Yorkshire law firm shoots for the stars with space tech initiative

Leeds based law firm Carion hosted a roundtable event promoting the Space Hub Yorkshire initiative, which aims to boost local investment and job creation in the sector.

Leading regional stakeholders heard about the developments in this emerging sector and Mandy Ridyard, chair of Space Hub Yorkshire (SHY), shared the body’s strategy for the region.

By 2030, the UK space sector is forecast to be worth £40bn, as well as driving significant investment and job opportunities. Space technology is also expected to bring digital transformation for businesses across many sectors.

Mandy Ridyard explained: “After carrying out an extensive space cluster mapping exercise across the region, we believe SHY can help to accelerate the development of a thriving, resilient and well-connected ecosystem to ensure Yorkshire can capitalise on the opportunities space can bring.

“With four LEPs in Yorkshire, 6 per cent of all UK companies and 200k university students, the region is in a strong position to build our capabilities in British space development. Already, there are over 350 Yorkshire businesses that have been identified as being relevant to the Space industry and there is huge potential for growth.

Clarion director Steve Crow, who chaired the roundtable, commented: “There’s no doubt that the growth of the space sector represents a huge opportunity for the region. We have a wealth of talent here across our universities, businesses and support bodies and it’s fantastic that an organisation like SHY is leading the charge.

“By joining forces and collaborating, we will be better placed to take advantage of investment opportunities in areas such as manufacturing, earth observation, internet connectivity, data services, robotics, and low-cost access to space.”