Commercial Space Days 2023

Switzerland is currently revising its space policy and devising a national legal framework for space, recognizing international developments. The Swiss Space Office is seeking inputs to its innovation policy.

The European Space Agency is making similar efforts, having established a Directorate for Commercialization and accompanying Center (ECSECO), and expanding their roles in supporting players of the NewSpaceera through its own incubation network (ESA BIC).

The current crossroads and need for new policy and commercial thinking are a call for action to the space community, finding responses solidly grounded in economics and innovation management, learning from other sectors, space verticals and defining viable solutions for economic, environmental, and social sustainability.

For these reasons, the University of St. Gallen and the Swiss Aerospace Cluster (in cooperation with Space eXchange Switzerland and European Center for Space Economy and Commerce) are introducing COMMERCIAL SPACE DAYS. Leading space companies will meet with key academics in economics, innovation management and business… discussing entrepreneurship, lessons learned from the space revolution of the last decade and providing inputs for the next era of space commercialization.

The conference highlight will be keynotes and panel discussion with world-leading innovation & space economists Mariana Mazzucato (UCL), Dominique Foray (EPFL), Matthew Weinzierl (HBS)  and Special Guest Alexander MacDonald (NASA Chief Economist).

In addition to speaker inputs and panel discussions, COMMERCIAL SPACE DAYS will host different forums dedicated to NewSpace, Careers, Commercial Space, Constellations, as well as Sustainability, Acceleration and Venture Capital.

Academic paper sessions in Space Economy & Commerce will be complemented by a Science Fair for universities and student initiatives. Both days will offer a Business Zone in combination with the B2B Matchmaking Platform (b2match) for pre-arranged meetings.

The social program of Day 1 will feature a cocktail reception onboard the MS Diamant, including a lake cruise and transfer to Luzern’s Planetarium (multi-media show presented LIVE by NASA Commercialization Legend Dan Rasky) and Aerospace Exhibition Hall (Gala Dinner) [select ticket categories]. Day 2 will conclude with an inspring closing keynote (TBA) and the ECSECO Space Commerce Awards ceremony.