Space Tech Expo Europe is a major dedicated supply-chain and engineering event for manufacturing, design, test and engineering services for spacecraft, subsystems and space qualified components. With 4514 attendees, 409 exhibiting companies and 54 countries in attendance, it is the largest trade show in Europe for commercial space activities.
This year, ESA Space Solutions Centre Ireland exhibited with 6 ESA Business Incubator (BIC) companies, 2 Irish Space companies and Tyndall National Institute on the ESA Space Solutions Centre Ireland stand. The ESA BIC companies attending were PlasmaBound, Varadis, Tisalabs, Intelligent Implants, PixQuanta and Alcass Health.
Barry Kavanagh, CEO, OCE Technology,
Danny Gleeson, Chief Commercial Officer & Diarmuid Corry, Chief Technology Officer, Réaltra Space Systems Engineering,
Xavier Montibert, Commercial Director & Nick Barry, Founder & Technical Director, PlasmaBound,
John Zellmer, Co Founder, Intelligent Implants,
David Gibbons, Manager, ESA Space Solutions Centre Ireland, Tyndall National Institute,
Eimear O’Mullane, Business Development Coordinator & Peter Smyth, Commercial Director, Tyndall National Institute.
Reflecting on this experience, David Gibbons of ESA Space Solutions Centre Ireland said,
“this is the first time an Irish consortium of Space and Space-related companies have exhibited at this rapidly growing show and it bodes well for future Irish involvement in the rapidly growing commercial space sector.”
The international event offered ESA Space Solutions Centre Ireland, Tyndall National Institute and their partners a fantastic opportunity to connect with prospective suppliers, distributors and customers at the right place and the right time allowing them to develop relationships and forge quality contacts. Two of the ESA BIC companies had significant meetings with one of the top three satellite manufacturers in Europe, with one being requested to partake in writing a white paper.
The event also acted as a mutually beneficial learning forum in which partners could exchange information and learn from each other’s industries and the various materials used for space applications.
The overall experience for partners was quoted as very “positive” and “successful” with several being presented with high value opportunities and the chance to engage with potential customers, suppliers and partners from tier 1 satellite manufacturers to component manufacturers and suppliers in Europe.