Bertrange, December 22th, 2015
The Moon, Mars and Space in general have always been fascinating for scientists, researchers, countries and businesses. Space gave birth to some of the greatest innovations in history and some of the biggest cold war battles notably with the launch of Sputnik in 1957 and Neil Armstrong walking on the Moon almost 50 years ago. In 2016, Luxembourg will welcome the first edition of the Space Forum which will gather European Space Clusters, Tech Valley Representatives, Business Angels, Satellites Operators, Industry Suppliers and international Space experts. The two-day event, supported by the Government of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg, ESA, ISU, and Nereus will be held in parallel with ICT Spring Europe 2016.
IoT, Mobility and Cybersecurity: the New Space Race has already begun
Space is a vibrant and high growth sector that has achieved great things in a relatively short amount of time and is now an essential part of the engine that drives the global economy. It has revolutionized capabilities in areas such as international communications, global navigation and national security, and has also provided a way to monitor the Earth’s climate. It enables us all to enjoy the benefits of communication, entertainment, and mapping and managing our lives, virtually anywhere on the surface of our planet.
The organizers of the Space Forum are deeply convinced that ICT and Space will soon become a single integrated market. As a matter of fact, digital investments and internet are currently renewing enthusiasm for space innovations, digital and internet companies are increasingly communicating on space projects and programs. Moreover, a growing number of startups and entrepreneurs are entering this New Space Race. Jobs, investments and contracts are continuously increasing and the Space industry could soon represent 10% of the global economy.
Space stretches the innovative skills of our best scientists and engineers and it inspires young people to develop the skills to push forward the frontiers of scientific knowledge. Most importantly it offers the promise of helping the human race to solve some of the biggest challenges it will face over the next few decades. It also impacts directly CIOs and CTOs through the Cloud, giving them access to unlimited volumes of data and information but also paving the way for new cyberthreats. Therefore, a new typology of risks for users and consumers must also be taken into consideration. In this respect, some of the most topical and timely subjects related to Space and Digital will be addressed during the Space Forum: Global connectivity, Mobility, the Internet of Things and Cybersecurity are already on the agenda of the first-ever Space-ICT alliance Summit to be held in Luxembourg.
International experts to share their knowledge in Luxembourg in May 2016
The Space Forum exclusive program of seminars and presentations will be delivered by some of the world’s biggest names in the Space and Digital industries, together with major influencers:
Jean-Yves Le Gall, President of CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales), is a trained engineer and scientist who has devoted his entire career to the European space program, holding positions within the French national scientific research agency CNRS, several French ministries, at Novespace and a first stint with CNES before joining Starsem and Arianespace, where he was Chairman & CEO until his appointment as President of CNES.
Frank M. Salzgeber, Head of ESA (European Space Agency) Technology Transfer Program Office. Mr. Salzgeberg holds a degree in Graduated Industrial Engineering, and is genuinely passionate about the importance of human space flight and the European space program, saying “a society that stops exploring, stops progressing”.
Freddy Dezeure, Head of CERT-EU (Computer Emergency Response Team), has held a variety of management functions in administrative, financial and operational areas, in particular in information technology. He set up the CERT for the EU institutions, agencies and bodies in 2011.
Mark Rigolle joined LeoSat as CEO in September 2015. He has 22 years of experience in the Telecom and Satellite sectors. Most recently he has been advising satellite operators and private equity funds. He is the former CEO of O3b Networks and held the position of CFO and member of the Executive Board of SES.
Professor Chris Welch is a Resident Faculty member of the International Space University (ISU), Strasbourg, France and a Visiting Lecturer in Spacecraft Propulsion at Cranfield University, UK. A frequent commentator on space and astronautics, he has made more than 200 television and radio broadcasts. Prof. Welch is a winner of the Sir Arthur Clarke Award for Space Education.
Richard Saul Wurman is an American architect and graphic designer. He is also the founder of the TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) conference. He published his first book in 1962 at the age of 26, with one goal: making information understandable. At the age of 80, he continues to work on his Urban Observatory project, a comparative cartographic initiative for mapping urban settings, and on a new book about the essence of understanding.
Chad Anderson is Managing Director of Space Angels Network where he has facilitated millions of dollars of private investment into commercial space ventures. He is a prominent advocate of the private space industry with numerous public speaking appearances, interviews, and papers on the subject.
Joel Carnes, Operations & Strategy, XPrize, has 20 years of experience as a leader in strategy and management in the high tech, entertainment, and consulting fields. He now supports innovators around the world as they compete to bring their breakthrough ideas to fruition.
Yves Elsen, Chairman of the Board, Fonds National de la Recherche (Luxembourg), but also Managing Partner and CEO at HITEC Luxembourg, will also take part in the first edition of the Space Forum.
More information regarding speeches and specific topics will be published on the Space Forum website: www.spaceforum.eu
About Space Forum
Space Forum will take place in parallel with ICT Spring Europe 2016, which has become in less than 7 years one of Europe’s largest and most international information-communication-technology conferences. It is dedicated to providing an overview on the latest relevant trends and innovations as well as their impact on society and the working world. Last year, the event gathered 5300 professionals over two days at the European Convention Center Luxembourg with lectures by more than 100 speakers.
Space Forum and ICT Spring are powered by Farvest, the leading Marketing and Events company in Luxembourg which stands out through its renowned international network of contacts, and an exclusive approach that offers efficient networking and brings state-of-the art technical services.
For further information, please visit www.spaceforum.eu or www.ictspring.com.