What Makes Finspace Stand Out
Finspace serves as a platform to showcase outstanding innovation to a global audience, providing shortlisted companies with a valuable forum to test their concepts and go-to-market strategies. It offers an opportunity to exchange best practices and make invaluable connections with investors, decision-makers, and peers representing the industry’s key players from over 50 countries.
What’s in it for you
Demonstrate your innovative business model and technology and win a chance to increase your visibility and unlock unique growth opportunities for your business through:
- Global Recognition: Connect with over 1,600 key industry leaders from more than 50 countries, representing the entire space and satellite ecosystem.
- Expand Your Network: Shortlisted candidates will receive a complimentary pass to attend the World Space Business Week and its subsequent Summits, along with access to networking and social events (full access badge value €3,600).
- Take the Stage: Shortlisted candidates will be invited to pitch their ideas on the WSBW stage, showcasing their business projects in front of the industry’s top leaders and investors.
- Sharpen Your Decision-Making: Novaspace will provide the two winners with a market intelligence product of their choice (valued at €6,000 each).
Timeline
- March 22: Call for projects – applications open.
- June 30: Application deadline.
- July 31: Selection of pre-final awardees.
- September 16-20: Pitches during the World Space Business Week (WSBW).
- September 20: Winner announcement the last day of the World Space Business Week (WSBW).
Space Business Catalyst
Space Business Catalyst is an industrial accelerator dedicated to the space sector, created by Thales Alenia Space in 2023 within the Innovation Cluster which has trail blazed disruptive innovation since 2014.
Space Business Catalyst uniquely supports intrapreneurs and startups in their growth phase, helping them to define and implement their industrialization strategy. Our aim? To explore and shape new markets and technological breakthroughs.
Based in Toulouse and Turin, Space Business Catalyst offers 400 square meters of space to startups and intrapreneurs from all over the world. In collaboration with entrepreneurship experts, Thales Alenia Space has designed a support program that offers technical, commercial, relational, and financial support to project initiators, giving them the opportunity to innovate within an ecosystem at the cutting edge of the sector.
Space Business Catalyst is also part of Thales Alenia Space’s Space For Life vision, integrating projects that are particularly attentive to the development of responsible solutions for a sustainable space and life on Earth, such as modular space infrastructures or the contribution of space to sustainable finance.
This year, Space Business Catalyst will be presenting again an award to an inspiring startup.
What to expect from this award ?
This award will give the startup access to the full range of our support services, including technical, business & prototyping support within the industrial premises. The startup will receive a tailor-made support for its growth and exposure to the entire Space Business Catalyst and Thales Alenia Space ecosystem.
Apply for Finspace
Who
Each year, over 130 companies from around the globe undergo review and analysis by Novaspace’s team of sector experts, in collaboration with partner organizations, and are then invited to apply for the competition. Shortlisted companies are carefully evaluated and selected based on a set of qualitative criteria, which includes factors such as innovation, existing and potential customer base, capital raised, maturity level, and market approach.
Upon completion of the judges’ evaluation and selection process, 4 startups will earn the opportunity to present their products and/or business concepts at the 2024 edition of the World Space Business Week. This event is scheduled to take place from September 16th to 20th, 2024, both in Paris and through worldwide online streaming.
Where
The 4 selected startups will have the opportunity to pitch on the event stage as part of the official program of WSBW, taking place from September 16th to 20th, 2024. Positioned between plenary sessions, panels, and fireside chat interviews, entrepreneurs will receive unparalleled exposure to the WSBW delegates.
Following their presentations, during either the Summit for Satellite Financing or the Summit on Earth Observation Business sessions, two winners will be announced as part of a live Award ceremony.
Eligibility
Participating companies must be independently owned and not subsidiaries of larger corporations or non-profit divisions of government organizations.
Categories
Finspace recognizes outstanding companies under two main categories: “Satellite Imagery and Analytics” and “Satcom & Connectivity.” These categories offer a platform for industry leaders to discover emerging innovators across crucial segments of the satellite value chain, ranging from satellite signals acquisition to downstream applications and distribution.
Finspace welcomes applications from various market sub-segments, including but not limited to:
- Satellite operators
- Value-added services
- Subsystems and components
- Ground segment solutions
- Satellite manufacturers
- Access to space initiatives
These categories are indicative and intended to facilitate the application process. All emerging commercial players within the satellite industry are encouraged to apply for Finspace!
Meet the Finspace Competition Judges
Ane Aanesland
CEO & Founder
ThrustMe
Mark Boggett
Managing Director
Seraphim Capital
![Mike-Headshot[4]](https://wsbw.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Mike-Headshot4-pm740xnsbtq0uybjk6io0k9d3frmt7sy17590hsce0.jpeg "Mike-Headshot[4]")
Mike Collett
Managing Partner
Promus Ventures
Jean-Jacques Dordain
Advisor
SpaceResources.lu
Pacome Revillon
CEO
Novaspace
Meet the Previous Finspace Winners
7th Edition - 2023
Finspace Award
“We are truly honored to receive this recognition and we would like to express our gratitude to all concerned. The biggest honor goes to the team who supported the company to attain its overwhelming success over the past few years. We will continue striving to make the space more accessible by providing a greener, reliable and sustainable solution for spacecraft mobility.”
Jun Asakawa, CEO
Space Business
Catalyst Award
“Celebrating today, we are deeply honoured to receive the Space Business Catalyst Award from Thales Alenia Space. This accolade marks the inception of a transformative, enduring partnership, highlighting the pivotal role Space DOTS is set to play in shaping the future of the in-space economy. At Space DOTS, our mission is to redefine the conventional approach to material testing for space missions, laying the groundwork for a sustainable circular space economy. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Thales Alenia Space for this remarkable recognition. And we are proud of our relentless team and steadfast investors who have all contributed to this incredible achievement. With great anticipation, we look ahead to the journey before us, as we collaboratively steer the space industry towards unprecedented evolutions.”
Bianca Cefalo, CEO and Co-founder
6th Edition - 2022
Satcom
& Connectivity
Satellite Imagery
& Analytics
5th Edition - 2021
Satcom
& Connectivity
“The space sector, and more specifically the satellite sector, is undergoing a revolution. We see this prize not only a a Sateliot recognition but also a sign that the satellite sector is ready for the next step forward… the raising of standard solutions lead by SATELIOT 5G NB-IoT LEO satellite constellation that will effectively connect anywhere 5G NB-IoT standard devices directly from space”
Jaume Sanpera, CEO
Satellite Imagery
& Analytics
William Crowe, CEO
4th Edition, 2020
Satcom
& Connectivity
Satellite Imagery
& Analytics
3rd Edition - 2019
Satcom
& Connectivity
Satellite Imagery
& Analytics
2nd Edition - 2018
Best
Newcomer
Best
Pitch
Most Innovative
Technology
Entrepreneur
of the Year
CEO of Open Cosmos
1st Edition - 2017
