NewSpaceVision

He helped land a spacecraft on a comet. Now, he decides which space startups get funded. Koen Geurts went from operating one of ESA’s most iconic missions to becoming a Senior Investment Manager at HTGF - one of Germany’s most active early-stage investors. In this episode, we cover: What it’s really like to land on a comet (and bounce multiple times) The transition from space engineer to VC How HT...

In this episode of the NSV Podcast, we sit down with Lukas Werling, co-founder & CEO of InSpacePropulsion Technologies, or ISP Tech , a German startup building non-toxic chemical propulsion systems for satellites and spacecraft. After more than a decade at DLR’s rocket engine test site in Lampoldshausen, Lukas spun out ISP Tech to commercialize advanced green propulsion technology. We discuss:...

Europe talks about space sovereignty. Sovereignty is built with capital. On the latest episode of the podcast, investor Filip Kocian joins us to unpack the financial infrastructure behind Europe’s space ambitions - and why funding decisions today will define the industry’s future. Space is no longer niche. It’s industrial strategy, defense, and economic resilience rolled into one... yet capital ma...

What if you could take the temperature of the entire planet - accurately, continuously, and in high resolution? In this episode, we sit down with Max Gulde, co-founder & CEO of Constellr, whose team is launching a global thermal intelligence layer powered by microsatellites. Their goal: unlock new capabilities across agriculture, defense, urban planning, climate resilience, and beyond. Max sha...

What goes up must come down - but in Europe, nothing comes back from space. That’s the problem Sebastian Klaus , co-founder & CEO of Atmos Space Cargo , set out to solve. After a career that spanned aerospace engineering, special forces missions, and a commercial pilot’s license, Sebastian is now leading a team building reentry capsules with inflatable heat shields - a technology that sounds l...

Most satellites see the Earth in two dimensions. But what if we could measure not just the surface, but the height and volume of what covers it - forests, crops, even infrastructure? That’s the mission of KappaZeta , an Estonian startup building a 3D Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) constellation that could transform how we monitor our planet. In this episode, we sit down with Martin Jüssi, Space Mi...

Most VCs don’t grow up dreaming about corner offices. Bogdan Gogulan did - and he got one, or close enough. Starting as an analyst climbing the corporate finance ladder, Bogdan’s journey to becoming CEO of a space-focused venture capital firm is nothing short of impressive. In this episode , he opens up about how the space industry surprised him, why switching from back-office brilliance to front-...

Check out what GLOBBLE looks like here: https://www.stellar.tc/pages/globble The future of mobility isn’t just electric—it’s connected. And as autonomous and software-defined vehicles take over the roads, seamless connectivity will be as essential as the engines themselves. But how do you ensure perfect, uninterrupted internet for cars, trucks, and trains moving across vastly different terrains? E...

Building a space company is hard - but doing so at 21 is just another level. Shoaib Iqbal started Esper Satellite Imagery while still in college, and in just a few years, he’s built one of the most capital-efficient hyperspectral satellite companies out there. In this episode, Shoaib joins us to share what it’s really like to start and scale a satellite business from scratch, talking about the sur...

Before SpaceX was SpaceX—before reusable rockets landed on drone ships or astronauts flew aboard privately built spacecraft—it was just an idea. And Hans Koenigsmann was there when that idea took shape. Interviewed by Elon Musk in his living room and brought on as SpaceX’s fourth technical hire, Hans was a cornerstone of the team that turned an audacious dream into a company that now dominates the...

What does it take to build a revolutionary Earth observation company, weather the failure of a flagship satellite, and emerge stronger than ever? Anthony Baker, CEO and co-founder of SatVu, joins us for an inspiring and deeply insightful episode of the New Space Vision podcast to share his journey. Anthony’s career spans over 35 years in the space industry, including pivotal roles in regulatory bo...

In this episode, Sven and Daniel interview Aakash from Pixxel, a company that is launching a constellation of the world’s highest resolution hyperspectral satellites. Aakash shares his journey into the space industry and explains the importance of hyperspectral data in monitoring and analyzing various vital indicators on Earth. He discusses the challenges of selling a product that is still in deve...

Bulent Altan, founder of Alpine Space Ventures and former VP at SpaceX, shares his journey in the space industry and provides insights into the evolving space ecosystem. He emphasizes the importance of quick decision-making and the need for companies to focus on commercialization of services and products. Altan discusses the growth of the European VC market in space and highlights the potential fo...

This week, we’re proud to feature a unique story. Our guest interned at both Blue Origin and SpaceX in the early 2000s, later becoming Skybox’s (now Planet Labs' Terra Bella) 3rd employee, after his professor encouraged the would-be founders to start the company following a university competition. It’s not surprising he’s been at the forefront of space innovation, considering he's been pas...

You don't really have to know Walter to pick up on the fact that he's a leader. When he arrived at our office for this episode, we hadn't given him the floor number. So, before our producer had time to offer him a welcome downstairs, Walter had already taken the elevator to the top and was methodically eliminating options as he descended. "I figured I'd eventually find the the...

An investor's guide to earth observation: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/daniel-seidel-979524137_i-wrote-an-investors-guide-to-earth-observation-activity-7117028884901949441-Wo61?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop Yuk’s succes was not simple - not unlike his journey. Yuk used to be an officer in the Singapore army, as the head of maintenence and recovery operations of its armored a...

Vice President of Engineering at Planet Labs, Kiruthika shares her transition from the precision-intensive environment of a radio astronomer to the dynamic realm of a startup, where she leads teams through the design of satellites' power, avionics, and communications sytems. She gives us a look into the unique world of satellite constellation management, and the Planet value of performance ove...

In this episode, we sat down with Philippe Raisin, co-founder and CTO of VIDA, which is changing the renewable energy sector with earth observation. Philippe shared his unique journey from a personal interest in renewable energy to the inception of VIDA, which was born out of a non-traditional background in EO. He gave an inside look into how VIDA is leveraging geospatial data to address global en...

In this episode, our hosts sit down with a pioneering figure in the space legal sector who transitioned from telecom law to finding his place among the stars. Discover how a canceled internship and a rapid pivot led Dr. Baumann to Eutelsat, one of the leading players in satellite broadcasting, before journeying into the heart of the Cologne Institute of Air and Space Law. Following his academic fo...

The sheer amount of data available from satellites enables us to solve some of the world’s most complex problems. Renaud Allioux was inspired by Planet to do just that when he left Airbus to co-found Preligens, an AI and intelligence company in the earth observation space, which he is now Chief Innovation Officer of. We spoke about Renaud’s journey, from working on exciting missions in physics and...

Our guest for this episode is LiveEO’s Michael Cruickshank, a former conflict journalist, who takes us on a journey through the world of open source intelligence (OSINT). From developing ship tracking software using satellite data to using algorithms for automated detection of burnt villages, he reveals how OSINT empowers truth-seekers in a conflict-ridden world. We delve into the origins of OSINT...

In this episode, acclaimed filmmaker & entrepreneur Torsten Hoffman shares insights from his experience making documentaries about cryptocurrency - but most importantly his latest project "Fortitude" which explores the burgeoning newspace industry. He highlights the stark differences between the two communities and the surprising quality of people he met in the newspace industry. Wit...

John recieved a call from a former coworker who knew his strengths would break molds at a new position for Planet Labs. Now at LiveEO, John applies his expertise as its Chief Product Officer. This episode showcases John’s accumulation of knowledge since before his career, having grown up “in an environment surrounded by tech.” He continued to drive innovation everywhere he went, from spearheading...

If you listened to episode #23, you’ll recall Hélène Huby, CEO of The Exploration Company, said Geraldine Naja is “at the core of the transformation” of the European Space Agency. From our conversation with her, you’ll find out she’s exactly that - and more. Geraldine’s unparalleled knowledge is a result of over 30 years of industry experience at ESA. We spoke with her about the usual: the future...

Although he did not begin his career in the geospatial industry, Sean is now CEO of satellite imaging marketplace UP42. Our conversation with him spanned several subjects, like: partnering with google, what it’s like to work with multiple companies to consolidate tasking into their platform, and how satellite imaging finding growth the way GPS did is a realistic possibility in the future of earth...