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): Chief Roboticist of the NASA Ames Intelligent Robotics Group, Deputy Rover Manager for VIPER, and led development of Astrobee. 150+ papers in space and field robotics. MIT and CMU.
Alex Greenberg (Co-Founder and COO of Loft Orbital): operating one of the clearest examples of commercial space infrastructure at scale, with multiple satellites in orbit serving government and commercial customers.
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): Principal at Balerion Space Ventures, focuses on investment analysis, due diligence, and portfolio support across the space and defense sectors. With a background in aerospace engineering and venture capital, he brings both technical depth and hands-on operator experience, including time at Lunar Outpost, where he worked on the LTV program and Lunar Voyage One. At Balerion, he plays a key role in evaluating opportunities and supporting portfolio companies as they scale.
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.