Moontech: The New Space Economy
Space is commercializing fast.
Launch costs have collapsed. LEO is crowded. And the Moon? It's the next surface where private companies, not just governments, will operate at scale.
NASA's Moon-to-Mars architecture and the $4.2B CLPS contract are pulling commercial providers onto the lunar surface. A growing stack of startups is building the launch, data, infrastructure, and autonomy layers underneath. The question isn't if - it's who, how fast, and where the gaps are.
MoonTech: The New Space Economy brings together engineers, space VCs, and industry leaders to dig into where the new space economy is actually heading, with the Moon as the anchor case.
What's being built. Who's funding it. Where the real opportunities sit over the next five years.
Hosted by Berkeley Gateway Accelerator.
🛰️ Moderated by Izen Thornton, Founder of FRANK Autonomous
👥 Panelists:
Terry Fong (NASA’s Senior Scientist for Autonomous Systems): Terry Fong is the Chief Roboticist at the Ames Research Center and the Deputy Rover Lead for NASA's VIPER lunar rover mission, which is scheduled to launch to the Moon in Fall 2027. Terry also the acting Principal Technologist for Autonomous Systems and Robotics within the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) at NASA Headquarters.
Alex Greenberg (Co-Founder and COO of Loft Orbital): Alex co-founded Loft Orbital, a space infrastructure company that lets governments and businesses operate in orbit without building or owning their own satellites. Loft runs a fleet of satellites that customers deploy missions onto like deploying software to the cloud, and is now flying AI and edge computing directly in orbit through its Virtual Missions program. Loft recently became prime contractor on France's DESIR sovereign defense satellite, a role traditionally held by primes like Airbus or Thales. Before founding Loft, Alex worked in business development at Spire Global and as an aerospace consultant at Avascent.
Patrick Beatty (Managing Director, Beyond Earth Ventures): space-tech VC investing in lunar economy and deep tech. Portfolio includes Lunar Outpost, Zeno Power, and Xona Space. 20+ years across venture, data science, and finance with prior roles at Prosus Group, Northern Trust, and Moody’s Analytics. Frequent speaker on space tech and venture investment.
Emerson Garnett (Principal, Balerion Space Ventures): Emerson Garnett is a Principal at Balerion Space Ventures, a venture capital firm investing at the intersection of commercial space and defense technology. Now deploying its third fund, Balerion Space backs category-defining companies across lunar infrastructure, nuclear power, advanced propulsion, critical materials, and the broader defense industrial base. Prior to Balerion, Emerson worked at Lunar Outpost, where he contributed to the Lunar Terrain Vehicle program and the Lunar Voyage 1 mission, the first commercial American rover to operate on the lunar surface. Originally from the Bay Area, Emerson is now based in New York City.
Lightning talk:
Raphael Attié, PhD (President of the Board, HelioArc Foundation): heliophysicist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, focused on translating space weather research into operational risk mitigation for commercial space missions. Speaking on deep space weather hazards to lunar surface assets.
Agenda
5:30 PM: Doors open & networking
6:00 PM: Opening remarks & lightning talk
6:10 PM: Panel discussion & Q&A
7:00 PM: Networking reception
7:30 PM: Closing
When: May 27, 2026 ; 5:30-7:30 PM
Where: Berkeley Gateway Accelerator HQ
🎟️ Free to attend
Open to founders, operators, investors, and anyone tuned into the future of space. Astronaut experience not required.