[Satnews] Investing in space to build our future is the subject at hand ... Satnews' Publisher, Silvano Payne attended today's Space Technology and Investment Forum.
The Hilton Hotel in San Francisco was, and will continue through tomorrow, to be a bastion of information regarding space technology and an investment forum.
This program is presented by Space Foundation which holds a by-invitation gathering of some of the most innovative, insightful and visionary professionals from the entrepreneurial and investment sectors of space and technology.
Steve Eisenhart, Sr. Vice President - Strategic & International Affairs Space Foundation began the morning as the master moderator.
ADM James O. Ellis, Jr., USN (Ret.) Hoover Institution, Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow Vice Chairman, Space Foundation Board of Directors welcomed the attendees.
Elliot Pulham, CEO of Space Foundation was part of the morning session with the subject matter Understanding the Global Space Economy: An Overview for Stakeholders.
The forum started today, Wednesday, September 30th, and continues through Thursday, October 1st.
Chad Anderson, Managing Director
Space Angels Network
A crowd of approximately 100 senior executives attended and were lucky to experience some very thoughtful and interesting discussions. After brief introductions, Chad Anderson, the Managing Director of Space Angels Network, made an enlightening presentation on the over 17 billion dollars of non-government space investments that have occurred over the last ten years.
Ioana Cozmuta, Ph.D., Industry Innovation Lead Space Portal, NASA Ames Research Center
After Mr. Anderson's session, Who Is Investing in Space and Why? a discussion on Smart Strategies for Emerging Space Markets was moderated by Ioana Cozmuta, Ph.D. Industry Innovation Lead of NASA Ames Research moderated Smart Strategies for Emerging Space Markets.
The other participants in this panel were Riccardo Di Blasio, Senior Vice President VMWare Hybrid Cloud Services; Eng Lim Goh, Ph.D. Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Silicon Graphics, Inc.; Blair Silverberg, Senior Associate Draper Fisher Jurvetson; Maureen Gannon, Vice President, Business Development Firefly Space Systems Inc.; Robert Pittman, Director of Flight Projects Space Portal, NASA Ames Research Center
Ken Davidian, Director of Research Federal Aviation Admin (FAA)
The next panel, Assessing the Market Segments, was moderated by Ken Davidian, Director of Research from the FAA, and was an excellent analysis of why new space is becoming so important.
Again the panelists were Dr. Greg Autry, Assistant Professor of Clinical Entrepreneurship with the Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California; and Jeffrey Lassiter, Chief Financial Officer SolAero Technologies Corporation.
Steve Jurvetson, Partner Draper
Fisher Jurvetson
Steve Jurvetson, partner of Draper, Fisher, Jurvetson who was the featured/keynote speaker gave an in-depth speech, which looked at breaking technologies. Mr. Jurvetson was involved in various venture capital funding activities. His current board responsibilities include SpaceX, Synthetic Genomics and Tesla Motors (TSLA). He was the founding VC investor in Hotmail, Interwoven (IWOV), Kana (KANA) and NeoPhotonics (NPTN). He also led DFJ's investments in other companiePreviously, he was an R&D engineer at Hewlett-Packard, where seven of his communications chip designs were fabricated. His most impression bio continues here.
Bruce D. Kraselsky, Managing Dir. Space Partnership Intl
The Forum continued in the afternoon with the topic of Risk Assessment and Management— Insuring the Future. The moderator was Bruce D. Kraselsky Managing Director Space Partnership International.
Sitting in on this session as panelists were J. Patton Kline, Senior Vice President Marsh USA Inc.; Mark Quinn, Senior Vice President & Americas Practice Leader; and Chris Kunstadter, Senior Vice President and Global Underwriting Manager—Space XL Catlin Group.
Anita Antenucci, Senior Managing Director Houlihan Lokey
Another afternoon session, Creative Finance Solutions with Anita Antenucci Senior Managing Director Houlihan Lokey as Moderator.
Her contributing panelists included: Frank DiBello, President and CEO Space Florida; Ian O'Neill, Of Counsel Holland & Hart LLP; Dr. Mark G. Jackson, Founder and President Fiat Physica Inc.; and Dara A. Panahy, Partner Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy.
Randy Segal, Partner Hogan Lovells US LLP
Next on the agenda was Early Stage Investment, with Moderator Randy Segal, Partner, Hogan Lovells US LLP.
Sitting in on Segal's panel were: Richard Humphrey, Chairman, ImagineAir Chief Executive Officer, Kavoo; Sunil Nagaraj, Vice President Bessemer Venture Partners; Scott Nolan, Partner Founders Fund; and Steven Jorgenson Partner, Space Finance Group.
The final panel for the afternoon session addressed Market Creating Innovations with Sarah Cruddas, Space Journalist and Science Broadcaster as Moderator.
Sarah Cruddas, Space Journalist and Science Broadcaster
On Sarah's panel were: Laetitia Garriott de Cayeus, Co-Founder, President, and COO Escape Dynamics Inc.; Chris Lewicki, President and Chief Engineer Planetary Resources; Jeff Greason, CTO XCOR Aerospace; and William Pomerantz, Vice President, Special Projects Virgin Galactic.
Tomorrow's sessions promise to be equally as compelling, beginning with featured speaker Dr. Daniel Rasky Director and Co-Founder, Moffett Field, California Space Portal at the NASA Research Park.
Topics include Space Technology Transfer Opportunities from Government Programs and The Legal Landscape.
Featured Speaker Dr. Robert Richards, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Moon Express, Inc.; and the scheduled feature speaker at lunch is Eric C. Anderson, Co-Founder and Chairman, Space Adventures Co-Founder and Co-Chairman, Planetary Resources.
Topics after lunch continue with Spotlight on Startups; Challenges and Opportunities of the Emerging Space Sector and featured speaker Trevor Beattie, Founding Partner, BMB Advertising, London.
Film Producer; and presenting the summary and closing remarks will be Lon Levin, President, SkySevenVentures; Co-founder, XM Radio; Chairman, Space Foundation Board of Directors.
Certainly no shortage of talent, ideas and new collaborations will undoubtly be the results of this invigorating forum.