Startup and Entrepreneur Programs at IAC 2019
See and hear the future of the space industry – don’t miss these events!
IAC Technical Program: E.6 Business Innovation Symposium
Tuesday, 22 October – Friday, 25 October
The symposium will address creative business approaches to serving government and private sector customers, as well as government options for encouraging this activity. It will also address the general role of government in encouraging space industry applications, new business models in traditional space industry applications (e.g. satellite-based services involving Earth observation, navigation and communications), and new space industry applications (e.g., space tourism, space-industrialization, space resource utilization).
- E6.1. Entrepreneurship and Innovation: The Practitioners' Perspectives
- E6.2. Finance and Investment: The Practitioners' Perspectives
- E6.3. Innovation: The Academics' Perspectives
- E6.IP. Interactive Presentations - IAF Business Innovation Symposium
- E6.4. Strategic Risk Management for Successful Space & Defence Programmes
- E6.5-GTS.1. Entrepreneurship Around the World
IAF Startup Pitch Session at IAC 2019
Tuesday, 22 October 1630 –1745, Grand Ballroom A
Watch these pre-selected participants pitch in front of a jury of world known space experts and investors! These early- to mid-stage startups will present their ideas, solutions, and plans to a jury of world aerospace leaders. The 8 Startups that have been selected to participate in the IAF Startup Pitch Session are:
- Morpheus Space
- HIVE
- Hostmi GmbH
- Klepsydra Technologies
- Space Zab Company
- Dipteron
- Intergalactic Education LLC
- Digantara Research and Technologies
NextGen Reception: Shark Tank IAC
Wednesday, 23 October 2000-2200, Room 207 AB
Today we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. What next great achievement in space will we be celebrating 50 years from today? Contestants will pitch a new project idea to be accomplished in the coming decades that will have us celebrating in 2069.
The Launch Site at IAC 2019, Booth 3008
The Launch Site is the location in the IAC exhibition hall that will:
- Connect the IAC community with startups and entrepreneurs
- Connect startups and entrepreneurs with industry experts and financial resources
- Showcase unique, new products and solutions that solve some of the most pressing challenges within the space community.
Schedule of Events:
Tuesday, 22 October

Starburst Accelerator company pitches
Starburst is an innovation catalyst in the aerospace industry. It is the first and only global aerospace accelerator, connecting startups with corporates, investors and government, providing growth and investment opportunities for all. Participants include: Atomos Space, CryptoMove, Hypernet Labs, MOBIUS.energy, Modularity Space, Ravyn, SpaceIT, SpeQtral, Tesseract Space, Inc, and Yobe Inc.
In this panel organized by ASCEND Executive Producer Rob Meyerson, hear from the founders on key takeaways from space startup successes and failures. Dialogue with the experts and get your questions answered by space industry pioneers. Panelists include Jason Andrews, Natalya Bailey, Eddy Hartenstein, Walter Scott and Dave Thompson.
Wednesday, 23 October

Techstars Starburst Space Accelerator company pitches
The Techstars Starburst Space Accelerator, a Los Angeles-based program, focuses on the next generation of space technology companies and related frontier technologies. Startup companies in commercial space or that are developing related technologies are encouraged to apply. The program consortium includes: NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, U.S. Air Force, Lockheed Martin, Maxar Technologies, SAIC, and Israel Aerospace Industries North America.
Participants include: HyBird, Hydrosat, Leo Aerospace, Morpheus Space, Novo Space, Orbit Fab, Pixxel, Regher Solar, SciArt Software, Zeno Power Systems.
NASA’s Artemis program has a bold charter to land astronauts, including the first woman and the next man, on the Moon by 2024. To achieve this feat, the Orion spacecraft has been designed, developed and tested to gear up for humanity’s next giant leap into deep space. Come meet the Orion Program Managers to learn about this bold new endeavor for the future of human space exploration. Panelists include: Mark Kirasich, NASA Orion Program Manager; Dr. Mike Hawes, Lockheed Martin Vice President for Human Space Exploration and Orion Program Manager; Nico Dettmann, ESA Development Projects Group Leader for the Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration; and Dr. Mark Kinnersley, Airbus, Director of Business Development Human Spaceflight Programs. Moderated by Linda Singleton, Lockheed Martin Orion Program.

Dcode Launch: Space 2019 - Connecting Commercial Space Tech with Government and company pitches
Dcode connects the tech industry and government to solve critical challenges through commercial innovation. With deep understanding of both technology and the government and our invaluable community of tech companies and government leaders, Dcode breaks down barriers to improve government. Participants include: Aventior, Isotropic Systems Ltd., Loft Orbital, Swarm Technologies, and URSA Inc.
Thursday, 24 October

Techstars Startup Weekend, D.C., Space – Final Presentations
Techstars Startup Weekend is a 54-hour high-energy, intense experiential education for technical and non-technical entrepreneurs. Beginning with pitches and continuing through brainstorming, business plan development, and basic prototype creation, this event will culminate in demos and presentations. Come meet the participants and hear their pitches.
Friday, 25 October
Women
of Aeronautics and Astronautics (WoAA) Panel and Roundtable: “The First Woman on the Moon: Stories of the women who are getting us there”
Female space role models will introduce themselves and tell their stories. The second half of the session will feature interactive roundtables, allowing for attendees to dialogue with speakers and ask them anything!
Moderator: Marcia Lindstrom, Strategic Communications Manager, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Panelists:
- Joe Cassady, Executive Director of Space, Aerojet Rocketdyne
- Tony Castilleja Jr., Human Spaceflight Systems Engineer, Boeing
- Kathleen Coderre, Advanced Programs Engineer, Lockheed Martin
- Astronaut Don Thomas (retired)
Filmmakers bring to life their interpretation of NASA’s work to send humans to the vicinity of the Moon and onward to Mars through breathtaking cinematography, amazing animations and state-of-the-art special effects. Come see the winning and finalist films and prepare to be inspired!
For more information contact Tobey Jackson: tobeyj@aiaa.org or 703.264.7570
Join AIAA for Techstars Startup Weekend, D.C., Space
Techstars Startup Weekend is the best place to learn how to build a startup and connect with your community; participants include a melting pot of the area’s most creative thinkers, builders, and implementers. It’s
a three-day sprint to launch new products and services that solve real-world problems.
This next Startup Weekend focuses on space—you’ll be joining like-minded designers, techies, and business people to create an organization
aimed at commercializing space and expanding the space economy. This is a broad topic that could include everything from fixing orbital debris (space traffic management) to outposts on the moon to asteroid mining. It might be targeting a technology
gap, consumer services, or something else entirely. The purpose is up to you. Join us for a fun, high-energy environment where you can learn through doing, with all the support you’ll need to launch a brand-new social enterprise.
Learn more and register at http://communities.techstars.com/usa/washington-dc/startup-weekend/15230