13. Insights on the Future of Spacetech with David Pfurtscheller, Aerospace Engineer at Starburst: Ecosystem, Trends, Economy, Investments, Sustainability, AI and Startups

In this episode of Creating Value in Travel & Transportation, Landry Holi, Founder and CEO of Fairval, hosts David Pfurtscheller, Manager and Aerospace Engineer at Starburst, the world’s leading accelerator for aerospace and defense innovation.

This insightful conversation explores the rapidly evolving SpaceTech ecosystem and economy, highlighting its transformative role in shaping the future of travel, transportation, and sustainability. David provides a comprehensive overview of Starburst’s work in corporate advisory, startup acceleration, and venture capital, while also sharing personal insights from his journey through engineering, startups, and innovation.

The discussion dives into:

• The unique challenges and opportunities within the SpaceTech ecosystem, including funding constraints, long development cycles, and high-risk environments.
• AI’s role in revolutionizing space applications, from autonomous in-space operations to Earth-based use cases like weather forecasting, sustainability tracking, and optimizing travel routes.
• Key trends driving the SpaceTech economy, such as the rise of commercial initiatives, cost reductions in satellite launches, and emerging applications in aviation, shipping, energy, and insurance.
• Examples of groundbreaking startups, including ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric propulsion, Orbital Sidekick’s hyperspectral imaging for pipeline monitoring, and Aerocloud’s airport management solutions.

David also reflects on the shifting dynamics between traditional aerospace players and agile startups, the need for Europe to strengthen its position in the global SpaceTech landscape, and the growing alignment between innovation, sustainability, and geopolitical strategies.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about the future of SpaceTech, the intersection of AI, and the innovations driving this critical frontier.

Chapters

• 0:39 Introduction & Welcome David Pfurtscheller, Starburst
• 3:03 The Role of Starburst in Aerospace Innovation
• 7:47 Challenges and Insights Regarding Aerospace Start-ups
• 15:43 Exciting Aerospace Start-ups that Worked with Starburst
• 18:41 Old Space vs. New Space: The Paradigm Shift
• 22:25 Investment Trends and Emerging Industries in Space
• 26:04 The Evolving Customer Landscape in Aerospace
• 29:29 Vertical Integrated Supply Chain Model Evolution & Decrease
• 32:28 The Intersection between Automotive and Aerospace
• 34:21 Competitive Advantage of New Entrants vs. Incumbents in Aerospace
• 40:03 Space Applications for Travel & Transportation Sectors
• 44:28 How AI can be Leveraged within Spacetech
• 48:08 Sustainability and Spacetech
• 51:05 Sustainability Challenges in Aerospace
• 53:00 Spacetech vs. Geopolitical Aspects
• 58:33 How to better Support EU Aerospace Start-ups
• 1:04:56 Conclusion - Thinking out of the box more from a space perspective