TechCrunch was proud to host Orbital Reef at TC Sessions: Space 2022 in Los Angeles
Partner Session: In Review
As we look to commercial successors to ISS, we see new commercial market opportunities emerging on low Earth orbit (LEO) Destinations. Attendees at this session learned how Orbital Reef, a commercial LEO destination ecosystem, is creating new opportunities in space and helping startups accelerate their businesses through Reef Starter, Orbital Reef’s newest initiative to lower barriers of entry to space for early stage companies. They also heard about the first set of startups to win the Reef Starter Innovation Challenge and how they could get involved in the future.
Presented by Shahir Gerges | Director of Business Strategy, Orbital Reef, Blue Origin
Shahir Gerges is Director of Business Strategy for Orbital Reef, within Blue Origin. Orbital Reel will be the premier mixed-use space station in low Earth orbit for commerce, research, and tourism by the end of this decade. With a focus on long-term financial sustainability for Orbital Reef, Shahir is developing new offerings to cultivate growth in new and emerging markets that would benefit from the on-orbit environment, including microgravity. Previously, Shahir worked as a strategy consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where he advised industrial companies (including aerospace and defense) on market strategy decisions, internal operations strategy, and multiple deal due diligences. Shahir started his career at United Launch Alliance (ULA) working in various engineering roles as well as strategy and supporting government affairs. Shahir holds a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology and an MBA from Georgetown University.