Pre-Symposium Reflections from the CEO
As I make final preparations to attend the National Space Symposium, I find myself reflecting on the Nova Space journey, from inception to today. In its infancy, Nova Space was the passion project of myself and co-founder, Christopher Allen.
Believe it or not, Christopher and I have known each other since we were teenagers, remaining close friends throughout the years. While our careers and lives took very different paths, they ended up combining at the perfect time to tackle a problem I had been observing for a decade within both the government and commercial sides of the Space Industry…. A lack of quality training and professional development opportunities. Based on our combined experiences and expertise, we knew how to help fix this problem.
Within the DoD there was only one formal joint schoolhouse for Space, which almost exclusively does in-person courses that cannot provide the throughput needed across the military service branches, unable to meet demand or effectively be scaled. On the commercial side, training or professional development were poor quality, lacking in standardization, and not designed around skill development or performance outcomes.
And so… Nova Space was born, with a focus on developing world-classes digital learning experiences for the Government and Commercial sides of the space ecosystem. As the company grew, we began adding other aspects of the Space Industry’s human element including job placement, professional development and standardizing skill requirements… a complete workforce solution for growing space companies.
Over the course of the first 18-months we developed our multi award-winning Space Professional Program and began adding our early adopters. We also received the Space Foundation Certification for Education and were selected as the official training and education partner to the Keystone Space Collaborative.
Over the past year, we have continued to add client companies and new partnerships. I am most proud to say we are now contracted to support development of digital learning courses for the Space Force’s National Security Space Institute and our courseware is being used to train NASA contractors.
As I prepare myself for the non-stop schedule of meetings that the phenomenal Nova Space team has arranged for the week, and formulate my thoughts prior to my first official panel at The Symposium!, I am filled with gratitude and excitement.
Building a startup is not for the faint of heart, I can now fully agree on that from experience. I want to thank our early investors and supporters who believed in the vision of developing a space company that didn’t focus on systems or capabilities, but in supporting the people side of the equation, building the space workforce of the future.
Next, I want to thank the parents of myself and Christopher. Those four individuals supported us, prepared us, and allowed us enough leash to become men who were not afraid to do something hard. I also know we wouldn’t have gotten this far without a deep trust in each other that was earned over three decades.
Finally, I want to thank the Nova Space team, both past and current. None of our success would have been possible without the grit, passion, professionalism, and loyalty of each staff member. I am truly honored I get to spend each day leading this tremendous team.
For those that are new to attending the Symposium, a piece of advice… Take a moment or two while you are there to step back and absorb the power of this event. Not just the cutting-edge exhibitions and displays, the amazing talks and panels, or the beauty of The Broadmoor, but rather the people. Each year some of the brightest, most passionate minds come together to focus on the future of humanity in Space… it is something special to behold.
And have fun!! If you want to chat, late in the evening you will likely find me with an old fashioned on the terrace by the lake enjoying the shadow of Pike’s Peak looming in the background!!!
Semper Fidelis,
Joseph Horvath
