Frank Salzgeber is a prominent figure in the field of space exploration and innovation. He spent 19 years at the European Space Agency (ESA), where he played a significant role in fostering entrepreneurship within the space sector. As the Head of Innovation and Ventures Office, he oversaw the largest space entrepreneurship network in the world, initiating over 370 industry transfers and supporting over 1,300 start-ups. His team also supported over 1,000 downstream business cases during his tenure.
Before joining ESA, Salzgeber founded and served as the COO/CFO for an IT start-up in Munich, Germany, which later merged with CANCOM SA. He also spent seven years at Apple Computer, now Apple Inc., serving as an account and sales manager responsible for Central Europe and the education markets.
In addition to his work at ESA, Salzgeber is currently the Managing Director of the Space Sector at the Saudi Space Commission, aiming to help the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia become one of the top 10 space agencies by 2030. He is known for his passion for human space flight and the European Space Programme, believing that "a society that stops exploring stops progressing."
Salzgeber is a member of several advisory boards of venture capital funds, international cooperations, universities, and start-up companies. He also serves on the board of directors of the European Business Network (EBN) and the EBAN (European Business Angel Network) Space.
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