Economy minister meets Italian Space Agency boss to discuss cooperation
Ljubljana, 18 January - Economy Minister Matjaž Han met Italian Space Agency (ASI) president Giorgio Saccoccia on Wednesday to discuss cooperation opportunities in the space industry as a Slovenian-Italian business forum was held in Ljubljana. The pair said that space provides many opportunities as it is becoming increasingly important for the economy.
Trbovlje
Giorgio Saccoccia, president of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), visiting the Slovenian IT company Dewesoft.
Photo: Boštjan Podlogar/STA
Trbovlje
Giorgio Saccoccia, president of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), visiting the Slovenian IT company Dewesoft.
Photo: Boštjan Podlogar/STA
Ljubljana
Minister of Economic Development and Technology Matjaž Han.
Photo: Katja Kodba/STA
File photo
Han described the space industry as a sector of the future that will bring businesses many new opportunities, saying that "Slovenia increased funds for space technology last year because we are aware that all the invested funds will have a multiplier effect on society and the economy".
As the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology said in a press release, it will continue to support the development of this sector.
Han is convinced that today's business forum will confirm the good bilateral economic cooperation while expanding the areas of cooperation.
Saccoccia agreed that Slovenia and Italy have many more opportunities to expand and deepen their cooperation in this area.
"It's key for institutions to create through their mutual cooperation a basis for economic cooperation," Saccoccia told the STA on the sidelines of the forum.
The forum was organised by the ministry and the ASI to identify opportunities for new partnerships and strengthen the existing ties between companies in the sector.
It was addressed by Saccoccia, Italian Ambassador to Slovenia Carlo Campanile, Han's State Secretary Matevž Frangež and Tanja Permozer, head of Slovenia's delegation at the European Space Agency.
Frangež highlighted several fields where cooperation could be expanded, including Earth observation, satellite technologies, AI, miniaturisation, and Earth stations.
"Slovenian companies active in the space sector are becoming an important player globally, of which we are extremely proud," he said.
Several Slovenian companies took part in the forum, including SkyLabs, which sent its second satellite to space last year, and Space SI, whose Nemo HD is the first European satellite with a video camera in space.
Several bilateral meetings also took place to start or strengthen cooperation, while the Italian delegation also visited the Slovenian companies Dewesoft and Cosylab.
Given that Italy is one of the important European countries in the space industry and one of the key with which Slovenia wants to strengthen cooperation, the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology signed a letter of understanding with the ASI on cooperation in peaceful use of space in 2021.