Meet the 2025 Startup Space Competitors

The annual Startup Space Entrepreneur Pitch Contest at SATELLITE continues to be a highlight of the event, showcasing some of the most promising startups in the space industry. Since its inception in 2016, this competition has been a launchpad for companies like LeoLabs and TrustPoint, demonstrating its ability to identify and promote industry-changing innovations. These startups will compete for the grand prize, which includes private pitch meetings with leading space investors.

This year’s Startup Space competition, set for Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at the Unveiled Theater, features a lineup of 10 startups: Avionova, Ensemble Space Labs, GITAI, Magma, Odysseus Space, Paramium, Phemotron Systems, Planetary Systems AI, SpaceMap, and ThinkOrbital.

Avionova — Noor Haj-Tamim, Founder

Imagine a world where motion sickness and the disorientation of vertigo no longer hold people back, especially in high-stakes environments. Avionova, a company specializing in vestibular technologies for motion sickness and vertigo, is focused on making that world a reality. Founded by Noor Haj-Tamim in 2024, Avionova is based in Columbus, Ohio. Working with military agencies, space tourism firms, and healthcare providers, Avionova is committed to developing user-focused solutions that restore stability and confidence.

Whether it's ensuring military aviators can perform at their peak, enabling space tourists to enjoy their journeys, or helping individuals navigate daily life, Avionova's technologies are designed to elevate safety and performance. Previously, Haj-Tamim worked as a private scientist-astronaut candidate trainee at the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences where her research focused on how the human body adapts to spaceflight. Haj-Tamim will speak for Avionova at this year’s competition.

Ensemble Space Labs — Benjamin McCrossen, CEO

Space weather phenomena can threaten human space exploration, satellite operations, navigation communication systems, and aviation operations. Ensemble Space Lab was established to lower the risks of phenomena through advanced solutions. Headquartered in Hyattsville, Maryland, the company has quickly made its mark by developing its Thermospheric Density Interface, powered by a web API. The interface visualizes and computes risk metrics and warnings of weather conditions. This platform provides real-time data on thermospheric density and solar particle radiation, for safeguarding satellites and ground-based infrastructure.

Ensemble Space Labs CEO Benjamin McCrossan recognized the need for advanced space weather forecasting in a satellite-dependent world. With a background in aerospace engineering and business, McCrossan will be pitching his company at Startup Space.

GITAI — Sho Nakanose, Founder and CEO

GITAI is a space robotics startup, founded in Japan and now based in Los Angeles, California, developing robotic systems for space applications, aiming to provide safe and affordable labor in space while reducing operational costs. GITAI's robots are designed to perform various space-related tasks, including equipment assembly on the International Space Station (ISS), satellite servicing, orbital debris removal, and lunar exploration. GITAI has achieved milestones, including a successful tech demo inside the ISS in 2021 and has secured contracts from major U.S. space companies, Toyota, the Japanese government, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Founder Sho Nakanose will participate in the competition this year for GITAI. In his role, Nakanose has earned recognition in the space sector, including being named a key person to watch by AviationWeek and selected as one of the awardees by "Innovators Under 35 Japan 2020" hosted by MIT Technology Review.

Magma Space — Alessandro Stabile, CEO

Precision and stability are paramount in space and companies are working toward redefining the boundaries of satellite performances. Magma Space is one of the companies in the field of advanced satellite control and power technologies. The company focuses on developing satellite components and subsystems for optical communication, remote imaging, and directed energy. Magma Space's low-power magnetic bearing design eliminates the main source of satellite vibrations, resulting in a stable platform. Magma Space is based in Washington, D.C. and the company’s approach has garnered support from NASA, National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Department of Defense (DoD).

Alessandro Stabile, the founder and CEO of Magma Space, will present at Startup Space. With a doctorate in micro-vibration analysis and space mechanisms, Stabile leads the company's vision and strategy. He has previously led teams in projects sponsored by the U.K. Space Agency and European Space Agency.

Odysseus Space — Jordan Vannitsen, Co-Founder and CEO

Odysseus Space is a space technology company based in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg. The company is recognized for its solutions in space communication, particularly through its ASTRAEUS system, which supports autonomous guidance, navigation, and control capabilities for spacecraft across the solar system. The company's long-term goal is to reduce the cost of interplanetary missions and develop technologies for resource prospection in space.

Additionally, Odysseus Space offers Cyclops, a satellite terminal providing end-to-end laser communication solutions. Cyclops is designed to address the data bottleneck and security challenges faced by satellite operators through a subscription model.

Jordan Vannitsen, co-founder and CEO, will pitch Odysseus Space this year. Vannitsen started Odysseus Space in 2019 after winning the 2018 ESA Space Resources Award and garnering support from the Luxembourg Space Agency.

Paramium — Justin Hyatt, CEO

In the growing satcom industry, the way organizations access and manage their data from space is always changing. Paramium Technologies, based in Tucson, Arizona, has emerged in the ground station as a service (GSaaS) sector focused on managing data from space. Paramium is known for its user-friendly software solutions and advanced V-band and W-band ground station technology. In 2023, Paramium was honored with the "Innovation Leader of the Year" award by the Arizona Technology Council, recognizing its contributions to the Southern Arizona tech community and its role in transforming the radio communications industry.

CEO Justin Hyatt, a Ph.D. graduate from the University of Arizona's Wyant College of Optical Sciences, will represent Paramium in this year’s Startup Space.

Phemotron Systems — Femi Ishola, Founder and CEO

Phemotron Systems is a company focusing on the potential of small satellites, with operations in the United States, Japan, and Nigeria. The company is recognized for its engineering technologies and services across multiple domains, including space, aviation, and ground domain. Phemotron Systems’ work includes the development of advanced solutions such as the AI-MotherBox-1, a multifunctional cubesat equipped with a high-performance AI engine.

Founder and CEO Femi M. Ishola will pitch for Phemotron Systems at the competition. Ishola has received degrees from all around the world and previously served as a Researcher at the Japanese Space Communication Systems Laboratory and was a systems pioneer and project manager at the National Space Research and Development Agency in Nigeria.

Planetary Systems AI — Cindy Chin, CEO, Chief Space Officer and Founder

Planetary Systems AI (PSAI), based in Washington, D.C., develops advanced AI and machine learning models to address infrastructure issues and software challenges in the space sector. PSAI focuses on enhancing operational efficiency, space domain awareness, and logistical planning to serve companies, government agencies, and small businesses. The company's AI systems are analytics providers to the U.S. Space Systems Command and are being developed for various government and commercial space organizations.

Cindy Chin will be representing Planetary Systems at Startup Space as the CEO, chief space officer, and founder. Chin has a diverse range of experience, including being a NASA Datanaut, mentor for the AWS Space Accelerator and Google for Startups, and advisor to various organizations in the tech and space sectors.

Spacemap Inc. — Douglas Deok-Soo, Founder and CEO

Spacemap Inc. is a satellite orbit optimization and communications company based in Seoul, South Korea. The company started with research at Hanyang University and was initially funded by the leader research grant from the National Research Foundation of Korea. Spacemap’s core technology utilizes Voronoi diagrams and artificial intelligence to predict satellite orbits, enhancing space mission safety and efficiency. The company offers three main services: Astro-1 for safety; AstroOrca for space optimization and intelligence; and AstroLibrary for application program development.

One of the company’s products is 42Talks, a virtual meeting and collaboration platform with 4D space-time modeling of satellites and debris. The platform allows stakeholders to use synchronized dimensional visualization to exchange information. Founder Douglas Deok-Soo Kim’s vision for Spacemap includes providing real-time decision-making platforms for space catalogs of substantial size, addressing critical challenges in space safety, efficiency, and intelligence. Kim will represent Spacemap at the competition.

ThinkOrbital — Justin Chandler, VP of Government Relations and Strategic Partnerships

Based in Lafayette, Colorado, ThinkOrbital is a space infrastructure company focused on developing large, cost-efficient structures for the new space economy. The company's flagship product, the ThinkPlatform, is a single-launch configured multi-mission space platform designed for autonomous assembly in orbit. This approach allows ThinkOrbital to support a range of applications, from satellite servicing and space debris processing to in-space manufacturing and even space tourism, catering to various applications such as satellite servicing, space debris processing, and in-space manufacturing. Founded four years ago, ThinkOrbital launched its first spacecraft in May 2024 which demonstrated the ability to weld in space.

Justin Chandler, the vice president of Government Relations and Strategic Partnerships will pitch for the company at Startup Space. Chandler is a retired Air Force Colonel and now leverages his background in aviation, space operations, and government relations to drive partnerships and government initiatives for the company. VS