, in 2019 the first project related with the world of aerospace comes into existence.
From brass nuts to the outer space is indeed an astonishing goal, but that’s only the natural culmination for a company that made continuous innovation its mantra and funding cornerstone.
Chief Commercial Officer (CCO),
Vanzetti Engineering S.p.a
Andrea Capuani joined Vanzetti Engineering in 2022 after spending more than 25 years experience in Aerospace & Defence sector. In Avio he started his career as TPLOx Aerothermal Designer of VINCI upper stage engine, following as Program Manager of TP400 Power Gearbox Program for Europropulsion Consortium and he actively participated as Strategic Planning in several Space M&A projects. In Elettronica he covered the role of Sales Director of SIGEN, a Consortium of ELT & Thales, for electronic warfare system installed on board of FREMM/Horizon Frigate Bi-National Programs and he was in charge of Head of Corporate Strategy & Risk Management. He holds a Ph.D. in Aeronautical Engineering and a Master in High Defence Studies.
Full professor,
Dept of Agronomy, Food, Natural
Resources, Animals and
Environment (DAFNAE) UniPD
Franco Meggio is Associate Professor at the Department of Environmental Agronomy and Crop Science, DAFNAE of the University of Padova. He completed the PhD in Viticulture, Oenology, and Marketing of wineries at the University of Padova in 2008. On 2008 won a fellowship to carry out a research period on Vegetation Stress Detection with Remote Sensing Imagery at the Istituto de Agricoltura Sostenibile, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (IAS – CSIC), Cordòba (Spain). From 2008 to 2022, he was a researcher with the Department of Environmental Agronomy and Crop Science, DAFNAE of University of Padova. He has carried out several internships abroad, at recognized research institutions both during the doctorate and in the postdoctoral period, as a visiting scientist. He is Principal Investigator of private and national research projects, as well as scientific advisor to national companies in the viticultural sector.
He works at the crossroads of plant physiology, ecosystems ecology and remote sensing. His main research interests focus on three major topics: i) Understanding leaf-level biochemical processes and responses at the canopy level. He is interested in plant ecophysiology and its adaptation to the environment changes for a deeper understanding on impacts of climate change on tree crops (grapevine, orchards); ii) Sustainable viticulture and environmental impact of agricultural activities. Modeling carbon dynamics in tree crops and quantification of abiotic factors affecting plant physiological processes; iii) Linking remote sensing methods to plant physiology, canopy architecture and biophysical parameters to promote precision viticulture approaches by means of proximal and remote sensors.
Member of the Italian (SOI) and International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) he is Academic Correspondent of the Italian Academy of Vine and Wine. Associated Editor of OenoOne he is author and co-author of more than 100 scientific publications concerning viticulture, plant ecophysiology and precision viticulture.
Executive Committee Member,
Telespazio
As a member of Telespazio Germany’s Executive Committee and as Chief Systems and Products Officer, Ivan is responsible for business areas concerning Ground Segment Systems, Training and Simulation, Cybersecurity, Mission-Critical ICT Infrastructure Engineering and Satellite Communications in the space and defence sectors. Prior to joining Telespazio Germany, Ivan was working in the Energy sector as a software developer, project and program manager, strategic development manager and business executive. Ivan has a strong professional background with a Ph.D. focused in Computer Science from University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing.
Full professor,
Dept of Agronomy, Food,
Natural Resources, Animals and
Environment (DAFNAE) UniPD
Professor of entomology at the University of Padova, Department DAFNAE. His research activity addresses topics of forest entomology and insect ecology, with special emphasis on the effect of climate change on the insect populations. He’s also developing innovative techniques for the study and the control of insect pests. He coordinates a research group involved in several national and international research projects.
System Engineer,
Sener
L. Tarabini Castellani is a system engineer at SENER with experience in complex space systems and in particular in satellites design, development and verification.
He obtained a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering in 1999 at the “Politecnico di Milano”. In 1999-2000 he worked at the TU-München designing the Attitude and Orbit Control System the moon mission Lunarsat. In 2000 joined GMV Aerospace and Defence in Madrid where he was responsible for the DARWIN constellation simulators, the PLANCK spacecraft navigation and the mission analysis for SMART-2, ConeXpress and Proba-3. In 2008 he joined SENER as system engineer of SMART-OLEV, a commercial mission aimed to provide in orbit servicing to geostationary telecommunication satellites. From 2010 to 2015 he worked as Proba-3 system engineer. Since 2015 he is working on advanced AOCS missions and technologies (EUCLID, PLATO, SPACE RIDER), on ESA Technology Research Projects (CORA-SAGE and Nano Micro Launch Vehicle Avionics), on SENER internal development activities and preparing proposals for ESA and European Commission (TRP, GSTP, OSIP, H2020). Currently he is working on the development of a novel system to deorbit space debris using electrodynamic tether (E.T.PACK www.etpack.eu).
Chief Commercial Officer,
The Exploration Company
Dana Baki is the Chief Commercial Officer of The Exploration Company, one of the fastest growing space companies globally, building reusable space capsules. This Nyx capsule will be the first to use green propellant globally, while flying at a fraction of the cost of global competition.
Prior to joining The Exploration Company, Dana was the co-founder & COO of MUNCH:ON, a food delivery platform based out of the Middle East, that was acquired by Careem (Uber’s subsidiary in the region). Before starting MUNCH:ON, Dana was a Partner of Business Development at AlJal Capital—a boutique financing and venture capital firm in the United Arab Emirates. Previous to that, Ms. Baki worked for Procter & Gamble in the United States for 7+ years, benefiting from a wide range of assignments within the company and gaining expertise in Corporate Strategy, Marketing and Consumer Insights.
She holds an MBA from Georgetown University and B.A. in Economics and English Literature from The University of Michigan.
Professor,
(DAFNAE), University of Padua
Professor of Environmental Agronomy and Soil Conservation at the University of Padova, Italy. Adjunct Professor at the Crop & Soil Department of the University of Georgia, USA. Head of the Soil Physics Lab and Director of the Experimental Farm at the University of Padova. Cofounder of the TransAtlantic Precision Agriculture Consortium. He has coordinated nationally and internationally funded projects on soil protection, agricultural pollution, precision agriculture, and remote sensing. More recently, he has focused on the integrative application of hyperspectral modeling and remote sensing to assess the effects of climate change and extreme events on crops.
Full professor,
Dept of Land, Environment,
Agriculture and Forestry (TESAF)
UniPD
Francesco Pirotti is currently associate professor at University of Padova, with teaching and research focusing on Geomatics; topics include spatial observation data analysis, in particular surveying and remote sensing from close-range and satellite Earth observation, oriented towards environmental and agro-forestry applications.
Author of more than one hundred indexed peer-reviewed scientific papers and editor in several international scientific journals. Active in national and international scientific societies: the International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) currently as chair of ISPRS WGIII/8 “Remote Sensing for Agriculture and Natural Ecosystems”, the European Association of Remote Sensing Laboratories (EARSeL) as chair of the Agriculture SIG (special interest group) and the Italian Society of Photogrammetry and Surveying (SIFET) as secretary of the Council.
Director of the second level specialization Master “Geostatistics for Human, Animal and Environmental Health” at University of Padova. He is involved in several international and national projects as principal and co-investigator. He held a TEDx talk in 2021 on the potential of remote sensing technologies titled “Vedere l’Invisibile” (“Seeing the Invisible”).
Account Executive,
Planet
Diego works at Planet as an account executive responsible for government sales in Europe. He spent his career entirely in the space sector, designing and selling space solutions to help life on earth. Prior to this position he covered several roles in engineering, marketing and business development in multinational companies.
Executive Director,
EPFL Space Center
Emmanuelle David is the executive director of the eSpace, EPFL Space Center at the Swiss Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne. eSpace is an interdisciplinary hub, working with students, academic institutions, international space agencies and industry partners, with an overall mission to promote space related research and education at EPFL. eSpace has launched the Space Sustainability Rating association in 2022.
Emmanuelle has 10 years’ experience in space transportation in academia, agency and industry from pre-development projects up to launch operations. She holds Space Engineering degrees both from the University of Technology of Compiegne, France, and the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany.
CTO & Operations,
Enginsoft
Lorenzo Bucchieri is CTO in Enginsoft since 2020 after a longstanding experience as CFD technical director.
Has worked with several aerospace industries: Avio GE, DLR, ESA, MBDA, SNECMA. Several papers published (ASME, IACC, Nafems, etc.), specifically on design techniques by optimization, linking genetic algorithm to CFD analysis.
CEO,
Bluetensor
Jonni Malacarne is an artificial intelligence expert, co-founder and CEO of Bluetensor, a company that develops products and solutions based on artificial intelligence. He graduated in telecommunications engineering in 2005, with a specialization in « Advanced signal recognition techniques ».
His career in Artificial Intelligence began in 2003, working for a Swiss company on projects commissioned by the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop algorithms and signal processing systems for satellite RADAR and remote sensing. Subsequently, he worked on innovative projects for important public and private companies, specializing in Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Processing and Augmented Reality.
In addition, Jonni Malacarne is the author of the book « Artificial Intelligence for Business » and created the podcast of the same name, which has published over 130 episodes. Thanks to his experience and knowledge in the field of Artificial Intelligence, Jonni Malacarne is a reference figure in the sector and continues to play an important role in shaping the future of AI in business.
R&D Manager,
Enginsoft
Carla Baldasso is the R&D Manager of EnginSoft, a multinational company leader on Simulation Based Engineering and Data Science.
Former Technical Manager within an Automotive OE Manufacturer, now Carla coordinates the R&D Department dealing with European, National and Regional co-funded research projects in the various engineering fields where numerical simulation and data science are applied such as Smart Manufacturing, Energy, Aeronautics, Space and Biomedical.
Through EnginSoft she actively collaborates with many European Technological Platforms and National Competence Centers such as ETP4HPC (the European Platform for High-Performance Computing), EIT Raw Materials and EIT Manufacturing (respectively the European Institute of Innovation and Technology for Raw Materials and for Manufacturing), Made in Europe (the European Factories of Future Research Association), 2 National Competence Centers for I4.0 (MADE and SMACT), the National Transportation Cluster, DITECFER (the District for Rail Technologies), 4 Veneto Regional Innovative Networks (IMPROVENET, M3NET, SINFONET, AIR) and DTA (the Apulian Aerospace Technological District). She is member of the Scientific Committee of the RIR AIR (the Venetian Innovative Network for Aerospace), of the EMMC (European Materials Modelling Council) and active in APRE (the Italian Agency for the Promotion of European Research).
She is evaluator of project proposals for the European Commission and for the Malta Council for Science and Technology.
Since 2021 she is coordinating the European H2020 LIFESAVER Project, an interdisciplinary 4 years project on health sector, involving 15 world class excellent partners.
Processes and Materials,
HRC Group
31 years experience in design and manufacturing high performance consumer products using composite and other advanced materials establlished reliable and competent global supply chain for design and manufacturing of high-performance consumer products.
R&D Additive Manufacturing
Division,
Solidworld Spa
Serena studied Physics. Formerly was a scientific popularizer working at “Museo del Cielo e della Terra” in San Giovanni in Persiceto near Bologna and more in general about all STEM topics.
In 2017 took the role of SLA 3D printer technical support in Energy Group, an important 3D printer reseller part of SWG.
Then in 2019 she became additive manufacturing application engineer in Solid Energy, the engineering division of the Group. Here she learned how to solve industrial problems with digital manufacturing processes and technologies, starting from reverse engineering to rapid prototyping.
Now she carries out the role of additive manufacturing R&D for Solid World Group.
Co-founder and Director,
Solidworld Spa
Alessandro Pozzobon is co-founder and Director at Qascom, Italian SME leader in satellite navigation and cyber security. He is mainly responsible for Business Development, including products and engineering services for the ground, space and user segments. He has a Master in Business Administration from the University of Iowa and a Master in Information Technology from the Queensland University of Technology. He is working in Qascom since 2004, contributing to the company’s growth and successful collaboration with space agencies.
Senior Solutions Sales Manager,
Echostar Mobile
Business development with almost 20years experience in Telco market with extensive experience in breakthrough innovative solutions into the market
Startup and Venture Lead,
Seraphim Space
Zainab an investment analyst at Seraphim Space Manager LLP. Prior to this she has been working with SpaceTech founders for two years at Seraphim Space Accelerator. Before joining Seraphim, Zainab was an analyst at Goldman Sachs, where she added investment and business knowledge to her existing skillset as an aeronautical engineer. After taking part in many aerospace projects throughout university and seeing the industry grow, she has a dedicated interest in innovative Space technologies and their commercial opportunities. This combination of experiences provides a unique perspective to support Space start-ups in their growth. Zainab holds a degree in BEng (Hons) Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Glasgow.
BASS Programme Manager &
NEWSPACE Team,
CNES
Hugo GONZALEZ PEREZ obtained his Master of Engineering degree at Telecom Barcelona (UPC) in 2000. He also holds a Master on “Satellite-based communication, navigation and surveillance) from the Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile (ENAC) in Toulouse. In 2021 he got a MBA from Toulouse Business School. In 2002, he joined the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) in Toulouse. As a member of telecommunication system department, he has been in charge of several R+D studies and involved different projects dealing with satellite communications. Highly involved in aeronautical comm’s and digital divide activities on the technical side,
Mr. Gonzalez joined in 2012 the innovation and application’s directorate as programme manager for broadband and mobile domain. In 2019, he moved away from telecommunications domain towards Earth Observation, also at the strategy team, in order to work on the CNES position face to the increasing business oriented evolution of this field. Since beginning 2022, he joined the NEWSPACE department to support French newcomers. He is also the French delegate of several ESA programmes related to innovation and competitiveness (BASS and ScaleUP).
CEO,
Smart Industry
Alessandro Paneghel, laureato in Economia e Commercio all’univerisità “Ca Foscari” fondatore e CEO di SMART INDUSTRY. Dopo gli studi universitari ha vissuto ad Heidelberg e Berlino, ha ricoperto ruoli manageriali per lo sviluppo commerciale globale all’interno di società multinazionali produttrici di componenti e soluzioni nel settore trasmissioni per il settore OHV e automotive come Thyssenkrupp AG, Carraro SPA, Bondioli e Pavesi SPA.
Con SMARTENGINEERING SPA fonda SMART INDUSTRY, una community in grado di aggregare e sviluppare competenze, servizi di ingegneria per i settori Aerospazio, Packaging, Pharma, Difesa, Macchine utensili, automotive, Off Highway Vehicles, con una particolare attenzione a tecnologie future possibili driver di cambiamenti ed evoluzione nelle skills del domani.
Alessandro Paneghel, graduated in Economics and Commerce at the University « Ca Foscari » is the founder and CEO of SMART INDUSTRY. After university studies he has been living in Heidelberg and Berlin, held managerial roles for global commercial development within multinational companies manufacturers of components and solutions in the transmission sector for the Off Highway Vehicles and automotive sector such as Thyssenkrupp AG, Carraro SPA, Bondioli and Pavesi SPA.
With SMARTENGINEERING SPA founds SMART INDUSTRY, a community capable of aggregating and developing skills, engineering services for the Aerospace, Packaging, Pharma, Defense, Machine Tools, Automotive, Off Highway Vehicles sectors, with particular attention to future technologies possible drivers of changes and evolution in the skills of tomorrow.
Partner and Head of Global
Innovation,
Arieli Capital
Or brings over 20 years of experience building and leading startup growth and investment platforms from Silicon Valley to Israel. As Partner and head of global innovation, Or leads the creation of Arieli’s early-stage investment platforms generating high net worth portfolios and investments.
Under Or’s leadership, Arieli Innovation grew to become a global platform creating international pipelines, and early-stage investments and leading the official innovation programs working alongside family offices, banks, industry brands, governments, and academic institutions.
Or advances impact programs focusing on investing in technologies with the potential to help solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges in verticals such as AgFood-tech, global innovation ecosystems, Ocean, Climate, Biotech, Travel-tech, health, wellness AI, and more.
Or received the Decoration for Excellence from the IDF Commander in Chief « Ramatkal » for his service as a team leader at the Counter Terror Special Forces as well as the Decoration of Excellence for his service in the Air Force Special Forces.
Or holds a B.A. (Cum Laude, outstanding student award) in Electronic Business Management from the Dominican University of California and an M.A. In Conflict Management and Resolution from Ben Gurion University, Israel.
Programme Manager (PM) for
space systems,
European Innovation Council
Stella Tkatchova is the Programme Manager (PM) for space systems at the European Innovation Council (EIC). As a Programme Manager, Tkatchova brings critical insights and technology/market specific knowledge and supports SME’s and start-ups to achieve breakthrough innovation.
Previously she worked as a project manager and commercialization manager in the European space industry, managing a number of projects in the telecommunications (e.g. ESA ARTES INDIGO public private partnership, GOVSATCOM, O3B) and Earth observation (e.g. Copernicus Sentinel 1 and Sentinel 3) domains. As a commercialization manager, she co-founded a company and helped several SMEs and start-ups grow in the Newspace industry. Earlier in her career, she worked at ESA’s European Space and Technology Centre (ESTEC) on the EU Galileo and the International Space Station (ISS) programmes. She holds a PhD by the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering of TUDelft, The Netherlands.
She has written numerous articles, books, produced webinars and podcasts on problems related to the commercialization of space technology, the Newspace economy, space debris mitigation, on-orbit servicing, active debris removal and cis-lunar exploration. Tkatchova is the founder and former editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Space Technology Management & Innovation (IJSTMI).
Professor Associate,
IUSS University
Dr Andrea Taramelli is Professor Associate at IUSS University, Pavia and Senior scientist – Principal Investigator of The Remote Sensing Group (surface processes, geomorphology and remote sensing) at the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research Rome. Projects manager and senior researcher in the field of image and signal processing, remote sensing, space, security, validation, environmental safety: focus area – coastal zone and Marine, Land, Agriculture and Air quality.
He is Italian national delegate at the European Commission Copernicus User Forum and Copernicus Committee and national expert at the European Destination Earth Initiative. He is a member of the ‘Technical Space Committee” at the Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri. Member of the Joint Scientific Committee of ASI-ISPRA, head of the Space Economy implementation Group and delegate to the Comitato di Sorveglianza della Space Economy at Ministry of Sustainable Industrial Development. He is delegate for IUSS of the JoTTO Joint Technology Transfer Office (http://www.jointto.it/en), Scientific Member of the Italian Research Copernicus Academy Foundation and Chair of the Leadership Group Framework Partnership Agreement on Copernicus User Uptake FPCUP https://www.copernicus-user-uptake.eu/
He has degrees from the University of Perugia and Master Business Administration applied to environment from University of Pisa (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna). His doctorate on geophisical singularities (power-law concept) was undertaken jointly between the University of Perugia geomorphology group at the LDEO of Columbia University. His postdoc was on Assessing topography and surface changes using SAR techniques and multispectral imagery at LDEO of Columbia University. He took up a University Lectureship position (2003-2007) and Fellowship at Perugia University (2006 – 2009), and a Lectureship at La Sapienza University Roma (2009-2011). He is actually teaching at IUSS Pavia “Economical aspect of Space Strategy” and “GIS and Remote sensing’ for master and PhD Programme.
Head Researcher,
CNR IRET
Alberto Battistelli Research Director of the National Research Council Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems, contract professor in Botany and Plant Physiology at the University of Tuscia in Viterbo, Agronomist and Plant Physiologist, studies plant-environment relationships, and how they affect the role of plants in ecosystems, and their productivity and the quality of plant products in agriculture. With technology we can control the growing environment of plants and then modulate their metabolism and productivity, in terms of quantity and quality. The use of technology in agriculture can also increase resource use efficiency, a must for essential resources as space, water and energy. An opportunity not to be missed on Earth but one that we are also studying for future space colonists. We need plants to live on Earth and we will need plants to live in Space. Plants will be the primary producers in bioregenerative life supporting systems in space, and we need to design high-tech intelligent cropping system for Space outposts for the resource needs of astronauts, with a special eye on their well-being. A challenging area of research, which more than others requires interdisciplinarity, and will be enriched by the complexity of the relationships between biology and technology for a necessary alliance in a hostile world. Plants will be at the center of spatial living places for food production, resource recycling, and inhabitant well-being. Studying how to do this also helps us to be more sustainable on Earth.
President,
CEAS
Franco Bernelli Zazzera is full professor in aerospace systems at the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology at Politecnico di Milano. He obtained his PhD in aerospace engineering in 1990. In 1992 he became Associate Professor and in 2001 he became Full Professor at Politecnico di Milano, where he currently teaches and performs researches in the fields of space flight mechanics and aerospace control systems.
He has worked on many research projects funded by the Italian and European Space Agencies. His scientific activity has covered space trajectory optimization, low-thrust space trajectories, low-energy interplanetary transfers, robotics for planetary exploration, educational microsatellites. His recently funded research projects include the SD2 instrument for the ROSETTA Mission (funded by ASI) and AstroNet II (funded by the European Commission). Recent industrial contracts include works on “Trajectory optimization under uncertainties“ (funded by ESA) and “Breadboard of a sampling tool mechanism for low gravity bodies“ (funded by Selex ES). He has coordinated the PERSEUS project, supported within the Horizon2020 program and aiming at defining measures to improve the quality of the European aerospace graduates
At Politecnico di Milano, he has been Erasmus coordinator in Aerospace Engineering for 14 years, deputy Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Engineering for 8 years, Director of studies in Aerospace Engineering for 1 year, Head of the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology for 4 years.
He is currently President of CEAS, the Council of European Aerospace Societies, and has been Chairman of PEGASUS, the European network of Aerospace Universities, for 4 years.
Head of Exploration,
Infrastructures and
Scientific Satellite Department,
ASI – Italian Space Agency
Graduated in Computer Science, Raffaele Mugnuolo joined Italian Space Agency on 1 November 1987 taking the responsibility of activities related to Automation and Robotics for ISS and planetary exploration, mainly Moon and Mars Exploration. He has been involved in solar system exploration missions such as Rosetta, Bepi Colombo, Dawn, JUICE, ArgoMoon for Artemis-1 and LiciaCube for DART mission. He is the responsible for Italian Participation to ExoMars and member of IMWEG since 1993.
Currently, Raffaele Mugnuolo is the Head of Exploration, Infrastructures and Scientific Satellite Department of Italian Space Agency, covering the POC role for bi-lateral Working Groups on Space Exploration with JAXA, CSA and ISRO. He is the Lead ASI POV for Mars Ice Mapper mission in partnership with CSA, JAXA and NASA.
Raffaele Mugnuolo is Italian delegate to ESA Program Board HME (Human and Robotic Exploration).
Professor,
University of Naples Federico II
My academic background is in Agricultural Sciences. In 1993 I joined the Department of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Naples Federico II where I am currently employed as Full Professor of Horticulture. I have taught for over 25 years classes for Ba, MSc, and PhD students on different topics in horticulture. My work also includes coaching post-docs, and young scientists in their research activities to determine the effects of environmental and cultural factors on plant growth and product quality on a wide range of vegetable and ornamental crops, both in field and in greenhouse. My main research interests are in (i) abiotic stress adaptation in plants; (ii) sustainable water and nutrients management of horticultural crops in field and greenhouse production; (iii) post-harvest physiology and (iv) circular agriculture. I am also the vice-President of the National Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA) the leading Italian research organization dedicated to the agri-food supply chains (https://www.crea.gov.it/en/about-crea).
Since the last 25 years, my research activities include plant biology and crop production in Space environments and the use of crop plants in Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSS) for long-duration Space missions. In 2019, I became the reference person for the “Research Laboratory on Plant for Space” at the Department of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Naples Federico II, which includes a Plant Characterization Unit (PCU) for closed life support systems funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) project PlAnt Characterization unit for closed life support system—engineering, MANufacturing and testing (PaCMAN). The PCU was conceived as a crop research facility within the MELiSSA (Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative) program, which is a joint long-term effort, led by ESA, focused on the development of a regenerative life-support systems for air regeneration, water purification and food production in the sight of future long-term manned missions to Moon and Mars (https://www.melissafoundation.org). Among other national and international projects, I am also the coordinator of the ReBUS (In-Situ Resource Bio-Utilization for supporting life in Space) project funded by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and aiming at designing a BLSS using raw materials found in situ on the Moon or other planetary bodies.
PostDoctoral Research Assistant,
UNIPD-CISAS
1993 Laurea Diploma as Doctor of Physics at the University “La Sapienza” of Rome, Italy
1998 PhD in Space Science and Technologies under cotutorial between CISAS – Univ. Padova and Univ. Paris VII, France.
She is the Principal Investigator (PI) of AMELIA: the EDL science experiment of the ESA ExoMars project. She was deputy PI for the HASI instrument on the ESA Huygens probe of the NASA/ASI/ESA Cassini mission to the Saturnian system.
Co-proposer/CoInvestigator of several in situ instruments and entry probe missions (e.g. for CNES Mars NetLander, ESA ExoMars PASTEUR, NASA M2020-MEDA, Titan, Venus, Ice Giants).
She worked at ESTEC, The Netherlands as ESA internal Research Fellow (1998-2000),
Visiting Scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Lab, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA (1999) and ESA Visiting Research Fellow at the Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute (PSSRI), The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK (2003).
She was acting as Project Scientist of the NetLander project of the French Mars Sample Return Programme at CNES, Toulouse, France (2000-2002).
She has been studying planetary atmospheres and martian dust devils by in situ measurements; planetary surfaces and minor bodies of the Solar System by OSIRIS imaging system of the ESA Rosetta mission to the 67P/Churyumov Gerasimenko comet and by hypervelocity impacts.
COO,
T4i
Elena Toson holds a PhD in Aerospace Engineering. At the beginning of her career, she worked in Thales Alenia Space and then in Avio Aero and D-Orbit, where she matured her experience in aerospace projects management and company business development. Today, she’s the COO of T4i, a company that develops innovative electric and chemical propulsion systems for nano-micro satellites and micro launchers. Elena is also active in the national and international space community; she is co-chair of the IAF International Space Propulsion Committee and member of Women in Aerospace Association.
General Director,
Aerospace Valley
Eric Giraud graduated from French engineer school Ecole Centrale de Nantes by 1988.
He began his career by 1989 within the Research & Development department of SNPE Energetic Materials, where he spent 17 years working on the production processes of tactical and deterrent missiles and solid-propulsion of space launchers.
By 2006 he joined SAFRAN Herakles as Director of Automotive Safety department and developped this sector during 10 years. In 2015, he took over the management of the Industry Business Unit of the same company and created the Chinese subsidiary SME ChangQing located in Suzhou.
Finally, by 2016, he was asked by Arianegroup for restructuring and managing ArianeGroup’s civil equipment activity focused on the Aeronautics and Space markets.
By 2021 seconded from Arianegroup, group of which he still belongs, he joined the Aerospace Valley cluster as CEO
Professor,
UNIPD
Enrico Lorenzini is a Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering of the University of Padova (Italy) since 2006 after having spent 21 years as staff scientist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts (USA). His research interests include Astrodynamics, Spacecraft Dynamics and Control; Conceptual design of space systems including Tethered Satellites for the mitigation of orbital debris; Design and analysis of systems for measuring small accelerations. He is an AIAA Associate Fellow, an IEEE Member, an AIDAA (Italian Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics) Member, an Academic Editor of the International Journal of Aerospace Engineering. He has 175 publications listed in SCOPUS of which 86 papers in peer-reviewed journals, 86 in conference proceedings, 1 monograph, 1 book chapter and 1 front-cover article in Scientific American (August 2004 issue). He is listed among the top 2% most-cited scientists in the world according to the Stanford University analysis of standardized citation indicators.
Associate Professor of Space
Systems ,
University of Padova
Alessandro Francesconi is associate professor of Space Systems at University of Padova, where he is also manager of the Hypervelocity Impact Facility at the Center of Studies and Activities for Space CISAS “Giuseppe Colombo”.
His main research topics are in the field of spacecraft systems and miniature satellites (with particular focus on autonomous docking and capture of non-cooperative spacecraft, robotic solutions for on-orbit servicing, and laser communication for small satellites), and space debris (where he has 20+ years of experience on the study of satellites collisions and fragmentation and hypervelocity impact effects on space systems, using both numerical and experimental tools).
In these fields, Prof. Francesconi has acted as coordinator several projects funded by the European Union, the European Space Agency, the Italian Space Agency, and by several European spacecraft manufacturers.
He has been chairman of the Working Group 3 « Protection » of the Inter Agency Debris Coordination Committee, and he has currently member of the IAA Permanent Committee on Space Debris.
CEO,
Logic Group e Blu Electronic
Alessandro is a nuclear engineer and currently holds the position of CEO of Logic Spa and Blu Electronic srl. Previously he worked at the Leonardo group (formerly Finmeccanica) as an executive covering various roles, such as head of international business development, sales and after-sales, program management and research and development. In over 25 years of activity in the Aerospace and Defense sector, he has developed an international profile, engaged in change management projects, from the start-up phase to turnaround challenges. He has experience in both the civilian and military sectors.
Chief Technical & Innovation
Officer,
Telespazio Group
Marco Brancati graduated in Electronic Engineering at the « Federico II » of Naples. After three years of experience in Selenia Industrie, in 1990 he moved to the Telespazio Group where since mid-2016 he has held the role of Chief Technical & Innovation Officer, responsible at transnational level for Innovation, Technological Governance and Group IT. Previously he was SVP of the Network & Connectivity BU, responsible for TLC and TV products and programs for the Telespazio group. In 2011 he completed his Executive Leadership Program at Imperial College London.
CEO,
ZERO
Director,
Osservatorio
Astronomico,University
of Padova
Roberto Ragazzoni is an astronomer who depicted novel kind of instrumentation to aim for the sky. Full professor at the University of Padova and currently Director of the Astronomical Observatory of Asiago he conceived several new kind of wavefront sensor to measure the twinkling of the stars in order to counteract the malicious behavior of the earth atmosphere on the quality of the heaven’s images. He is behind several new optical design of large field camera like the WAC onboard Rosetta or the FlyEye to gaze the sky for space debris or killer’s asteroids. When he is not in his official duty, he still aim to the outer space by flying a little plane that he personally modified for the purpose of long range flights.
CTO,
EIE
Graduated in Physics at the University of Bologna and PhD in Astronomy at the University of Padua, in 2002 he co-founded a start-up dedicated to the development of optical instrumentation, initiating collaborations in the aerospace field with various companies in the sector.
In 2016 he joined EIE, where he held the position of Technical Director of the Aerospace and Defense BU, dealing directly with Business Development and Project Management. Co-inventor of new electro-optical devices, he characterizes his professional career with a strong drive towards innovation and research. He is currently involved in projects dedicated to the construction of astronomical observatories for NEO & Space Debris Detection.
Founder, President & CEO,
EIE GROUP
Gianpietro Marchiori is the founder of EIE GROUP, an a EPCC – Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Commissioning firm, fully devoted to achievements in the Astronomical, Astrophysics, Defense and Space fields.
Since the early university stages, degree course in Electrical Engineering, University of Padua, he has dedicated himself to Big Systems Engineering, Machines Construction and has specialized in Management for Large International Scientific Projects in collaboration with the biggest Academic and Scientific Organizations. The Large Telescopes and Observatories NTT, VLT, LBT, ALMA, ELT, etc. bear his signature.
He is currently engaged in the Design and Construction of the ESA Facility, VERT-X, for the Athena Mission, in the observatories for ESA for the FLYEYE Telescopes and in the Construction of Instrumentation for Earth Observation, Solar System Exploration and in the field of SST/NEO/Optical Communications.
He has held important roles in the Confindustria (Confederation of Italian Industry) such as VP of Confindustria Venice, President of the Tertiary Section, VP Confindustria Veneto and important public roles such as CEO of VEGA Science and Technology Park in Venice, President and CEO of NANOFAB, Member of Board of Veneto Innovazione and of Venezia Ricerche Consortium, VP of the Groggia Foundation, President of the previous Veneto Aerospace District SKYD, etc.
He is the author of numerous publications in the fields of Astronomy, Astrophysics, Technologies in general and the History of Science.
Senior Scientist- retired full
professor,
Italian National Institute for
Astrophysics and University
of Padua
Senior Scientist- retired full professor- Italian National Institute for Astrophysics and University of Padua. Former Advisor to the
Minister for Research and University, Science writer, author of books on Astrophysics and Science, one also in Braille. He has received international Awards. Collaborator of the italian financial newspaper « Il Sole 24 ore » Full CV and activity : www.scienzaltro.com
CEO,
OHB-OHB-I
After graduating in Aeronautical Engineering at the Politecnico of Milano and a brief period at Aermacchi, Roberto Aceti in 1989 joined ESA – European Space Agency, in the Dutch operating centre as Project Manager and Programme Manager for ten years. In 1999 he was called in the Compagnia Generale dello Spazio (now OHB Italia) as Marketing Director and within a decade he reached the top of the company. In 2013 he has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer, a position he still holds today at OHB Italia SpA, since 2009 part of the German OHB SE Group.
Chief Commercial Officer,
ISOCLIMA
18+ years of experience in commercial organization and strategic marketing
Former Experience at Volkmann (DE) and Fracasso (IT).
A great love for the Colli Euganei (Euganean Hills)
And for their typical local products and the nature of this beautiful place where he lives with his family, Ilaria, Massimiliano, and Carlotta.
« ISOCLIMA has been something of a passion since 2013.
I always try to convey to customers the unique thrill I get from dealing with people, ideas and products every day to our customers».
Journalist,
Corriere della Sera
Giovanni Caprara is a science columnist for Corriere della Sera, professor of the History of Space Exploration course at the Milan Polytechnic, member of the History Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics, and curator of the Space section of the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan. He is the author of numerous publications on the history of science and space exploration translated in Europe and the United States, including Rosso Marte (Utet); Abitare lo spazio (Mondadori and English edition with FireFly); Storia italiana dello spazio (Bompiani and English edition with Springer/Nature) and is co-author of Space Exploration and Humanity: A Historical Encyclopedia (ABC-CLIO). In 2000, he received the ConScientia award from the Milan universities as science journalist of the year; in 2010, the European Science Writers Award from the Euroscience Foundation; and in 2016, the Science Communication Award from the Italian Physical Society (SIF). The International Astronomical Union named ‘10928 Caprara,’ an asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter. He has been president of UGIS, Union of Italian Scientific Journalists, since 2011 and has been scientific director of the Padua Festival of Science and Innovation since 2021.
Ventures Analyst ,
Aerospace Plug and Play
Tech Center & Takeoff
Francesco Brescia is a Ventures Analyst at Plug and Play Tech Center and Takeoff Accelerator, where he scouts and evaluates startups in the aerospace sector. He has a Master of Science in Economics and Management of Innovation and Technology and a Bachelor in Economics and Finance from Bocconi University, with a Diploma in Space Policies and Institutions from SIOI. He has previous experience as Dealflow Analyst and Open Innovation Analyst at Digital Magics, an Italian venture accelerator and as Design Thinking consultant at Business Integration Partners, an Italian consultancy firm. Outside of work, he is passionate about literature, science fiction, history, photography and technology.
General Manager,
Kayser Italia
Alessandro Donati is General Manager at Kayser Italia, aerospace engineering company whose core business is the development of flight systems for applications, science and research in space.
With a master’s degree in computer science at University of Pisa and a PhD in Optics at University of Florence he has started his career at ICT companies, then in 1990 moved to Kayser Italia, holding various management positions, up to his position as General Manager.
He maintains a close relationship with Universities, Research Organizations and Industries working in the framework of space research.
Project Manager,
Italian Space Agency (ASI)
Project Manager at the Space Traffic Management Office of the Italian Space Agency.
She obtained the PhD in Astronomy at the University of “Tor Vergata” and she worked for almost ten years for the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF). She joint ASI in 2019, were she coordinates different projects related to the Space Situational Awareness and Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) programmes. She is Member of the Italian delegation at ESA Space Safety Programme, Member of the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committe (IADC) and Member of the technical team of the agreement signed by ASI, Minister of Defence and INAF for supporting the European Union SST programme.