Winners for the Annual Awards for Excellence in Satellite Communications have been revealed from Euroconsult’s World Satellite Business Week (WSBW) held in the Westin Hotel in the heart of Paris, France.
The Annual Award honors a new cohort of finalists drawn from a shortlist of the best performing and outstanding businesses in Satellite Communications. Winners are selected by an expert jury panel for their display of exceptional achievements across a number of rigorous criteria, including innovation, management and financial and business.
The announcement comes at the height of the 25th WSBW held by the leading space consulting and market intelligence firm, Euroconsult. With 200 executive-level speakers, more than 1,200 industry leaders and 480 businesses in attendance, the event allows global players to celebrate excellence in the past year and negotiate new deals that will shape the year to come.
This year’s winners are honored across four categories:
● Inmarsat & Viasat for the Strategic Transaction Award (M&A) The merger of Inmarsat and Viasat, two major satellite operators for $7.3 billion, brings together a combined fleet of 19 satellites for an unrivaled advantage in broadband services and Internet of Things (IoT) with plans for a global high-capacity hybrid space and terrestrial network.
Mark Dankberg, CEO and Executive Chairman, Viasat. — “We are grateful the transaction with Inmarsat is being recognized. We believe this combination will advance our shared beliefs to connect the world. This award honors our synergistic approach in advancing broadband communications and creating new hybrid space and terrestrial networks that drive greater performance, coverage, speed and reliability for our customers to work, learn, access healthcare and all the other benefits the connected world brings. Viasat continues evolving as a global innovator in broadband and narrowband communication and our investment with Inmarsat continues to lead the way.”
Barry French, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Inmarsat. — We are delighted that Inmarsat and Viasat have been recognised for their far-sighted combination, which will create a global innovator in satellite communications and connectivity. We have long argued that consolidation is needed to maintain strong competition in our sector in the face of well-funded new entrants. Inmarsat and Viasat are highly complementary and, together, will be well positioned to accelerate innovation and meet the growing needs of our customers.”
● Starlink for the Global Satcom Business Award Starlink’s rapid deployment and entry into service of its 3,000+ satellites constellation has made it the market leader, with plans to connect recreational vehicles, aircraft and cruise ships and an impending new generation of satellites.
Jonathan Hofeller, SpaceX’s Vice President of Starlink Sales. — “I’m honored to accept this award on behalf of the entire SpaceX team. It’s been an amazing year for Starlink as we have grown our consumer and enterprise customer base, rolled out new features and services, and are providing high-speed internet around the world. We’re looking forward to continuing this growth in the years to come, as we know that access to high-speed, low-latency broadband internet will be a game changer for students, disaster relief efforts, travelers, vacationers, businesses, and many, many more.”
● Hispasat for the Regional Space Business Award Hispasat operates a large fleet of satellites with services ranging from IoT to Cellular Backhaul and Internet access for the distribution of Spanish-language content, focusing on the Iberic Peninsula and Latin America, making it one of the largest regional satellite service providers.
Miguel Angel Panduro, Hispasat CEO — “We are incredibly honored to receive this award recognizing the regional satellite business in a year in which we strengthened our strategic position in Latin America with the acquisition of Axess Networks. This operation allowed us to become the leading group in corporate solutions throughout the region. Moreover, we consolidated our role as the operator of reference for audiovisual services from our teleport in Peru. These actions, together with our commitment to bridging the digital divide in Spain and the upcoming launch of the Amazonas Nexus, make it possible to conceive an exciting future for our company based on the robustness of the present.”
● Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) Telecomunicaciones e Internet para Todos initiative supported by Hughes, Stargroup, APCO Networks (Aitelecom), Eutelsat, Axess Networks and Globalsat for the Universal Connectivity Award. Under the Internet para Todos initiative (IPT), the companies help bridge the digital divide by connecting over 7,200 Wi-Fi and internet community access sites across Mexico
Ramesh Ramaswamy, Executive Vice President & General Manager, International Division, Hughes. — “We recognize the value of partnership in our mission to deliver the benefits of broadband to populations in Mexico and communities around the globe. We’re honored to accept this award alongside Stargroup, Apconet/Aitelecom, Eutelsat, Axess Networks and Globalsat and look forward to continued industry collaboration and innovation to advance the cause of a more connected world.”
Ing. Orlando Castillo Trelles, Director General APCO Networks. — “We are honored and grateful for this Excellence Award, that reinforce our commitment to provide the best satellite solutions for the people in Mexico. We are thankful of our valued customers, particularly CFE TEIT, for giving us the opportunity to serve one of the main objectives of the country, to provide free internet to the people of Mexico in 2700 rural locations for “Internet Para Todos” Mexican government project. We also thank our partners Hugues and Eutelsat, for their continuous support in our integration of solutions, hoping a promising future in years to come.
Juan Pablo Cofino, Chief Executive Officer Eutelsat Americas. — “Connectivity has become a basic human need, and we are honored to be a key part in the solution to assist the Mexican government in its mission to get all Mexicans online. This also aligns with our CSR mission to bridge the digital divide. Once again, satellite is proving a robust, readily available and cost-effective solution for governments everywhere looking to fulfill their global service objectives. Today we’re honored to accept this award alongside Stargroup, Apconet/Aitelecom, Hughes, Axess Networks and Globalsat. Our collaboration is key to extend connectivity.”
Mauricio Segovia, CEO Axess Networks. — “We are very pleased with our contribution to make Internet para Todos a succesful initiative that provides internet access to most of the Mexican population. Participating in projects that close connectivity gaps and promote inclusion using satellite solutions is a key element of Axess Networks’ mission.”
The first of two winners of the Finspace startup pitch competition has also been announced.
This year, the first winner of the competition, receiving the Summit on Satellite Financing award, is The Exploration Company, for its work on space transportation systems to serve the logistical needs of space stations around Earth and the Lunar ecosystem. The Exploration Company is developing a modular orbital vehicle which is reusable, can be refueled in orbit and uses green propellants. It provides Europe with an orbital transportation capability while being a global complementary “truck” to Starship “containership”. The team is backed by tier-one investors and is on-track to deliver its first demonstrator ready for flight this Automn.
Helene Huby, Co-Founder & CEO of The Exploration Company, said, “We are grateful to Finspace startup and its jury for giving us this recognition in front of global key partners and clients. This award goes first to the exceptional team of The Exploration Company which mixes experienced, innovative, and hard-working minds & energies to deliver our spacecraft on time, cost and quality.”
These awards conclude the first half of the event, the Summit for Satellite Financing, and set the stage for the second batch of Annual Awards for Excellence to be given this Friday to celebrate outstanding performance in Satellite Communications.
The Euroconsult Group is the leading global strategy consulting and market intelligence firm specialized in the space sector and satellite enabled verticals. Privately owned and fully independent, we have over thirty years of experience providing first-class strategic consulting, developing comprehensive market intelligence programs, organizing executive-level annual summits and training programs for the satellite industry. We accompany private companies and government entities in strategic decision making, providing end-to-end consulting services, from project strategy definition to implementation, bringing data-led perspectives on the most critical issues. We help our clients understand their business environment and provide them with the tools they need to make informed decisions and develop their business. The Euroconsult Group is trusted by 600 clients in over 50 countries and is headquartered in France, with offices in the U.S., Canada, Japan, Singapore, and Australia.
