Trajectory, London 2024
Inspiring the Future of Space Through Storytelling and Innovation
Our Trajectory Roadshow made a triumphant return to London, bringing together space entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders for a day of inspiration, learning, and collaboration. This time, the event was held at Sky Guild Gaming Centre, offering a unique platform for the UK’s burgeoning space community to connect and exchange ideas.
The day began with a 'Meet the Suppliers' event, exclusively for our entrepreneurs, connecting them with key players from across the UK space sector. Among the suppliers were key representatives from BAE Systems, Maxar, Airbus, Marks & Clerk, Innovate UK, Telespazio, Future Planet Capital, ESA and Deloitte. The session offered a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to connect directly with contacts relevant to their specific business journeys.
Opening Speeches: Storytelling and the London Space Ecosystem
Once the doors officially opened, we kicked off with an opening speech by Annelies Look, Deputy CEO of the UK Space Agency. She emphasised the importance of storytelling in shaping the future of space innovation. According to Annelies, ‘space is a team sport’ and effective storytelling is vital for inspiring change and building trust within the industry. She shared insights on how businesses can use their stories to connect with others, establishing credibility and inspiring engagement through their experiences.
Andy Bennett, Space Lead at Innovate UK, followed with an overview of the vibrant London space ecosystem. He highlighted the city's key role in fostering the growth of space ventures, noting that 33% of the UK's space businesses are based in London. As the financial hub of the country, London provides unique opportunities for space companies to collaborate with sectors like finance, technology, and research. Andy’s talk set the tone for the rest of the event, emphasising the importance of creating environments for positive change.
Inspirational Speaker: Katie King’s Entrepreneurial Journey
Next, we took part of an inspiring talk by Katie King, CEO of BioOrbit. A graduate of the Leo space programme, Katie shared her entrepreneurial journey, from a university project to a pioneering biotech company preparing to send its first payload to the International Space Station in February. Katie's work focuses on creating uniform crystals of antibodies in space, allowing drugs to be administered more efficiently. This breakthrough could revolutionise healthcare by enabling patients to self-administer treatments at home rather than in hospitals.
Katie also recounted her challenges, including bootstrapping her company and raising funds under pressure. She emphasised the importance of perseverance and networking, crediting the opportunities unlocked by the Leo programme and events like Trajectory for connecting her with investors and accelerators like Seraphim Space. Her inspiring message to fellow entrepreneurs was to always keep pushing on, as one opportunity often leads to another.
Entrepreneur Panel: Diverse Journeys with Common Challenges
The Entrepreneur Panel featured a trio of successful business leaders: Dr. Katie King, Manpreet Bhatia, Director of Operations, Geospatial Ventures, and Ben Foakes CEO, BASE Media Cloud. Each shared their unique entrepreneurial experiences, offering valuable lessons to the audience.
Ben Foakes shared how his early days in video production led to a successful business in broadcast media, while Manpreet spoke about balancing family life with building her tutoring business from scratch. Katie reiterated her decision to create the job she wanted when it didn’t exist, setting herself a 12-month deadline to make her venture a success.
The panel provided insights into business growth, the importance of being bold, and learning on the fly, emphasising that entrepreneurship requires resilience, adaptability, and sometimes taking risks without waiting for the perfect conditions.
Interactive Activities: F1 Racing Simulator and Personal Branding
To break up the day, attendees had the chance to unwind with some fun, including an F1 Racing Simulator. The elite racing facility gave lucky participants the chance to test their driving skills on a state-of-the-art simulator, a highlight for many.
Gabriella Goddard, founder of Brainsparker, delivered an insightful session on personal branding, guiding attendees through exercises to better align their professional image with their aspirations. She stressed the importance of visibility, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn, and encouraged participants to develop a personal brand that complements their company’s values.
Cognitive Edge: Mastering the Entrepreneurial Mindset
The afternoon session featured Entrepreneurial Spark’s CEO Mike Stephens, who presented on ‘Cognitive Edge’, sharing practical tools based on neuroscience to help entrepreneurs navigate the mental challenges they face. He explained the critical role of the amygdala and hypothalamus in decision-making, fear responses, and motivation, offering strategies to unpick negative thought patterns and enhance productivity.
Mike highlighted how understanding your brain's responses can help entrepreneurs manage stress, make better decisions, and avoid common pitfalls like indecision or people-pleasing. By focusing on key hormones like serotonin and dopamine, entrepreneurs can build resilience and maintain a healthy balance between work and well-being.
Investor Panel: Demystifying the Investment Process
The Investor Panel was an invaluable opportunity for entrepreneurs to engage directly with investors Amrit Sami from Mercia and Joshua Daniel from Cambridge Future Tech. The discussion focused on what investors are looking for in space tech startups and provided advice on how to approach pitching and securing investment. Attendees asked questions ranging from how to validate their business ideas to the best strategies for raising capital. This session helped demystify the investment process and empowered entrepreneurs to move forward with confidence.
Networking and Drinks Reception
Networking is the heartbeat of events like Trajectory, and we ensured plenty of opportunities for attendees to connect. Breaks throughout the day allowed for conversations, sparking ideas and potential collaborations.
The day concluded with a drinks reception on the rooftop of the Sky Guild Gaming Centre, providing impressive views of the London skyline. Attendees could continue conversations in this inspiring setting and make final connections as the sun set, marking the perfect end to a successful event.
Building the Future of Space Together
The Trajectory Roadshow continues to foster collaboration, innovation, and inspiration for the UK’s space community. From storytelling to personal branding, and from scientific innovation to practical advice on navigating the entrepreneurial journey, this event offered something for everyone in the space sector.
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