Women In Aerospace Symposium - 5th Edition, Skills In Motion
The WIA-Europe Symposium returns for a 5th edition – Driving Aerospace Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
This year’s programme combines virtual lunchtime and/or afternoon sessions with a dedicated in-person day in Brussels in collaboration with DIVERIS, offering practical perspectives on aerospace careers, essential skills, and startup development.
Events will take place from May 4th to May 7th, daily 13:00 -14:00Ā and 18:00 CEST.Ā
Programme General Overview:Ā
The Startup Day brings together professionals, entrepreneurs, and aspiring leaders in the aerospace sector for a day of learning and discussion.
Key Highlights:
- How to start and grow a start-up in the aerospace industry, including investment, sales, marketing, and team building
- Career journeys and leadership insights from individuals shaping the future of aerospace
- Expert perspectives on the most important emerging trends in the global space economy
Event 1: Panel: Orbiting the Future – Navigating the Top 5 Waves of 2026
A fast-paced panel spotlighting the technologies and business models shaping the next phase of the space economy. We unpack five waves driving adoption and investment in 2026:
- AI & autonomous systems ā satellite autonomy and drone integration
- Dual-use & defence logistics ā commercial capabilities aligned with sovereign needs
- In-orbit servicing ā life extension, autonomous docking, and continuity of orbital assets
- Space cybersecurity ā secure-by-design architectures and protected ground-to-space links
- Geo-intelligence ā fusion of EO + GNSS for real-time insights and decision-making
Date & Time: Ā 04/05/2026, 13:00 – 14:00 CESTĀ
Speakers: Justyna Redelkiewicz ā CEO, GoCosmic, Konstantinos Topouzelis ā Co-founder & CEO, Scidrones, Marion Andrieux ā Chief Commercial Officer, Infinite Orbits, Kacper Grzesiak ā Sales Director, ICEYE Poland, Adrian KorczyÅskiĀ ā Senior Partner, Cyber Security Practice, 3 Hazel Tree Partners
Event 2: Workshop: How to Start Your Career in the Space Sector
A practical overview of how to enter and grow in the space economy ā whether you are building a career or launching a venture.
In this workshop, you will explore:
- Key market and technology trends shaping new opportunities
- How to start a business in the space sector ā even without a traditional space background
- Support programmes, funding sources, and accelerators
- How to identify and approach partners and investors
- Where to look for roles and how to break into the industry
- Why networking matters most ā and how to build it effectively
Date & Time: 04/05/2026, 18:00 – 19:00 CESTĀ
Speakers: Justyna RedelkiewiczĀ ā CEO, GoCosmic
This day we will explore the different paths that are available to someone who is just starting their career, and also look into a specific career on a macro scale.
Event 1: Panel: From Degree to Deployment: Why the First 5 Years Decide Everything.
This lunchtime session examines the critical early-career period in aerospace ā exploring the gap between education and industry, and what it takes to build a lasting career.
Questions we will explore together:
- Are universities preparing systems thinkers?
- Why do many aerospace careers stall around years 3ā5?
- What may be missing: confidence, networks, or regulation literacy?
The discussion brings together early-career professionals, educators, and industry talent leaders interested in strengthening the aerospace talent pipeline.
Date & Time: Ā 05/05/2026, 13:00 – 14:00 CESTĀ
Speakers: Viktoria Panicharova ā Senior Recruiter, HE Space, Carla Filotico ā Partner & Managing Director, Novaspace, Jules Hyam ā Head of Talent, Open Cosmos, Christina ValagkoutiĀ ā Scientific Project Manager, DLR
Event 2: Panel: Optical Engineering in Motion: Bridging Generations, Evolving Skills, and Shaping Careers with ESA.
Evening session on skills evolution and perspectives across the generations, with a focus on optical engineering.
Date & Time: 05/05/2026, 18:00 – 19:00 CESTĀ
Speakers: Kiki Minoglou ā Head of Optics, Robotics and Life Sciences Division, ESA, Kotska Wallace – System Manager FORUM, ESA, Sinda Mejri – Optoelectronics Engineer, ESA, Lena Eberhardt – ESA Graduate Trainee in Opto-electronics Section
Moderator: Lucy Van Der Tas ā Head of Talent Acquisition, ESA
AI Empowerment: Navigating Bias and Mastering Future-Ready Tools, as well as perspectives from a financial institution on how space data and services can shape a more inclusive economy.
Event 1: Workshop – Navigating Bias and Mastering Future-Ready Tools
A hands-on session exploring how to work with AI tools critically and effectively ā with a focus on recognising bias, prompting for equity, and integrating AI into professional workflows in the aerospace sector.
What the session covers:
- Where gender and cultural biases hide within current generative AI systems ā and why it matters for aerospace
- Hands-on strategies for fairness-aware prompt engineering
- A practical demonstration of integrating AI into daily research and management tasks
- WIA-Europe student leads showcase tools they have built to solve aerospace challenges using low-code AI
Date & Time: Ā 06/05/2026, 13:00 – 14:00 CESTĀ
Speakers: Dr Anwar Sounny-SlitineĀ ā Geospatial Scientist & AI Practitioner, International Space University, with WIA-Europe Strasbourg Regional Network members
Event 2: Keynote – How Space Supports Development, Promotes Skills and Economic Inclusion
This session will explore how space-based data and servicesāfrom Earth observation and satellite communications to navigationācan accelerate development outcomes, strengthen skills, and widen economic inclusion. Drawing on theĀ European Bank for Reconstruction and DevelopmentĀ (EBRD) perspective across more than 40 economies, the session will highlight some specific areas where the space domain can improve impact, including partnerships, capacity building, and enabling policy and finance.
Date & Time: 06/05/2026, 14:15 – 15:00 CESTĀ
Speakers: Fani Kallianou de Jong – Space Economy Lead, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
Our Symposium in-person day joins forces with theĀ DIVERIS Annual Meeting in Brussels on 7 May, organised by the European Commission during EU Diversity Month. It is a strong opportunity to bring the WIA-Europe community into a wider European conversation on diversity and inclusion across the space and defence sectors.
All Day: Online & In-Person – DIVERIS Annual Meeting 2026
Organised by DG DEFIS, with the support of WIA-Europe as a member of the DIVERIS network, the Annual Meeting 2026 brings together stakeholders from across the European space and defence ecosystems to exchange practices, discuss challenges, and identify concrete actions to advance diversity and inclusion. Participation is free. Registration via the European Commission link is required. Online activities close at 16:00 CEST.
- Full programme and agendaĀ >>
- Registration link for online stream and in-person dayĀ >>.
- Please note that registrations close at 16:00 CEST, Monday 4th May.
Date & Time: Ā 07/05/2026, 10:00 – 17:00 CESTĀ
