How can an accelerator help us take our idea to the next level?
Meet Zaria – co founder of Frontier Space Technologies. Zaria took part in the UK Space Agency Accelerator pilot last year which she says helped her team to access mentoring and guidance that helped them become stronger business leaders. Keep reading for more on what she had to say about the accelerator below.
What did you want to achieve from being part of the accelerator?
Before starting the accelerator, we thought we knew what we wanted to achieve, but were unaware of the necessary steps to get there. As a group of technical, enthusiastic individuals, we lacked business knowhow and needed a roadmap to bring our products and services to market.
By the end of the accelerator, we wanted to have a clear vision for the future of our business and a plan for achieving our goals. Personally, I also wanted to become a better leader. Leading a team in a business context is very different to leading an engineering team; I wanted to refine my skills and have confidence in how I represent our business.
What did you achieve?
The accelerator helped us achieve the goals we initially set out, but also helped us identify areas we didn’t even think to develop before starting the programme.
The programme helped us establish priorities and create a structure where we can grow our business in a sustainable way.
We were able to pause, focus on our foundations, clearly define our vision for the company and the value we offer our customers, before working on our route to market. Having a soundboard for ideas, especially during the mentorship and pitching sessions, gave me confidence that we are moving in the right direction.
What’s the best thing about being an entrepreneur in the space sector?
The excitement of being part of this novel and challenging sector. There’s a great sense of endless opportunities as we’re trying to explore the intersection between business and space. The unique nature of the space sector means that it predominantly attracts the kind of people who have genuine enthusiasm for space which leads to a strong sense of community through mutual passion.
And biggest takeaway from the accelerator?
I’ve learnt that the most valuable resource we have within the company is not necessarily the technology we’re developing, but the time and passion that our co-founders invest in the company. We’ve found a way to maximise our resources, even if that results in bypassing opportunities, to ensure we’re creating a business that all involved are proud to be a part of.
What’s next for you and the business?
Being part of the accelerator has improved the credibility of our company and grown our network, which has directly aided in several opportunities, including securing our grant funding. We’re in the process of acquiring our first office space, in talks with several potential partners, including our first client, and working towards several technology demonstration missions next year.
Zaria and her team took part in the Leo programme as part of a pilot programme in 2021. Find out more about our programmes