Enabling the creation of a NewSpace ecosystem in Sweden
Space West is a strategic collaboration platform designed to support the development of a more commercially-oriented space sector in Sweden - that will in turn contribute to both economic growth and national security.
A primary focus of the platform is to create the necessary pre-conditions to enable the development of a domestic ecosystem focused on the commercial utilization of space and associated dual-use applications.
The objective is to foster collaboration among like-minded entities and individuals who wish to actively participate in evolving the Swedish space sector to become more commercially relevant and technologically competitive.
Two complementary topics will be addressed during this *Prox-Ops* gathering:
1. Why has the region of West Sweden (Västra Götalandsregionen, VGR) decided to invest in supporting the development of a "NewSpace" ecosystem?
- Madeleine Jonsson, a senior regional politician (MP) and Chair of VGR's Environment and Regional Development Committee, will provide insight into the region's current views and future plans -- including the creation of a new "West Swedish Space Strategy" and increased emphasis on doing what's necessary to enable completely new business models, focused on the commercial utilization of space to provide meaningful dual-use capabilities.
Madeleine's recent op-ed article in Dagens Industri is definitely worth reading ahead of the event!
2. How Space West's efforts are helping to change the nature of the conversation in Sweden, when it comes to what the primary focus of space-related activities should actually be.
- Representatives from Space West will provide a high-level summary, and an associated informal assessment, of some specific examples that illustrate how the domestic situation is evolving -- and where the momentum is headed.
For anyone interested, a sneak preview of just a couple of the items that will be discussed can be found in this recent LinkedIn post.
Following the presentations there will also be an open Q&A session, during which attendees will have the opportunity to engage directly with the speakers.
