Will Present A Series Of Nationwide Workshops To Bring Minority Business Leaders Into The Space Commerce Community

The Space Foundation has signed an agreement for a grant from the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) to present a series of nationwide workshops with the goal of bringing minority business leaders into the greater space commerce community.

Scientific discoveries resulting from space exploration have created new industries and technologies. These technological advancements of commercial space activities have also created profitable business opportunities. To support those efforts, MBDA has provided funding for innovative projects to promote and enhance minority business owners operating in space commercialization industries.

"This is an exciting opportunity for business and entrepreneurs that want to launch into the space commerce enterprise. This partnership between the Space Foundation and MBDA brings together two powerful organizations at the right place and right time to create this bold opportunity for the future,” said Thomas Dorame, the Space Foundation’s Vice President for Washington Strategic Operations and Program Manager for the Space Commerce Partners Program, during the grant award ceremony held at the Department of Commerce.

The Space Foundation’s project of “Launching Minority Business Enterprises into Space Commercialization” consists of four concurrent programs:

Online Space Commerce Education Webinars – Recorded and posted online, session topics will include space in our lives, growing your business, access to capital, contracts and contacts, mining for customers, managing in aerospace and space commerce in the future.
Special Speaker Series –  Delivered by space industry experts topics will include project management, intellectual property in aerospace, space law, negotiations, robotics, additive manufacturing and other topics.
In-Person Space Commerce Training Workshops – Held in Denver, Los Angeles, Pasadena, Houston, Orlando and Washington D.C., workshop topics will include market analysis, mining for customers, financial management and strategic planning.
Direct Introductions and Matchmaking in the Space Commerce Industry – Executed primarily during the Space Foundation’s 35th Space Symposium, a multi-dimensional and custom ‘MBE track’ will feature workshop sessions, keynotes, Q&A sessions, special networking engagements and business exposure for Minority Business Enterprises.
 
The Space Foundation is partnering with MBDA, local and national chambers of commerce and other minority business-serving organizations to attract established, qualified minority business enterprises to participate in each of these programs. The program will conclude August 2019.

The Denver program will be held Dec. 6, 2018, at Geotech Environmental Equipment, Inc., (2650 E. 40th Avenue, Denver) with workshops focusing on growing opportunities within space commerce and developing a strategic engagement roadmap and communications.

(Image provided with Space Foundation news release. [L-R] Thomas Dorame, Space Foundation Vice President - Strategic Operations, Washington, D.C.; Henry Childs II, National Director, Minority Business Development Agency; Shelli Brunswick, Space Foundation Chief Operating Officer)

FMI: www.SpaceFoundation.org