A match made in space
Boosting innovation and accelerating business partnerships is what CASSINI Matchmaking is all about – and this year there’s plenty of opportunities to get in on the action.
The initiative is designed to connect startups, scale-ups and SMEs with corporates and investors to start a conversation about growing their business. For startups, this means getting step-by-step support in preparing for discussions with investors and corporates. For investors and corporates, it means being able to access a preselected pool of cutting-edge companies.
“CASSINI Matchmaking makes sure that the demands of investors, corporates and end users are met by the participating companies, while the companies get the support, funding, and opportunities they need to grow their business,” says Fiammetta Diani, Head of Market, Downstream and Innovation at EUSPA.
CASSINI Matchmaking is part of the CASSINI Space Entrepreneurship Initiative, the European Commission’s programme to support entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs developing innovative applications and services that leverage the EU Space Programme. Dedicated to promoting the commercialisation of Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus data and services, EUSPA is actively involved in the initiative.
Face-to-face networking at the European Rover Challenge
While much of the matchmaking happens online, nothing beats the benefits of connecting face-to-face. And what better way to do so than at a CASSINI Matchmaking event?
Held throughout the year and across Europe, CASSINI Matchmaking events are a chance to expand your network, meet potential partners and participate in pitching sessions.
One such event is the European Rover Challenge 2024.
Scheduled for 6 – 8 September in Krakow, Poland, the European Rover Challenge brings together leading experts, astronauts and visionaries from all corners of the space industry to share insights on everything from Mars to the moon. With a focus on space exploration, sustainability and commercialisation, it’s also a perfect setting for a CASSINI Matchmaking event.
“The matchmaking event is set to demonstrate the potential for translating space technologies into commercial opportunities here on Earth,” says EUSPA´s manager for Consumer, Environment and Entrepreneurship Justyna Redelkiewicz, who will give a keynote speech at the event.
Redelkiewicz will be joined by representatives from the European Commission, who will offer their insights for connecting ambitious companies with investors and corporates. The event will also showcase several CASSINI startups who have successfully commercialised their space-based solutions.
Two marquee matchmaking events in October
In October, CASSINI will be looking to do some matchmaking at two events. The first is High-Tech Venture Days (HTVD), an event designed to facilitate connections among startups, venture capital investors and corporate entities. It specifically looks to foster collaboration and investment opportunities in the industrial high-tech sectors, with an emphasis on space and defence.
CASSINI Matchmaking will invite four participating startups to joint them in Dresden, Germany for the 8 October event, where they will have an opportunity to pitch their business ideas to an audience of 180 investors. CASSINI will also have a stand at the event where startups can learn more about the matchmaking initiative and engage with representatives from the European Commission and EUSPA.
From 14 – 18 October, CASSINI Matchmaking will head to Milan, Italy for the annual International Astronautical Congress. The prestigious event, now in its 75th year, brings together over 6,000 of the space sector's brightest minds, including academics, industry leaders, policy makers and astronauts.
CASSINI Matchmaking will host a dedicated side event on 15 October that will feature opportunities for networking and pitching. “Our bespoke matchmaking event offers a unique opportunity to connect with leading EU Space startups and to discover your next investor, investment opportunity or strategic partnership,” adds Redelkiewicz.
Space is limited, so be sure to express your interest in participating soon!
Looking ahead
Looking a bit further down the road, you might want to save the date for SpaceTech, Europe’s largest B2B event for the space industry. Taking place 19 – 21 November in Bremen, Germany, the event includes a massive exhibition with over 700 exhibitors and a top-notch conference that sheds light on the latest in European space technology.
In addition to inviting several CASSINI Matchmaking startups to pitch their innovative solutions on the conference stage, the event will feature a dedicated networking session where start-ups can meet one-on-one with potential investors.
Also happening in November is Slush, the world’s largest gathering of venture capital. This year’s event, scheduled for 20 – 21 November in Helsinki, Finland, will bring together 5,500 startups, founders, and operators and 3,300 investors. It will also include more than 300 side events. One of those side events is a CASSINI Matchmaking reception that will give startups a chance to make pitches directly to investors.
In December 2-5, Cassini matchmaking will be hosted by the Luxemburg Space Agency. The Luxemburg Space Week will gather 700 attendees from the entire European space ecosystem taking place at the European Convention Centre of Luxemburg.
Of course, these are but a few of the many events on the EUSPA calendar for the second half of 2024. To make sure you don’t miss out on any matchmaking, networking or learning opportunity, be sure to subscribe to our weekly Watch This Space newsletter!
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