News Desk
ABU DHABI: The UAE Space Agency, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi-based global innovation hub Krypto Labs, announced that it will be kicking off its virtual programs as part of the Global Space Industry Accelerator (GSIA) initiative. This shows that despite the 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 UAE Space Agency and Krypto Labs will commence a series of webinars, with the first to be held on 8 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 Program. Virtual activities will include a series of informative sessions online, as well as webinars that provide useful details about the program.
The NewSpace Innovation Program 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 program 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 15 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 program reach a wider range of audience, ensuring its smooth operation.
His Excellency 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.”
“We are delighted to collaborate with Krypto Labs, and share our knowledge and expertise to shift the activities of the Global Space Industry Accelerator program online, while maintaining a smooth process for all participants,” His Excellency added.
Naser Al Rashedi, Director of National Space Policy and Regulation at the UAE Space Agency, and Program Director of the GSIA, said, “We will continue to pursue achieving our objectives in realizing the vision of the UAE Centennial 2071 and positioning the UAE as a pioneering country on the global innovation map, despite the current challenges. 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.”
Al Rashedi added: “We extended the deadline for receiving submissions for the NewSpace Innovation Program until 15 April to provide applicants with the required time to come up with innovative ideas, which would contribute to making the UAE a technological hub, as well as maintaining the UAE’s diversified economy.”
The UAE Space Agency launched the GSIA initiative under the umbrella of the National Space Investment Promotion Plan. The initiative aims to promote innovation, positioning the UAE as a pioneering country in the space industry. It also seeks to nurture a sustainable space industry in the UAE, foster a healthy national ecosystem through innovation and Research and Development (R&D), and contribute to a diversified and knowledge-based national economy. Earlier this year, the UAE Space Agency, in collaboration with Krypto Labs, launched the UAE NewSpace Innovation Program, as part of the Agency’s efforts to accelerate the growth of technology start-ups in the field of space sciences.
