Don’t Launch Blind: What Space Founders Overlook Until It’s Too Late
Launching a space startup requires deep expertise in so many disciplines that it’s all too easy to miss something important. In this double-bill session, we’ll explore the most devastating and common mistakes that new founders make when they make their own way in the space industry. Whether you're preparing for launch or scaling post-orbit, this session will help you avoid costly missteps and build with confidence. Don't launch your dream company blind! Learn from the pros who’ve helped space startups reach the stars.
Join us for two discussions of key topics:
· Business Essentials from the Experts
· Designing for Testing, Manufacturing & Launchability
Our expert panelists will share their hard-won lessons from founding their own businesses plus decades working in the space industry. Seating is limited. Save your spot today!
Agenda
3:45-4:00 p.m. – Check-in and Registration
4:00-5:00 p.m. – Don't Launch Blind: Business Essentials from the Experts
Rocket science may get your spacecraft off the ground—but what about your business? This dynamic panel will equip space entrepreneurs and startup leaders with the critical business foundations they need to thrive in the commercial space sector.
Featuring seasoned experts in legal, accounting, insurance, marketing, and export & regulatory compliance, this discussion goes beyond payloads to spotlight the must-know strategies for building a sustainable and risk-resilient space company.
Panelists will cover:
· Navigating regulatory and legal complexities in the space industry
· Setting up your finances for growth and compliance
· Managing risk and securing the right insurance
· Positioning your brand in a crowded, high-stakes market
Panelists
· Curt Blake - WSGR - Space law, contracts, business consulting
· Melissa Heldreth - The Baldwin Group - Insurance
· Corey Preugschat - Baker Tilly - Tax & business accounting
· Jodi Sorensen - Little Candle Marketing
· Kristina Hlopstidas - Export & Regulatory Compliance
· Brendan Wales - Panel Moderator, Fuse VC
5:00-5:30 p.m. – Networking & Break
5:30-6:30 p.m. – Designing for Testing, Manufacturing & Launchability
Even the most brilliant space tech can fail — not because the science was wrong, but because the design didn’t account for the realities of testing, manufacturing, and launch.
This panel dives into how space startups can bake in practical constraints from day one—starting at the requirements definition stage—to reduce risk, avoid costly rework, and ensure smoother paths to orbit.
Panelists will share hard-won lessons and explore:
· How startups can tap into and contribute to a growing ecosystem of shared testing and manufacturing resources in the Pacific Northwest
· How to design for manufacturability without compromising innovation
· The often-overlooked impacts of mass, volume, vibration, and integration timelines and associated launch costs
· Navigating supply chain bottlenecks and material selection trade-offs
Whether you're building your first prototype or prepping for flight heritage, this session will help you align your design choices with the realities of launching your payload and your company successfully.
Ideal for: Space systems architects, technical founders, entrepreneurs, and anyone involved in early-stage product development for space.
Panelists
· Travis Moore - Jemco - Design for Manufacturability
· Marcy Mabry - SpaceLaunch - Design for Launchability
· Nikki Malcolm - PNAA - Shared Test & Manufacturing Resources in the PNW
· Dradin Kreft - Panel Moderator, PNW Mission Accelerator Center