UAE Space Agency Commences Virtual Activities Of Global Space Industry Accelerator Programme

The UAE Space Agency, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi-based global innovation hub Krypto Labs, announced that it would be kicking off its virtual programmes as part of the Global Space Industry Accelerator, GSIA, initiative.

This shows that despite social distancing guidelines in the current COVID-19 situation, the agency proves its readiness for digital transformation, highlighting its commitment to promoting innovation and ensuring the continuity and success of the GSIA project, the agency said in a statement on Thursday.

The UAE Space Agency and Krypto Labs will commence a series of webinars, with the first to be held on 8th April. The webinar will cover the topic of space entrepreneurship, guiding participants on how to become successful entrepreneurs in the space sector and create their own space start-ups.

The webinars will offer participants lessons from successful start-ups like SpaceX and Blue Origin, giving young entrepreneurs the opportunity to transform their space ideas into a business.

As part of its digital transformation, the UAE Space Agency will also be holding a virtual roadshow for the NewSpace Innovation Programme. Virtual activities will include a series of informative sessions online, as well as webinars that provide useful details about the programme.

The NewSpace Innovation Programme will include a competition, which will take place online for 1.5 days. Then, the Space Bootcamp will be held online for two weeks to engage a greater number of audience. Finally, the incubation programme will be conducted online, as a virtual fully-integrated innovation hub. The evaluation of the applications will also be done through remote meetings of the committee.

The UAE Space Agency will be extending the deadline of the submissions of online applications until 15th April, providing applicants with more time to develop their ideas.

The activities will be conducted by a qualified team, and will include live sessions, content provided to get entrepreneurs ready for the sessions, as well as follow up sessions to provide applicants with responses to any questions they have. The virtual activities help make the programme reach a wider range of audience, ensuring its smooth operation.

Dr. Eng. Mohammed Nasser Al Ahbabi, Director-General of the UAE Space Agency, said, “Our top priority during this challenging situation is to carry on with inspiring our young entrepreneurs to be innovative and contribute to the growth of the space industry. As the UAE Space Agency, we always do our best to continue pursuing our objectives, while avoiding any impact from any difficult situation.”

Naser Al Rashedi, Director of National Space Policy and Regulation at the UAE Space Agency, and Programme Director of the GSIA, said, “Nurturing new talents and encouraging young entrepreneurs to contribute to the growth of the space sector is essential for promoting innovation and building a sustainable economy.”