Benoit Deper

As the CEO and founder of Aerospacelab, Benoît Deper has been at the helm of the company since 2018. With his recognized experience in the space industry and his knowledge of the major players, this entrepreneur quickly succeeded in gaining the support of solid investors such as Airbus Ventures. After graduating from UCLouvain’s École polytechnique de Louvain (EPL), Benoît Deper first joined the ranks of two emblematic institutions in the sector: NASA and its European counterpart, ESA, for three years, before going on to become CTO of a Swiss company specialising in space launch, Swiss Space Systems (S3). A career start marked by an entry into NASA’s coveted “Ames” ecosystem, the cradle of many aerospace unicorns including American superstar, Planet. When he was offered a position on SpaceX’s technology management team in 2018, Benoît turned it down and embarked on the great entrepreneurial adventure as he created Aerospacelab. Thanks to his experience and network, the company quickly succeeded in integrating highly qualified profiles, including experts in the fields of technology and sales. Together, these skills enabled the design and manufacture of the first satellite in just 2 years. It was a resounding success, and one that industry stalwarts such as M. Dordain (ex-director of ESA) and M. Testé (ex-commander of the joint space forces) were quick to endorse. Since then, the company headquartered nearby Brussels (Mont-Saint-Guibert) is steadily increasing and has now over 200 employees. What’s next? The inauguration of Aerospacelab’s megafactory in 2025!