SpaceTech isn’t just about rockets, moon landings and a mission to Mars. It opens up access to useful data and discoveries in a range of fields that impact us all, from telecommunications to weather forecasting, environmental science and food security.
Join us for an evening of curiosity and inspiration as two pioneers of the Australia & New Zealand SpaceTech entrepreneurship ecosystem share their stories and insights about the rapid growth of the Space industry in our region and the various opportunities it presents for founders to build the future while making a global impact.
The panel features:
Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom, CEO of SpaceBase
Taofiq Huq – CEO of Spiral Blue
Usman Iftikhar, Founder and CEO of Catalysr (Moderator)
Inventors & Innovators: SpaceTech
Date: Wednesday 14 June
Time: 5.30pm – 7.00pm
Venue: Online via YouTube
The audience will be given an opportunity to ask questions during the event.
Bookings are essential, please register to confirm your place.
Please note: Auslan interpretation is available on request for StartSpace events. Our staff require two weeks to plan and book this service. If you would like to request Auslan Interpretation, please let us know by Wednesday 7 June when you register for the event, or email the team to request it: [email protected]
About Emeline
Emeline is Co-Founder and CEO of SpaceBase, a social enterprise focused on democratising space for everyone by co-creating space ecosystems in developing and emerging countries, starting with New Zealand. Emeline is on the business and development team of Ceres Robotics, and a Co-Founder of International Space Consultants, USA. She joined the inaugural cohort of the Edmund Hillary Fellowship program in New Zealand in 2017, and subsequently ran two national space and aerospace challenges in NZ. She was the former Chief Impact Officer and Executive VP of Operations at Singularity University (SU) where she overseed SU’s impact programs, including country and state-wide impact prize competitions. Emeline also served as Space track lead for SU’s Global Solutions Program for four years. She sits on the Board of Trustees for the 10 to the 9th Plus Foundation and is a member of the Associate Editorial Board for the New Space Journal.
Emeline has a BS in Physics from the University of the Philippines and a MS in Earth and Space Science from York University, Canada. She attended the International Space University (ISU) Space Studies Program in Strasbourg, France and subsequently worked for ISU developing it’s Masters of Space Studies program and running its summer space studies program. In commercial space development, she has worked and consulted for several startups including serving as Director of Program Development and Research, and Director of Operations for Space Adventures Ltd,a space tourism company sending private citizens to the International Space Station; and Odyssey Moon and Moon Express, which plan commercial transport to the Moon. Emeline is co-author of the book “Realizing Tomorrow: The Path to Private Space Flight,” University of Nebraska Press (2013), which was selected that year for the US Air-Force’s Chief of Staff Reading List.
About Taofiq
Taofiq Huq is Founder and CEO of Spiral Blue, where he leads a dynamic team of space engineers and data scientists on a quest to make Earth observation more accessible. Originally founded in 2017, Spiral Blue has launched 4 Space Edge Computers to orbit and is working with a number of customers to prove out this groundbreaking technology.
Spiral Blue has won multiple government grants and contracts, including from the Australian Defence Innovation Hub and Australian Space Agency. Spiral Blue has also won several international awards, including the 2019 Gravity Challenge, and 2021 Waratah Seed payload competition.
Taofiq is also an Advisor for Sperospace, a space robotics startup, and holds a Bachelors in Aerospace Engineering from the University of New South Wales. Taofiq is also an alumnus of the Catalysr program, which supports migrant entrepreneurs in Australia to build the future.
About Usman
Usman Iftikhar is an award winning systems entrepreneur, passionate about utilising the power of entrepreneurship to collectively solve global problems such as global climate emergency and the global refugee crisis.
He is a co-founder of Space without borders, a NewSpace media & community startup, on a mission to democratise space for everyone. Usman is an International Space University (ISU) executive program alumnus and Singularity University’s Global Solutions Program (GSP) fellow, an EHF fellow and has been the Head of Partnerships for Spacebase for the past 3 years. Usman also previously worked with the AusIndustry Entrepreneurs’ Programme, providing guidance to startups to access upto $1m matched grant funding, including those focused on Spacetech.
Additionally, Usman has been an active community builder and mentor in the Australian tech-startup ecosystem, and previously co-founded Catalysr, an award winning startup incubator for migrants & refugees which has supported over 800 Migrapreneurs since 2016, with a few focused on Spacetech. Usman is also currently a venture partner at Backbone Partners, which is an early stage VC fund for immigrant entrepreneurs in Australia.
