LIST will therefore become another close technology partner of SES in the development of pioneering SATCOM commercial products and services to inspire or “disrupt” the market with new satellite platforms, analysis tools and innovative ground infrastructure.

The new partnership agreement further enhances Luxembourg’s technology ecosystem by attracting start-ups to develop their businesses in Luxembourg, and will facilitate the transfer of new technologies stemming from national public and private research. Those activities will be done in close coordination with the existing national funding initiatives, such as the Digital Tech Fund, with SES being a key stakeholder.

The first activities SES and LIST will focus on are related to the ‘Smart Space’ initiative, which includes research and development of applications in the context of High Performance Computing (HPC), aiming to establish a unique space ecosystem by building on Luxembourg’s competitive advantages, including global satellite communications and telecommunications networks, data centers and connectivity, and existing service providers. The parties will develop a European Centre of Excellence to address societal challenges such as climate change, environment, green mobility, security and healthcare. SES and LIST will also work on developing commercial applications in the areas of Internet of Things (IoT), e-platform solutions and optical communications. In addition, SES and LIST will jointly assess the development of competences in other satellite-related application areas, such as connected cars.

“Innovation is not only the driving force of the satellite industry, but also of our society in general. We are therefore proud to be an integral part of a large network of leading institutions and research and development partners, which is paramount in developing our future. Our collaboration with LIST is a perfect illustration of how we can combine and augment our existing SATCOM knowledge in Luxembourg to increase the speed of innovation and to shape the future together, ” said Gerhard Bethscheider, Managing Director at SES Techcom Services. “This partnership will contribute to the creation of the space applications ecosystem, and will further reinforce Luxembourg’s leading position in the space domain. It also complements our successful long-term cooperation with the University of Luxembourg through its specific focus on impact-driven applied research.”

Fernand Reinig, Chief Executive Officer at LIST, said “SES’s expertise in the space industry and our research and development activities organically complement each other. We are delighted to partner with this world-leading company and contribute to shaping a better future for the benefit of Luxembourg and society in general.”