Matthias Spott is an aerospace engineer and reserve officer by background and one of Europe’s early pioneers of the NewSpace movement. With almost three decades of experience across aerospace, security, consulting and venture building, he bridges the traditional industry with today’s emerging space and defence economy.

He began his career in the established corporate world, holding executive roles at Airbus, General Electric and IABG, and working as a management consultant for McKinsey and Roland Berger. In 2014, he deliberately disrupted his own career path and moved to Silicon Valley to explore the emerging NewSpace sector at a time when this evolving sector was still considered unrealistic in Europe. Back then, amid significant skepticism and structural resistance, he developed and executed the business plan for a European satellite constellation comprising hundreds of satellites to provide high-speed, low-latency connectivity to industry and government customers worldwide.

It was a challenging and often turbulent journey, but one that positioned him at the forefront of Europe’s commercial space transformation. Building on his experience, Spott founded and co-founded several ventures, including eightyLEO Holding, White Rocket Group, LEOconomy Holding and DEFCOM Holding, with the goal of fostering a scalable and commercially viable European space and defence economy.

Through his own venture platforms and as a venture partner at VC funds, he has invested in and supported deep-tech start-ups that aim to translate technological breakthroughs into sustainable business models. Today, he works on developing the broader space and defence economy on Earth, in Low Earth Orbit and beyond, including emerging commercial activities linked to lunar infrastructure.

His mission is to help transform space from a predominantly research-driven domain into an integral part of the global value chain – commercially scalable, strategically relevant and economically sustainable. In addition to his entrepreneurial activities, Spott serves as Innovation Manager for Space & Defence at the German Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovations (SPRIN-D). In this role, he identifies and advances breakthrough technologies, helping high-risk, high-impact ideas transition from early-stage research into operational capability. His work supports Europe’s ambition to remain technologically sovereign and competitive in a rapidly evolving global space and defence landscape.

Across his roles as engineer, executive, entrepreneur and investor, Spott combines strategic clarity with operational execution. He is particularly committed to supporting founders and leadership teams navigating uncharted territory, helping them set ambitious yet achievable goals and stay on course in volatile environments where technological, financial and geopolitical uncertainties intersect. A recurring theme in his work is resilience under pressure. Since childhood in Northern Germany, Matthias has been a passionate sailor.

Long passages across the North Sea, Baltic, Atlantic and Mediterranean have shaped his leadership philosophy: clear navigation, disciplined risk management and the ability to make decisive moves even in rough seas. These experiences continue to inform his approach to building ventures in one of the most capital-intensive and complex industries of our time.