Space for Business & Business for Space

After obtaining a Master’s degree at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in organizational psychology, he received his PhD training at the University of Maastricht under leadership of Professor Geert Hofstede, a world-renowned expert in national cultures. This period has laid the foundation for a broad interest in the field of international and comparative management including research topics such as: How do companies achieve optimal integration in their cross-border operations given the many national and cultural challenges that are often present? How does societal context affect the background and functioning of top management? How do multinationals companies and their subsidiaries deal with the international challenges of the 21st century, including knowledge management and innovation.

Cornelis Eldering (Niels) is Technology Transfer Officer at ESA's Technology Transfer Programme Office (TTPO). His main responsibility is the set-up and implementation of ESA's Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC) programme.

He holds a Master of Science in Business Administration (Management of Technology and Innovation) from the Rotterdam School of Management. Niels is passionately engaged in the challenging process from exploration to exploitation of science and technology and regularly provides presentations and guest lectures to universities, such as for the CEMS international Master in Management education.

Dr Pilz has over 20 years of professional experience in the European and international aerospace industry, in various engineering and programme management positions in the defence and security sectors and the space community.

He joined ESA from Airbus Defence & Space, based in Immenstaad, Germany. Here he was the Head of Space Chief Engineering and Products, as well as Head of Site for Friedrichshafen, involved in all Airbus Space programmes, and hence in many ESA projects.

He managed a team of system engineers, product managers and end-to-end data managers across Europe and working in exploration, telecom, navígation, Earth observation and science projects, from Copernicus to Juice, Galileo SG to MetOp-SG and from ACES to the Orion European Service Module.

Previously at Airbus, he was Head of AstroBus and EO/Science/Exploration, and Head of Payloads and Life Support Systems. Educated at the University of Ulm, Germany, and the University of California, Los Angeles, he has a PhD and Diploma in Electrical Engineering. He worked as a research scientist on microwave and antenna applications at Rockwell Scientific in Thousand Oaks, USA, before joining the former EADS in 2003.

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I am an experienced professional who knows how to "bridge" strategy and delivery. I think out-of-the-box and deliver innovative solutions by applying a holistic approach that has been developed over a diverse career spanning multiple industries across the public and private sector. I am an inclusive leader who is refreshingly honest with teams and stakeholders. I bring

focus, robust strategic analysis, delivery discipline, and create environments for collaboration - creating momentum to solve wicked problems through a partnership approach. I create "no blame" working environments and am passionate about building diverse teams who bring in new perspectives and approaches.

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Apostolia Karamali is the head of the Research and Innovation Actors and Research Careers unit at the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission. The unit designs and implements policy for the higher education sector, research organisations, researchers, research and technology infrastructures. The unit operates in the context of the new European Research Area (ERA) and in synergy with the European Education Area (EEA), employment, social and industrial policy. In particular, the unit supports the establishment of a European framework for research careers in the European labour market; offers services to researchers and institutions; promotes the development of a sustainable European ecosystem of research and technology infrastructures; maintains an observatory and promotes knowledge creation, circulation and use.

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Jan van den Ende is a professor of management of technology and innovation at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM). In addition, he is professor of horticulture innovation and visiting professor at LUISS Universita Guido Carli, Rome, Italy.

His field of expertise is the development process of new products and services in firms. His current research interests include firm-internal and -external idea management, control of NPD projects, design management and sustainable innovation

Jan van den Ende has published in numerous journals including Journal of Management Studies, Organization Studies, Harvard Business Review, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Research Policy, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, and Group and Organization Management.

He teaches in MBA and Executive Education for firms such as ASML, FrieslandCampina, IFF and MAN. Van den Ende holds a PhD from Delft University of Technology.

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Aerospace startup operator & consultant. Guest lecturer at Rotterdam School of Management (CEMS programme) and the European Space Agency Academy.

I work across the entire space value chain and all stages of development, from early stage start-ups to large satellite data providers, investors, and government institutions (including the European Space Agency, European Investment Bank, and European Commission).

Frank Hugi, based in Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, is currently a Program Manager Strategic Space Projects at Beyond Gravity, bringing experience from previous roles at ORDERFOX and ORDERFOX AG. Frank Hugi holds a 2015 - 2017 Double Degree Master

of Science - Cum Laude in International Management / CEMS @ CEMS - The Global Alliance in Management Education. With a robust skill set that includes Project Management, Management, Team Management, Microsoft Office, Leadership and more, Frank Hugi contributes valuable insights to the industry.