“Nothing beats meeting people face-to-face and ISD is one of the few events that uses an online B2B platform to preschedule meetings – it’s very efficient. All the important stakeholders are there,” said Yohann Ballot, Business Development Manager at space electronics and software company EREMS in France.

EREMS is one in hundreds of companies which have registered and started to preschedule meetings. “We attended the first ISD in 1999 and for us it’s a priority which we plan into our schedule,” he said.

Norah Patten, Commercial Manager at Réaltra Space Systems Engineering, finds the list of exhibitors and the online company catalogue useful when prescheduling meetings with potential partners. “One-to-one meetings are where the connections are made,” she said.

– Take note at ESA director keynote speeches, presentations and panel discussions

ESA’s Director General, 10 ESA directors and various ESA programme representatives present information on programmes, upcoming space missions and their technology needs. During panel discussions, ESA discusses upcoming challenges, markets and business interests within the European and global space domain with key partners, with a particular focus on commercialisation and financing in 2024.

“We gain insights on the direction and timescale of ESA activities. This heads-up allows us to predict and plan collaborations so that we can get involved. Preparing for future opportunities enables us to submit better proposals to ESA Invitations to Tender that are relevant to us,” added Yohann at EREMS.

– Make use of the social networking opportunities

“In my opinion, every space company in Europe should attend this event,” says Barry Kavanagh, CEO at OCE Technologies, with a booth at ISD 2024. “Meet your customers, ESA contacts, and collaborating companies either socially in the evening or during the day. We meet our ESA technical contacts from current and previous contracts to update them on progress and obtain their advice,” he added.

– Sign up for workshops and presentations

“The presentations and workshops are always very carefully crafted to help participants to stay at the forefront of industry developments. Engaging actively in workshops and presentations can also provide deeper industry insights and foster further networking opportunities,” said Stefano Antonetti, VP Business Development and Institutional Sales at D-Orbit.

– Plan a booth for ISD 2026

All the booths are taken for ISD 2024, but you can plan a booth for 2026.

“We’ve increased our visibility with an industry booth to showcase EREMS’ space electronics and turnkey software solutions. Instead of the meeting hall, we’ll use our stand to meet with new customers and suppliers,” said Yohann Ballot at EREMS.