Innovation in Swedish Space Industry : A case study on how to attract new actors in the space sector

Abstract: Abstract Space has always pushed humanity further to acknowledge its existence and what was once mere speculation through observation, today we have reached a climax in fully understanding its reach and its potential for society. Through the utilization of technological advancements, people, countries, and organizations are starting to understand the capacity in utilizing our resources to create and develop fundamental applications that can create positive effects in our environment, society, and economy. The space industry is continuously evolving pushing forth a new age in space technology, a revolutionary space race. This transitory phase from old space and new space has furthered global competition and has created a new path for innovative practices that demand progression to remain sustainable and competitive in the present global environment. Which made us interested in exploring the following research question: How do new entrants in the high-technology space industry navigate the transition from old space to new space? Our thesis aims in understanding this transitory phase from old space and new space. To satisfactory answer our research question we selectively focus on Sweden’s space industry and its relative organizations and businesses. Through the evaluation of smalland medium sized organizations that exist in Sweden’s current space ecosystem, we aim to understand this evolutionary shift in innovative practices, collaborative efforts, and which factors contribute to increasing new entrants in what was once deemed a closed system. Therefore, fulfilling a research gap in academic literature by shedding light on new practices from a stakeholder’s perspective in the creation and diffusion of knowledge, networks, and motivational factors that form opportunities within existing platforms in the space industry that are essential and fundamental to the creation of progressive innovation ecosystems.  To conclude, this thesis contributes with an understanding of the historic, current and future possibilities for small and medium sized organisations within the space sector in Sweden. We explore the current ecosystem by interviewing SMEs that have embraced the opportunities that exist and with industry experts who have valuable insights to offer. We hope that with this thesis more individuals gain insight in the current restraints that new entrants are met with and how to effectively reduce those.  Key words: New space, Old space, Innovation, Ecosystem, Motivation, Platforms, Stakeholder, Opportunity forming