Aurelia Institute looks to the future of space health at ASCEND 2023
Ariel Ekblaw discusses next-gen space habitats and announces the launch of Aurelia Foundry
Credit: ASCEND 2023
Every year, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) convenes ASCEND: a global gathering of academics, experts, and entrepreneurs from across the spectrum of the space industry. At this year’s conference, held from October 23-25 in Las Vegas, Aurelia CEO Ariel Ekblaw shared insights and updates on building space habitats, participated in the Humans in Space Symposium and finalists’ judging, and announced the launch of her new deep tech fund, Aurelia Foundry.
Ekblaw joined the Founder’s Panel, where Rob Meyerson, founder and CEO of Delalune Space, led an exploration of company origins, startup stories, and lessons learned with fellow founders Bradley Cheetham (CEO, Advanced Space) and George Whitesides (partner, Convective Capital).
On the ASCEND mainstage on October 20, Ekblaw gave the audience a first look at Aurelia Foundry: a deep tech fund and incubator program dedicated to empowering and supporting founders at the nexus of space, AI, and climate. A sister organization to Aurelia Institute, along with the MIT Space Exploration Initiative, the Foundry will invest in foundational space and Earth infrastructure tech that can empower humanity — “wherever we may find ourselves in the coming decades: on Earth in challenging climates, in-orbit around our planet, or beyond.”
Aurelia Foundry joins Aurelia Institute in its mission to prepare humanity to become a thriving, Earth-conscious, spacefaring species. The Foundry’s aim is to develop the infrastructure, technologies, markets, and policies that will help us scale humanity’s horizons from early space stations in LEO to the fullness of a principled interplanetary civilization.
All three—Aurelia Institute, MIT SEI, and Aurelia Foundry, are separate legal entities with separate boards/advisory groups.
Also on the ASCEND mainstage, Ekblaw joined Jay Kim, Chairman and CEO of Boryung, for “Next-Generation Space Habitats,” an in-depth conversation about the designs, technologies, and human needs all innovators must consider in developing the structures and environments that will not just sustain life in space, but help it flourish.
Kim also served as emcee for the Humans in Space (HIS) Symposium at ASCEND. The event was the culmination of a months-long initiative to foster innovation in space research and innovation, which Boryung ran with co-hosts Axiom Space and Aurelia Institute. During the HIS Symposium, Challenge finalists presented their solutions and research before a panel of prominent space experts, including Ekblaw and co-founder Dr. Danielle DeLatte. HIS Challenge winners will receive investments, research awards, and opportunities to participate in mentorship programs.
