Member Article

Lift off for space conference

Businesses working at the final frontier will be gathering at the 2014 inaugural Space Conference and Trade show in November in County Durham.

The event, expected to attract up to 200 delegates, is hosted by the North East Satellite Applications Centre of Excellence on Wednesday November 19 at the Xcel Centre, Aycliffe Business Park.

The speaker line up leads with the largest supplier to the space sector, Airbus Defence & Space, whose UK Head of Research and Development Chris Ward will address the delegates. Other representatives from the industry include: Steve Lee, of Stevenson Astrosat; Craig Clark of Clyde Space; and Doug Liddle of Surrey Satellite Technology.

Supported by leading industry bodies the Satellite Applications Catapult, the Space KTN, UK Space and Science Finance Network, the conference includes a special session focusing on an SME Joursney – an animated journey of growth of an SME using satellite technology.

A raising finance session follows: Funding for Growth with representation from the specialists in the field of seed financing, private equity and venture capital.

The accompanying trade show, featuring some 20 companies, will host organisations which support the sector, introducing companies to new networks and products while showcasing opportunities to harness the potential of the market.

John Hildreth, North East Satellite Applications Centre of Excellence manager, said: “Businesses from across the region will be able to explore new opportunities in the multi-billion pound space sector, which was recently valued at £11.3bn for the UK. Delegates will be able to hear from a number of leading industry figures about opportunities within the space supply chain and how to best position themselves to win business in the sector. I would urge any business considering new market opportunities to attend the conference.

“This event will interest a broad range of sectors which can tap into and use data received from satellites to develop new innovation, product and services. It will be particularly relevant to: telecommunications; transport; maritime; offshore; renewable energy; software; and logistics.”

The event is hosted by the North East Satellite Applications Centre of Excellence and supported by the Catapult Satellite Applications Catapult, the Space KTN, Science Finance Network, UK Space and Airbus Defence & Space.

A Gala Dinner on November 18 precedes the conference. Limited tickets are available. The Opportunities in the Space Sector Conference & Trade Show is free to attend, for further details and to confirm a place log on to www.satelliteapplicationsnortheast.co.uk

For further information, contact Amanda Armstrong on 0191 426 6333 or email amanda.armstrong@be-group.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Business Durham .