Challenges, and Opportunities in the Space Sector

EU-Japan Innovation Day 2021: Joint webinar organised by the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation & EURAXESS Japan

On 16 December 2021, the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation and EURAXESS Japan co-organised a joint webinar for the EU-Japan Innovation Day which focused on challenges and opportunities in the space sector. The webinar consisted of two sessions and a panel discussion.

The first session featured six speakers (from Japan and Europe) presenting prominent commercial space projects and initiatives in the space sector. First, Mr. Yasu Yamazaki of Axelspace discussed the contribution of microsatellites to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by the United Nations, drawing examples of smart agriculture and the sustainability of the cities. Next, Synspective's role as an information infrastructure for worldwide social concerns, with a focus on SAR Data Images for cloud-based solutions, was discussed by Mr. Akifumi Sumiya from Synspective . Mr. Takahiro Nakamura of ispace then stressed the need for satellite maintenance for sustainable human life and the importance of the lunar industry for space exploration and ispace's future objectives. Mr. Raffaele Mauro of Primo Space Fund emphasised the increase in venture capital and space start-ups investments over the last five years and gave the audience an overview of what VCs do and how they work. D-orbit's Ms. Patrizia Tammaro Silva discussed space logistics and orbital transportation and highlighted her company's current partnerships with several prominent Japanese firms. Lastly, Mr. Rainer Horn of SpaceTec Partners presented the steps of the GNSS.asia project from its beginning in 2012 and the activities of the project carried out specifically in Japan.

The second session covered intellectual property aspects in the field of space where Mr. Masato Iida from Shiga International Patent Office was the first speaker, presenting insights on space and patents from a Japanese viewpoint and emphasising the necessity of cross-licensing activities. Following that, two presenters from Plasseraud IP, Mr. Atsuya Takeshita and Ms. Laurence Loumes discussed patents in this sector from a European viewpoint and the imminent changes coming with the unitary patent.

After the two sessions, Luca Escoffier, Manager of Space.Japan and GNSS.Asia Helpdesks at the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation moderated a lively panel discussion that ended an event with around 200 attendees.