SCALING SPACE: The Space Industrial Leadership Forum
An invitation-based executive working session on the demand, capacity, capital, and policy conditions required to move U.S. space manufacturing into production at scale.
Delegates are expected to contribute actively to a facilitated working session addressing the conditions required to move U.S. space manufacturing from prototype to production.
Event details
Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Time: 8:00 AM–2:00 PM Pacific Time
Venue: SpaceWERX / THE BR-DGE, El Segundo, California
Format: In-person executive working session
Access: Invitation and approved request
Main event description
Industrial capacity is strategic capacity.
SpaceTech Economic Forum presents From Prototype to Production, a private executive working session on the industrial foundations of the U.S. space economy.
The session brings together leaders responsible for investment, procurement, industrial operations, technology, and public priorities to examine one practical question:
What must align to move U.S. space capability beyond promising prototypes and into reliable production at scale?
Investment, procurement, and production decisions are often considered separately. This working session brings their owners into the same room to examine demand certainty, qualified capacity, financing, infrastructure, and the policy conditions for industrial expansion.
This is designed as a working session rather than a conventional conference or open networking event. Participation is intended for people whose responsibilities, expertise, or institutional perspective make a substantive contribution to the discussion.
Four Tracks:
Demand & Procurement
How customer commitments, qualification requirements, contracting, and risk allocation shape the case for expanding production.
Industrial Capacity & Scale
The equipment, workforce, standards, and qualified capacity required for repeat production—including the role of automation and adaptive manufacturing.
Capital for Production
How investment, lending, working capital, equipment finance, and non-dilutive funding can align with industrial requirements.
Infrastructure & Public Policy
How facilities, permitting, workforce development, and government programs can support commercially viable industrial expansion.
What the session is designed to produce
A clearer view of the constraints connecting demand, qualification, capacity, capital, and policy.
Priority buyer–supplier opportunities and potential production partners.
A more precise understanding of financing requirements and relevant capital providers.
Actionable infrastructure and policy priorities, with the institutions best positioned to advance them.
A concise record of opportunities, responsible parties, and next steps.
Opening perspectives
Stephen Cheung
President & CEO, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation
Opening keynote on U.S. industrial competitiveness, Southern California manufacturing, investment, and the path to scale.
Ryan Johnson
Managing Partner, Subutai Capital Partners
Capital and capacity perspective on financing and scaling space, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing businesses.
Wentao Fu
Founder, Centumake
Manufacturing intelligence perspective on production capacity, demand visibility, and the industrial decisions required to scale.
Tony Glebe
Risk Strategist, IMA Financial Group
Risk, contracts, and insurance considerations affecting financing, customer commitments, and reliable production.
Working agenda
8:00–8:30 AM — Executive arrival & breakfast
Arrival and introductions across industry, capital, government, and the institutions represented in the session.
8:30–8:40 AM — Opening context & working priorities
The industrial question, the responsibilities represented in the room, and the intended outputs from the working groups.
8:40–9:25 AM — Opening keynote & discussion
Stephen Cheung · President & CEO, LAEDC
9:25–9:40 AM — Coffee break
9:40–9:50 AM — Capital for production
Ryan Johnson · Managing Partner, Subutai Capital Partners
9:50–10:10 AM — Manufacturing intelligence briefing
Wentao Fu · Founder, Centumake
10:10–10:20 AM — Risk, contracts & execution
Tony Glebe · IMA Financial Group
10:20–10:35 AM — Break & transition to working groups
10:35 AM–12:05 PM — Executive working groups
Four parallel groups examine demand, industrial capacity, capital, and public policy. Each group identifies priority constraints, opportunities for coordinated action, and responsible parties.
12:05–12:20 PM — Break & facilitator synthesis
12:20–1:00 PM — Working-group findings
Principal findings, proposed actions, commercial and institutional opportunities, and unresolved questions.
1:00–1:20 PM — Synthesis & next steps
Connect findings across groups, identify people positioned to act, and agree on priorities for follow-up.
1:20–2:00 PM — Executive lunch & continuing discussions
The setting
The session takes place at SpaceWERX / THE BR-DGE in El Segundo, at the intersection of government mission and commercial innovation. The setting connects the discussion to the institutions, companies, and capabilities shaping how space technology reaches operational use.
Participation
Participation is considered individually. To request an invitation, share your professional details and a brief note on the responsibilities, expertise, or strategic question you would bring to the session.
The Forum team reviews requests in the context of the working priorities and the composition of the room. Approved participants will receive confirmation and practical joining details.
Request an invitation to participate.
SpaceTech Economic Forum
Where space policy meets capital and technology.