The first-ever Scottish space envoy has been appointed in a move to help Scotland further become a leading space nation.
Space sector entrepreneur Daniel Smith takes up the newest position in the Scottish Government’s international business network.
Smith is a serial entrepreneur who has played a founding role in five space companies since 2017, including a global space communications firm, a spaceport design company enabling spaceflight from emerging space nations, and a European launch vehicle firm based in Scotland.
In this role, which is unpaid and has a tenure date of two years—with the possibility for this to be extended by a further two years—Smith will help to identify new space sector-oriented business and investment opportunities.
Speaking on the appointment, business minister Richard Lochhead said at the Space-Comm Expo in Glasgow today: “The creation of the Space envoy role is another indication of how quickly the sector is growing and of how importantly the Scottish Government regards its contribution to the economy.
“The Scottish Government has an ambition to capture £4 billion of the global space market and Daniel Smith’s entrepreneurial background will help Scottish businesses forge strategic partnerships and identify new opportunities.
“We are well on our way to becoming a European leader in the sector. The latest available data shows that the number of space-related companies based in Scotland rose by 25% in the space of a year, with the sector’s total income increasing by 65% over the same period – demonstrating the phenomenal scale of opportunity before us.”
Smith himself commented on the appointment, saying: “It’s a pivotal time for Scotland’s fast-growing space sector. Our thriving commercial space sector – actively supported by government agencies and academia – is delivering exciting and new business and career opportunities.
“One particular area for future growth is through international partnerships that enable local companies to operate on the global stage while attracting inward investment to enhance Scotland’s space sector and to enhance economic growth.
“I’m excited to help connect Scotland’s commercial space players with business opportunities overseas. With Europe-leading technology, Scotland has the technical competence, as well as a sustainable strategic vision, to play an expanding role in the global space economy.”
Source: DIGIT