A rare peek inside Singapore’s spacetech industry according to 4 local founders

Photo credit: 3000ad / 123RF Stock Photo.

Space, the final frontier. The mission of Singapore spacetech enterprises is to build and nurture Singapore’s spacetech ecosystem and seek new space technologies and new astro-preneurs.

At first glance, space-focused startups are almost absent in the broader Singaporean tech community, yet despite the relative infancy and lack of visibility, the local spacetech startup ecosystem is growing.

So why are these startups flying below the radar? Who are the people driving the community? And what’s next for Singapore’s spacetech ecosystem?

To get a better picture of what’s happening, I sat down with four local founders and thought leaders to ask them about the current state of Singapore’s spacetech ecosystem and what it takes to get to the next phase.

4 local founders

• Bidushi Bhattacharya is a former NASA scientist and engineer. She’s currently the CEO and co-founder of Astropreneurs HUB, Southeast Asia’s first space technology incubator, and founder and CEO of BSE, a startup focused on “developing the local space tech ecosystem through education, training, and startup incubation.”
• Rohit Jha is the chief engineer and CEO at Transcelestial Technologies which is “creating the first ever, super laser network which transfers data 1,000 times faster than current radio wave technology across any distance.”
• Adam Gilmour is the CEO of Gilmour Space Technologies, a company working on hybrid rocket satellite launch vehicles.
• Mark Dembitz leads sales and business development for APAC at Spire, a satellite-powered data company.

These founders will also be discussing more of their insights in the upcoming Product Hunt Community Event.

What’s the most exciting thing about the Singaporean spacetech ecosystem?

Bidushi: Singaporeans possess a high level of STEM competency as well as interest in the space.

Rohit: Industry infancy. Working so early on with exceptional talent, research institutes, and the motivated government, we get a front seat to the conversation of developing Singapore’s spacetech ecosystem within non-launch-based services into the best in the world.

Adam: Early days with a can do attitude

Mark: The fact that it is so new. It’s small and scrappy but growing, with a lot of support from the government and a lot of interest from the tech community and the public.

What does the ecosystem need to grow?

Bidushi: (1) A grassroots effort that engages Singaporean professionals as well as students of all ages in space tech.  (2) FUNDING!

Rohit: (1) We need a NASA (i.e. a well-funded government organization with relevant networks and focussed grants for space technologies) and (2) Smart “space” capital (i.e. more founder-friendly, big check-sized, visionary investors).

Adam: Stronger financial backing from the government [and] a space agency.

Why is working for a spacetech startup the best?

Any other thoughts you’d like to share?