Resources
Develop your business idea with a variety of resources we offer you from 3D printing, to arduinos and sensors. Build your own robot! Learn how satellite navigation, telecommunications and earth observation data can assist your startup.
Arduino makerspace
From arduinos to sensors, radio communication modules, actuators (servo motors) and GPS, learn how to program with simple commands to create, invent, and learn.
You will be provided with various electronics, craft and hardware supplies and tools, and more to test your idea.
Roel Eerkens
Co-Founder, T-Minus Engineering B.V.
Being on the frontline of development and research is is very important to Roel. Space is part of this frontline and he feels fortunate to be able to work with the team at T-Minus Engineering on the most challenging and rewarding problems.
Robotics
Robots are playing an increasingly important role in business and life in general. Advanced robots enter our warehouses, sorting centres, and even help with final-mile delivery. They also assist in the production line in the building of cars.
In addition, robots have long explored the hostile environment of space. Robotic explorers have set down on the Moon, Mars, Venus, Titan and Jupiter, as well as a few comets and asteroids. They can process a lot of data very quickly, much faster than humans.
Learn about the role of robotics in automotive, logistics and space and how to apply them in your startup.
Karsten Becker
Electronics Lead, Part-Time Scientists
Karsten is absolutely passionate about making developers more productive. This can mean to smarten up existing IDEs, but it can also be a new (domain specific) language such as PSHDL. Besides that he also enjoys tinkering with electronics or building lunar rovers. At Part-Time Scientist he guides the electronics teams to develop hardware (PCB Design, FPGA programming, Embedded programming).
3D Printing
Rapid prototyping helps companies turn great ideas into successful products faster than ever before. Learn how 3D printing makes it possible.
It all starts with making a virtual design of the object you want to create. This virtual design is for instance a CAD (Computer Aided Design) file. This CAD file is created using a 3D modelling application or with a 3D scanner (to copy an existing object). A 3D scanner can make a 3D digital copy of an object. When you have a 3D model, the next step is to prepare it in order to make it 3D printable.
Oscar Moschner
Artificial Industries/Entrepreneur
Oscar Moschner lives and works in Cologne, and has a solid background in Architecture and Construction Engineering. In 2013, he switched his focus to Computer Engineering currently majoring at TH Köln with a focus on Embedded Systems. In January 2017, he started his first company ‘Artificial Industries’ as an Independent Entrepreneur, focusing on 3D printing, computer development and other automation technologies. He will explain the different 3D printing technologies and show how to integrate them into your creative workflow, helping you prototype using different 3D printers and materials.
Meccano
In addition to the arduino makerspace and robotics resources above, SpinMaster have made available several Meccano sets where you can assemble your own personal robot friends. Create your own Meccanoid, model helicopter or MeccaSpider.
Meccanoid 2.0 and Meccanoid XL 2.0 respond to your voice commands with more than 3000 pre-programmed phrases, including jokes and interesting facts. They also like to walk with you, shake your hand and give you a "High Five"! Learn simple and innovative possibilities of programming: control movements and sounds of the robot, change the colour of its eyes and create simple, funny commands.
The Meccano sets give you a technically mature yet easy-to-use robotics platform to test a variety of ideas.
Earth Observation data
Find out how earth observation (EO) satellites gather information about our planet's physical, chemical and biological systems via remote sensing technologies.
Copernicus is the world's largest single earth observation programme and is directed by the European Commission in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA). It aims at achieving a global, continuous, autonomous, high quality, wide range Earth observation capacity.
Learn how such data are supplemented by earth surveying techniques and how free visualisation software and data processing tools can enable innovators to develop new digital applications based on these vast open datasets.
Md Bayzidul Islam
Lead Project Manager, FabSpace 2.0
Md Bayzidul works as Lead Project Manager at FabSpace 2.0, a European initiative to bring all geo-enthusiasts together in-line with the Copernicus mission and vision, in cooperation with universities and ESA business incubation centres. Managing the FabLab, he creates a geo-network for geo-data-driven innovation by leveraging space data at Technical University of Darmstadt University. He maintains the FabSpace Geo-portal (https://fab-server.ipg.verm.tu-darmstadt.de) for prototype application development and visualisations. In addition, he supports enthusiasts to create processing algorithms to get easily access and process “Satellite Imagery to Develop Digital Applications”.
Navigation data
A satellite navigation or 'satnav' system is a system that uses satellites to provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning. In recent years we have become increasingly familiar with GPS (global positioning system) on our smartphones, run by the United States government and operated by the United States Air Force. In addition there is the Russia's Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, India's NAVIC and Japan's Quasi-Zenith Satellite System.
The Galileo global navigation satellite system (GNSS) is currently being created by the European Union (EU) through the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European GNSS Agency (GSA). Learn about the opportunities the programme is opening up for startups in each of the automotive, logistics and space sectors.
Ugo Celestino
Space Policy Officer, European Commission
Since 2007, Ugo Celestino has worked for the European Commission at the EU Satellite Navigation Programmes (EGNOS & GALILEO), in the Directorate General GROWTH, where all space activities of European Union are managed. He is in charge of fostering the development of downstream applications in transport domains, via policies, research funds and other means, including awards for innovative ideas. He holds a degree in economics and an MBA from INSEAD.
Telecommunication data
Communications satellites are used for television, telephone, radio, internet, and military applications. They usually have one of three primary types of orbit: geostationary orbit (GEO), where they remain at fixed location in the sky, as well as medium earth orbit (MEO) and low earth orbit (LEO) which are closer to the Earth. MEO and LEO do not require so high a signal strength as GEO but require a larger number of satellites as they cross the sky and "set" when they go behind the Earth.
There are over 2,000 in Earth’s orbit, used by private and government organisations. Allocating frequencies to satellite services is a complicated process which requires international coordination and planning. This is carried out under the auspices of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Learn about the challenges of creating your own communications satellite and entering this market.
Nikolas Sidiropoulos
Project Manager, SES
Nikolas Sidiropoulos is project manager in SES. His current activities include the SES incubator SATLAS (www.satlas.lu) that was launched a year ago and is focusing in ideas related to satellite communications. In the past he has worked in several R&D projects concerning the development of innovative products for space; part of these innovations are being applied in current space programs.
Graphic Design
Does your startup team want a logo? Do you need some help designing an illustration for your product? Look no further.
Our graphic designer will show you some of the tools and techniques to help you illustrate your business idea.
Lorenzo Benassi
Freelance Graphic Designer
Lorenzo Benassi is a graphic designer from Milan who studied Communication Design at Politecnico di Milano. He likes communication and the tools used to convey and dress up a message. He enjoys to be challenged and to get in touch with different cultures and point of views. He is now working as a freelance designer dealing with traditional graphic outputs such as logos and brochures, as well as with videos and web design.
Web Design
Do you want to design a landing page for your startup idea? Are you in need of a web portal to attract customers? Do you need help with CSS or HTML?
Our web designer will be on hand to show you some simple tools you can use to give your startup a professional appearance to potential customers and the wider public.
Roman Litzler
Media & Web Designer, Design & Data GmbH
Roman Litzler is a media and web designer from Cologne. After he finished his apprenticeship successfully, he started working for Design & Data GmbH as full member of the team. He not only likes to improve continuously but also taught himself new skills. Working with HTML, CSS and JQuery is as familiar for him as PHP to develop WordPress themes and program websites of all kinds.
