Spotlight on MTSI’s 2023 Space Symposium New Gen: Matthew Foerst

What sort of activities did you attend during the Space Symposium?

As a NEW GEN attendee, I had an opportunity to network with other young space leaders via a handful of immersive (and fun!) events. I was also in attendance of the Space Foundation’s classified session, a gathering of some of the industry’s most influential leaders to discuss the hottest topics presented to both government and commercial sectors. This session conflicted with some of the NEW GEN events, but I was still able to engage and network with my peers at multiple times throughout the week. I was thrilled to attend both flavors of engagement; each provided a unique perspective into different aspects of the space industry.

What did you take away from the symposium?

The scale of the symposium was overwhelming at first. I was not fully aware of just how many companies comprised the industry, and only a small subset of them were present at Space Symposium! The event opened my eyes to the sheer amount of potential that exists in the space industry and the number of business opportunities to invest in. My attendance as a NEW GEN leader meant that I was constantly interfacing with bright and talented peers supporting other facets of the space industry. By the end of the week, I had a pile of business cards to show for my networking efforts. Whether from other NEW GENs or corporate teams, each business card represents a potential avenue for either MTSI or SpRCO to pursue novel solutions

Would you recommend future Space Symposium attendance?

Without presuming too much of my career to come, I’d venture to say that Space Symposium played a critical role in my development as an engineer in the space industry. I would recommend it to anyone given the opportunity to attend. Space Symposium simply offers too much in such a short period of time: market research, networking opportunities, mentoring from established professionals, facetime with government leaders, fundamental speeches and debates detailing the space environment, and so much more! Beyond what the Space Foundation offers at this event, I was also able to witness first-hand the inner workings of MTSI business development. The interactions I had with CEO, Kevin Robinson, and other members of the leadership team were something truly unique to MTSI and the environment made possible by Space Symposium. In terms of early career development and opportunity, Space Symposium was the perfect storm blending the whole space industry into a week of learning, networking, and fun!