Bringing Space to UK Tech Scale-Ups: How Exotopic’s Tickets to Orbit Are Accelerating Time to Market
Exotopic was invited to join investors at a special session of the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs to listen to startups pitch their space tech. One by one, the entrepreneurs presented their service concepts, and innovative technologies addressing future markets with huge potential. So far, the story is familiar to Exotopic’s frequent experiences working with UK science and tech innovators presenting their ambitious timelines, to be greeted with great scepticism.
But there was something very different, pitch after pitch, a confident entrepreneur tells the investors they will be flying their tech into space in the next six months, the next quarter, next month… launch slots booked.
The mantra from the room: you aren’t really a space company until you have been to space. And for upstream tech, they have a point. But it isn’t all about kudos… the journey into space is part of growing up as a space company, learning and becoming a team of space veterans, and more importantly showing investors and customers that you are the real deal.
Apply for Your Ticket to Space
Any UK company now can apply for a place at Exotopic’s ‘Give Me Some Space!’ mission. This is part of a pioneering initiative to make testing technologies in space more accessible for a wider range of companies and innovators. Final down selection will be based on supporting the mission of getting as many UK scale-ups to space as possible.
Affordability is a significant barrier for developing new technologies in space. Through missions that enable a cost-benefit testing site in-orbit, UK companies will have a chance to supercharge innovation for their products. This initiative is the prime example of missions and related activity that will expand access of tech companies into the space sector.
By grouping applications according to compatibility with other passengers on a standard satellite platform, there are more spaces available for smaller and less demanding passengers than for larger ones. The ambition is to target companies with no space heritage, showcasing the potential of leveraging the space environment to develop innovative use cases for their technology.
The first mission will focus on:
- Majority of production and delivery capability within the UK.
- A product or service that is at least TRL7 and ready to fly by Q1 2025.
- Passengers looking to procure TRL9 products and services.
- Be an SME and/or have a clear justification for deserving a ticket.
- Volume and power requirements that facilitate the accommodation of multiple payloads on a 12U or 16U bus (lower volume and power increases chances of securing the first flight).
- A specific and closed-ended test (shorter duration likely increases chances of securing the first flight).
Launch To the Future
Exotopic wants to pioneer the future of developing tech in space, bringing this opportunity to UK scale-ups to operate an in-orbit demonstrator. Give Me Some Space! aims to get as many UK space technologies flying, by embracing simplicity to overcome the barriers of time and cost.
These types of missions will show investors and customers that the participating UK space companies and their innovations are indeed the real deal, while it lays the stepping stone to prove how this sort of UK initiatives make space a common place to impact several sectors, nationally and globally. The mission has the potential to supercharge the UK and global space ecosystem and economy, the linked sectors and all the incredible opportunities and technologies they offer.
Secure your launch slot, sign up now!
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Contact the team
Jaynesh Patel
Jaynesh Patel
Jaynesh Patel is Head of Telecoms and Spectrum Policy, leading the Communications Infrastructure and Services Programme at techUK and overseeing the UK Spectrum Policy Forum.
Jaynesh has extensive experience in the sector, having worked for CityFibre (a full fibre broadband company) and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) on digital infrastructure policy. Most recently Jaynesh led on policy and public affairs in the UK and Ireland for ChargePoint (an EV charging network).
Prior to this Jaynesh worked in the Cabinet Office for more than five years, including over two years at the Government Digital Service (GDS) supporting the digital transformation of UK Government.
Jaynesh has a BSc (Hons) in Economics from the London School of Economics (LSE).
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayneshpatel/
Josh Turpin
Josh Turpin
Josh joined techUK as a Programme Manager for Telecoms and Net Zero in August 2024.
In this role, working jointly across the techUK Telecoms and Climate Programmes, Josh is responsible for leading on telecoms infrastructure deployment and uptake and supporting innovation opportunities, as well as looking at how the tech sector can be further utilised in the UK’s decarbonisation efforts.
Prior to joining techUK, Josh’s background was in public affairs and communications, working for organisations across a diverse portfolio of sectors including defence, telecoms and infrastructure; aiding clients through stakeholder engagement, crisis communications, media outreach as well as secretariat duties.
Outside of work, Josh has a keen interest in music, painting and sailing.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 020 7331 2038
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-turpin/
Matthew Wild
Matthew Wild
Matthew joined techUK in August 2023 as a Programme Assistant.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 020 7331 2000
Tales Gaspar
Tales Gaspar
Tales has a background in law and economics, with previous experience in the regulation of new technologies and infrastructure.
In the UK and Europe, he offered consultancy on intellectual property rights of cellular and IoT technologies and on the regulatory procedures at the ITU as a Global Fellow at the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI).
Tales has an LL.M in Law and Business by the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV) and an MSc in Regulation at the London School of Economics, with a specialization in Government and Law.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- +44 (0) 0207 331 2000
- Website:
- www.techUK.org
- LinkedIn:
- www.linkedin.com/in/talesngaspar
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