Space technologies: tracking innovation and startup development

Moderator: Pere Arque-Castells, Stream Lead Legal and Innovation Policies, EPO's Observatory on Patents and Technology
Pere is an economist specialised in innovation. He has a rich academic background, having served as an Assistant Professor in the Innovation Management and Strategy department at the University of Groningen, a Research Associate at Northwestern University's Pritzker School of Law and a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Pere holds an MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and a Ph.D. in Economics from the Universitat de Barcelona. His research on innovation economics has been featured in numerous peer-reviewed journals.

Stela Tkatchova, Programme Manager Space systems, European Innovation Council
In her role at the EIC, Stela brings critical insights into specific technologies and markets, performs portfolio management and supports SMEs and startups in achieving breakthrough innovation. Previously she worked as a project and commercialisation manager in the European space industry on projects in telecommunications and Earth observation. She holds a PhD from TUDelft in aerospace engineering and founded a space startup. Earlier in her career, she worked in the ESA’s EU Galileo and the International Space Station programmes. She has produced numerous articles, books, webinars and podcasts on problems related to the commercialisation of space technology, cis-lunar exploration, space debris remediation, in-orbit servicing and in-space logistics. Stela is the founder and former editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Space Technology Management & Innovation.

Xavier Barcons, Director General, European Southern Observatory (ESO)
Xavier has been a CSIC research professor for over twenty years and was founding director of the Instituto de Física de Cantabria, where he established the first Spanish X-ray astronomy group. Throughout his career, he has conducted research at the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge, focusing on active galaxies and X-ray surveys. Xavier played a role in the ESA's X-ray observatory flagship missions, has advised the Spanish Government on astronomy and research infrastructures, and has served on ESA science advisory bodies and in the ESO Council as a delegate, Vice President and President.

Johannes Schaaf, Patent intelligence expert, European Patent Office
Johannes holds an MBA and master's degree in physics. He previously worked as an engineer and innovation consultant in Siemens’s corporate technology unit where he led the community of practice for innovation management. After working as an examiner in the area of laser technology at the German Patent and Trade Mark Office, in 2005 he joined the European Patent Office where he works on IPscore, PATSTAT, the new Espacenet and patent insight reports for the Patent Knowledge directorate.

Lars Petzold, Research fellow, European Space Policy Institute (ESPI)
Lars is a research fellow at the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI). Prior to joining ESPI, he worked as a research assistant at the University of Cologne and the Germany Aerospace Centre and as an intern at the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). He holds a master's degree in political science from the University of Cologne.

Cornelia Peuser, Stream Lead Diversity & Transformation, EPO's Observatory on Patents and Technology
Cornelia is one of three Stream Leads in the newly established Observatory on Patents and Technology, where she is primarily responsible for making patent data and information accessible to a wider audience.

She co-ordinates Observatory projects and acts as an intermediary for internal and external stakeholders with an interest in a variety of IP topics. An economist by training, she brings her experience from the IP service industry to the EPO’s activities.

Michael Fröhlich, Director of Patent Developments and IP Lab, European Patent Office
Michael is a German lawyer with over twenty-five years’ experience working in IP. At the EPO he leads a team responsible for developing policy solutions on the international and European legal framework for patents and related areas of law and practice, including the development of legal policy in relation to the Unitary Patent, new emerging technologies, patent law trends and the harmonisation of patent law and practices.

Prior to joining the EPO, Michael was Senior Director of EU IP & Strategy at BlackBerry, Senior Legal Counsel at Nokia and Head of Legal Affairs at the European Telecommunications Standards Institute. He has served for many years as the Chairman of the AIPPI Committee on Patents & Standards, as well as the Vice-Chairman of the GSMA IPR Working Group and Vice-Chairman of the LES Publication Committee.

Tum Thach, Head of IP, Airbus Defense and Space
Tum began his IP career with IBM France and spent time in the US working with Baker Botts LLP and Texas Instruments before returning to Europe, where he leads a group of IP attorneys in Germany, France, Great Britain and Spain as the Head of IP of Airbus Defense & Space.

As a patent and trademark attorney, he counsels R&D managers on IP protection, litigation and M&A acquisition in Asia, the Middle East and Europe. With more than 25 years’ experience practicing US and EP IP law, he has technical expertise in SW, telecommunications, AI, cybersecurity and cloud computing. Tum is a founding member of multiple Cambodian and Asean IP Groups, regularly lectures in universities and participates in conferences around the world.

Catherine Doldirina, General Counsel, D-Orbit
Catherine is General Counsel at D-Orbit and a space law expert on intellectual property and space law as well as legal and policy issues regarding the access and use of data. Her career of over 15 years includes consulting on related topics, both in government and academia.

Catherine is an active member of the International Institute of Space Law, co-chair of an International Astronautical Federation steering group, Corresponding Member of the International Academy of Astronautics and a member of the World Space Week Association’s Board of Directors

Rada Popova, Legal Counsel, Isar Aerospace
In her legal practice, Rada has provided expertise on various multidisciplinary aerospace-related projects both in and outside Europe. Her practice spans from commercial space services to the international and national regulation of private and governmental space activities. Rada joined Isar Aerospace in 2021 and is responsible for all legal and regulatory activities in the company, providing legal advice on all aspects of operations including day-to-day business operations, commercial and customer contracts and relationships with institutional partners. She studied law at the University of Vienna and holds a PhD in law from the University of Cologne.