Frank Salzgeber

Frank Salzgeber, currently serving as Acting Vice Governor for Space at the Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST), contributes to establishing and managing comprehensive space programs for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Prior to this pivotal role, he dedicated nearly two decades to the European Space Agency (ESA), where he made significant advancements in space innovation and entrepreneurship. At ESA, he headed the Innovation and Ventures Office, a role in which he developed and scaled what became the largest space entrepreneurship network globally, known as the ESA Business Incubation Centres (BICs). His strategic vision led to the initiation of over 370 industry transfers and provided support to more than 1,300 start-ups, while also facilitating over 1,000 downstream business cases.

Demonstrating his commitment to fostering broader scientific collaboration, he also co-founded the EIROforum working group on Innovation management and knowledge transfer. This influential group brings together major European research organizations including CERN, EFDA-JET, EMBL, ESA, ESO, ESRF, European XFEL, and ILL, facilitating critical knowledge exchange and partnership. In his current capacity as Acting Vice Governor for Space at the CST, Salzgeber leverages his decades of experience in space program development and innovation management. In this vital leadership position, he is directly contributing to the advancement of Saudi Arabia’s national space capabilities, driving the strategic establishment and management of space programs while fostering international collaboration within the global space community.