Join Millie Hall and Tom Wilding for an in-depth conversation with Mike-Alec Kearney, CEO and Co-Founder of CubeSpace, as he shares the story of building a globally recognised satellite subsystems company from university research.

With more than a decade of flight heritage, CubeSpace has delivered over 4,600 standalone products and more than 470 mission-tailored systems to more than 290 customers across 30 countries. Its specialist focus on attitude determination and control systems has made CubeSpace a leader in the new space market.

In this episode, Mike-Alec discusses three critical themes: his founding journey from accidental space engineer to obsessive problem-solver; CubeSpace’s strategic approach to vertical integration and why specialisation wins; and the company’s people-first culture shaped through servant leadership and vulnerability.

Discover why organisations that tried doing everything themselves returned as customers, and how a decade of bootstrapping kept CubeSpace centred on customer needs. Mike-Alec offers candid insights on sustainable culture, operating without investor pressure, and the shift that happens when leaders show vulnerability.

Key Topics

Accidental path into space entrepreneurshipWhy vertical integration is not always bestSpecialisation beats doing everything yourselfBootstrapped growth keeps customer focus sharpServant leadership creates sustainable teamworkVulnerability transforms defensive conversations into collaborationCulture requires intentional systems and daily practice

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome01:20 Mike-Alec’s Journey into the Space Industry04:35 Challenges and Growth at CubeSpace13:19 Leadership and Industry Insights23:30 Specialised Control Systems and Customisability25:39 Customer Support and Simulation Programs30:29 European Expansion and Strategic Goals33:42 Talent Management and Company Culture

About Our Guest

Mike-Alec Kearney is the CEO and Co-Founder of CubeSpace, a leading provider of attitude determination and control systems for small satellites. Founded straight out of university, the company has grown into a multimillion pound, globally recognised supplier through bootstrapped, customer-led development. CubeSpace serves government agencies, high-tech R&D organisations, and commercial constellation operators worldwide.

Website: www.cubespace.co.za

The Satellite and NewSpace Matters Podcast is brought to you by neuco, a global recruitment agency that specialises in sourcing brilliant people for groundbreaking companies.

Folgen-ID: 1000739684899

GUID: ff7f43b4-9037-42fa-85d5-32eed9b87ccd

Erscheinungs­datum: 4.12.2025, 07:21:34