NEWSROOM
Launching a future for New Zealand space start-ups
26 October 2023
Astronaut may be the first career that comes to mind with respect to space. However, the opportunities for diverse and highly innovative career paths in the space industry are almost limitless. Start-ups PrintGig and OutThere Astronautics are two examples of what is possible when passion, technical knowledge and collaboration collide, with both ventures recently attending and showcasing at the New Zealand Aerospace Summit 2023.
A career for Kiwi kids in the space industry previously meant moving abroad, but that all changed when Peter Beck founded Rocket Lab in 2006, famously becoming the first private company in the Southern Hemisphere to reach space and disrupting the preconception of what an aerospace entrepreneur could do right here in Aotearoa. New Zealand went on to become number four on the list of nations launching the most rockets, only surpassed by the United States, China, and Russia.
Following the rapid rise of Aotearoa’s space industry, support networks such as the New Zealand Space Agency, Aerospace New Zealand and academic programmes tailored to the space industry rapidly formed. The New Zealand Aerospace Summit is now in its second year with a vision to grow the economic wealth and aerospace capability in New Zealand. In 2019, the New Zealand space industry was estimated to be valued at NZ$1.79 billion by Deloittes, with the potential to grow to NZ$10 billion by 2030.
OutThere Astronautics and PrintGig are both past winners in the Velocity $100k Challenge (2022 and 2021), a business planning programme delivered by the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE). During their involvement with Velocity and CIE’s incubator programme, Venture Lab, both teams were regularly found working in CIE’s co-working space. It was through this co-habitation that a collaborative relationship formed, leading to the success of both teams and an unexpected foray into the space industry for one.
OutThere Astronautics’ idea for a revolutionary inter-satellite optical communications module that can easily be fitted to satellites propelled them into the heart of the space industry, as their solution enables real-time communication and coordination of satellites, supplanting the slow radio wave communication previously used. “We are sort of re-creating the internet in the sky,” explains OutThere Astronautics Co-founder Alexandar Majstorovic. While developing their idea, the OutThere team turned to their friends from PrintGig for help to build their prototype.
Helping people to take advantage of advanced 3D printing technologies is at the core of PrintGig’s business model, though their initial target market of hobbyists differed wildly from what has now become their customer base of commercial users requiring prototypes and engineering-grade parts. It was during their collaboration with OutThere that PrintGig became aware of a need for 3D-printed space-grade polymers. “How hard could that possibly be?” thought the PrintGig team. Founding Director Caleb McIvor says, “Turns out very hard. But we somehow managed to do it.” The perseverance and nights spent sleeping next to a printer means that PrintGig can now proudly boast to be the only company in New Zealand, and maybe the Southern Hemisphere, printing space-grade polymers.
Both OutThere and PrintGig were given a massive boost when, earlier this year, they were accepted to be part of the very first cohort of the Aerospace New Zealand Start Me Up Mentorship Programme. The opportunity opened the door to the domestic and international space ecosystems. Caleb explains how a shared passion for space creates a globally supportive network of enthusiasts working in the industry. “It’s not about making heaps of money; it’s about ‘how do we make cool space stuff?’” The founders of PrintGig and OutThere agree that the level of collaboration has been the most impressive part of their experience with the space industry. “The supportive network that is willing to adopt new innovative start-ups like us has been mind-blowing,” says Caleb.
An invitation to the 2023 Aerospace Summit soon followed, with both ventures given the opportunity to host a booth showcasing their work. “The opportunity to exhibit at the Summit placed our company in full view of global companies and individuals. With the amount of interest in our technology, we have been swept off our feet with meetings from all industries! It was a privilege to attend and see what New Zealand has to offer,” reports Alexandar.
‘Launching a Sustainable Future’ was the theme of this year’s Summit. For the team at PrintGig, sustainability is more than just a buzzword. “We’re eager to share our vision for how advanced 3D printing can contribute to a sustainable aerospace ecosystem by reducing the weight of payloads,” says Caleb. The lightweight nature of printed plastic componentry is a primary selling point for the space industry, along with low thermal conductivity and the speed at which components can be manufactured. “Instead of waiting six months to get a part sent from Europe, we can turn it around in a couple of weeks.”
Attending the Aerospace Summit has been the cherry on top for an amazing year for both start-ups. Reese Chen, Co-founder of PrintGig summed it up, “The Summit demonstrated that New Zealand continues to be a leader in the global aerospace sector and is a prime incubator for groundbreaking innovation in space.”
Learn more:
New Zealand Aerospace Summitt 2023
#NZAS23
26 October 2023
Astronaut may be the first career that comes to mind with respect to space. However, the opportunities for diverse and highly innovative career paths in the space industry are almost limitless. Start-ups PrintGig and OutThere Astronautics are two examples of what is possible when passion, technical knowledge and collaboration collide, with both ventures recently attending and showcasing at the New Zealand Aerospace Summit 2023.
A career for Kiwi kids in the space industry previously meant moving abroad, but that all changed when Peter Beck founded Rocket Lab in 2006, famously becoming the first private company in the Southern Hemisphere to reach space and disrupting the preconception of what an aerospace entrepreneur could do right here in Aotearoa. New Zealand went on to become number four on the list of nations launching the most rockets, only surpassed by the United States, China, and Russia.
Following the rapid rise of Aotearoa’s space industry, support networks such as the New Zealand Space Agency, Aerospace New Zealand and academic programmes tailored to the space industry rapidly formed. The New Zealand Aerospace Summit is now in its second year with a vision to grow the economic wealth and aerospace capability in New Zealand. In 2019, the New Zealand space industry was estimated to be valued at NZ$1.79 billion by Deloittes, with the potential to grow to NZ$10 billion by 2030.
OutThere Astronautics and PrintGig are both past winners in the Velocity $100k Challenge (2022 and 2021), a business planning programme delivered by the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE). During their involvement with Velocity and CIE’s incubator programme, Venture Lab, both teams were regularly found working in CIE’s co-working space. It was through this co-habitation that a collaborative relationship formed, leading to the success of both teams and an unexpected foray into the space industry for one.
OutThere Astronautics’ idea for a revolutionary inter-satellite optical communications module that can easily be fitted to satellites propelled them into the heart of the space industry, as their solution enables real-time communication and coordination of satellites, supplanting the slow radio wave communication previously used. “We are sort of re-creating the internet in the sky,” explains OutThere Astronautics Co-founder Alexandar Majstorovic. While developing their idea, the OutThere team turned to their friends from PrintGig for help to build their prototype.
Helping people to take advantage of advanced 3D printing technologies is at the core of PrintGig’s business model, though their initial target market of hobbyists differed wildly from what has now become their customer base of commercial users requiring prototypes and engineering-grade parts. It was during their collaboration with OutThere that PrintGig became aware of a need for 3D-printed space-grade polymers. “How hard could that possibly be?” thought the PrintGig team. Founding Director Caleb McIvor says, “Turns out very hard. But we somehow managed to do it.” The perseverance and nights spent sleeping next to a printer means that PrintGig can now proudly boast to be the only company in New Zealand, and maybe the Southern Hemisphere, printing space-grade polymers.
Both OutThere and PrintGig were given a massive boost when, earlier this year, they were accepted to be part of the very first cohort of the Aerospace New Zealand Start Me Up Mentorship Programme. The opportunity opened the door to the domestic and international space ecosystems. Caleb explains how a shared passion for space creates a globally supportive network of enthusiasts working in the industry. “It’s not about making heaps of money; it’s about ‘how do we make cool space stuff?’” The founders of PrintGig and OutThere agree that the level of collaboration has been the most impressive part of their experience with the space industry. “The supportive network that is willing to adopt new innovative start-ups like us has been mind-blowing,” says Caleb.
An invitation to the 2023 Aerospace Summit soon followed, with both ventures given the opportunity to host a booth showcasing their work. “The opportunity to exhibit at the Summit placed our company in full view of global companies and individuals. With the amount of interest in our technology, we have been swept off our feet with meetings from all industries! It was a privilege to attend and see what New Zealand has to offer,” reports Alexandar.
‘Launching a Sustainable Future’ was the theme of this year’s Summit. For the team at PrintGig, sustainability is more than just a buzzword. “We’re eager to share our vision for how advanced 3D printing can contribute to a sustainable aerospace ecosystem by reducing the weight of payloads,” says Caleb. The lightweight nature of printed plastic componentry is a primary selling point for the space industry, along with low thermal conductivity and the speed at which components can be manufactured. “Instead of waiting six months to get a part sent from Europe, we can turn it around in a couple of weeks.”
Attending the Aerospace Summit has been the cherry on top for an amazing year for both start-ups. Reese Chen, Co-founder of PrintGig summed it up, “The Summit demonstrated that New Zealand continues to be a leader in the global aerospace sector and is a prime incubator for groundbreaking innovation in space.”
Learn more:
New Zealand Aerospace Summitt 2023
#NZAS23
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