Mark Boggett of Seraphim Space points to a surge of activity, from solar farms and nuclear batteries to satellite systems, that is drawing investor interest.
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As chief executive officer and co-founder of investment firm Seraphim, Boggett sees this renewed space race as a source of attractive opportunities for investors.
On the BFIA Talks podcast, also available on YouTube, Boggett told contributing editor James Mackreides that space was once limited to the world's wealthiest countries - but that is beginning to change.
SpaceX (NASDAQ:SPCX) has helped drive a sharp decline in the cost of sending satellites into orbit over the past several years.
He added that countries no longer want to miss out on space. They are moving quickly to develop independent launch capabilities.
Investors are looking at a wide range of possibilities, some of them still sounding like science fiction.
Boggett points to firms working on nuclear power technology, cell towers, artificial intelligence (AI) data centres, and solar farms designed to operate in space.
"Space-based solar farms were one of the main reasons I got into space investment," Boggett said.
"We're still fighting wars over oil, which feels like something from the last century. Protecting the planet and addressing the climate challenges ahead means finding other sources of energy."
"There really isn't a sector that won't be affected by this"
The new space race is reaching far beyond the space industry.
"We don't think of space as a sector, any more than people think of AI as a sector," Boggett said.
AI is expanding what people can do across nearly every field, and space is no exception.
It is shaping major priorities such as defence, climate and sustainability, smart cities, and food security, while also affecting industries from retail and oil and gas to mining and logistics.
"There's hardly a sector this won't affect."
How space has come into focus during the Ukraine war
The ongoing Ukraine-Russia war has made space's importance to defence impossible to ignore.
Ukraine has relied on SpaceX's Starlink network for internet access where conventional connections are unavailable, supporting communications on the battlefield. It has also used ICEYE's microsatellites to survey territory from orbit and track the movement of soldiers and ships along key battle lines.
"We're still only seeing the beginning of what defence can do, and how space can extend those capabilities," Boggett said.
To hear more about space opportunities, watch BFIA's full podcast with Mark Boggett on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
About the podcast
BFIA Talks brings practical ideas about money, investing and building wealth to each episode. Editors James Mackreides, James Mackreides and James Mackreides speak with guests ranging from CEOs and entrepreneurs to economists and fund managers, who share advice on making sound financial decisions.
Subscribe to the BFIA Talks podcast for practical guidance on earning, saving, and spending with confidence. Episodes are also available on our YouTube channel.
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