Giulia is a co-founder of Space Products and Innovation GmbH (SPiN), a German-based startup that enables satellites to be built like Lego through a universal plug and play adapter, cutting manufacturing costs and time up to 40%. Giulia is an open-minded and friendly young professional that is curious about how new technologies can be spun off or into new and unexpected sectors to improve existing solutions or enable new models. Her colleagues highly admire Giulia for her can-do attitude and a friendly smile to handle all type of challenges, from large events management, to talk to high-level investor to discuss business with large satellite primes like Airbus. Giulia won New Space Europe competition in November 2019 and led the SPiN team to become a portfolio company of the Techstars acceleration program for Allied space.
"Being an entrepreneur has incredibly accelerated my personal and professional growth. Entrepreneurs need to be creative, disciplined and excellent in everything they do, otherwise, they lose their reputation and business. When I founded Space Products and Innovation, I had to quickly learn about a wide range of topics and deliver results very quickly. It is exciting to be a founder; however, it comes with many different responsibilities. It is not a life for everyone. When we started, we had to navigate the unknown and create a business case from a product that had not been tested before. It was frightening and exciting at the same time. My team and I spent sleepless nights working on proof of concepts, proposals and customer surveys. I had to accept some stepbacks, long meetings with clients, but at the end of the day, all these experiences built up the road to our achievements. Our ability to learn from our mistakes and transform them into strengths is the key to success."
What inspires you?
People inspire me. Everyone has their legacy and seeing how individuals evolve and own their stories is fantastic. Dreams become a reality just because people commit to them, no matter the circumstances. It is not easy, and you have good days and bad days; however, what makes the difference is the ability to face the bad moments and learn from them. This ability to transform like a chrysalis becomes a butterfly is the most fascinating and inspiring thing.
What did you want to be when you were younger?
When I was younger, I had several dreams, I changed my mind a million times, and they were very different from each other. Perhaps the degree of self-confidence during growth has influenced my aspirations. I wanted to be a scientist when I was young, and then I changed my mind when I was in high school, thinking I could not be a good scientist, I opted for a more humanistic approach and turned towards art and social sciences.
Which subjects did you enjoy at school?
In school I enjoyed all subjects, I liked to read, and I loved to find a connection between topics. Philosophy literature and history fascinated me because they are the foundation of modern society, while biology and chemistry are the foundation of our existence on this planet.
What would you like to tell your younger self?
Looking back, I believe I suffered from this self-sabotaging phase girls have during their teenage years, I could have been good at whatever I would have chosen if only I would have believed in myself more. If I could travel back in time to reach the younger version of myself, I would sit her down and tell her to stop doubting herself and disregard anyone else's opinion of her abilities and skills. Strengths are not given at birth, and one needs to work on it every day to become whom they are meant to be.
Why did you choose STEM?
I didn't choose STEM at university. Nonetheless, the love for science and how it benefits society has accompanied me since my early education.
How important is it for you to stand out?
I do not give much importance to standing out. I believe that it is more important to do the best I can in everything I do. The results of my work and the one of my team are the one that has more impact.
What difficulties did you face in the industry, as a woman?
The space sector is small and traditional. I had very good and appalling experiences. I didn't believe it could be possible. I appreciate that professionals in this environment are very open-minded and prepared to face any challenges. On the other hand, there are a handful of people that are not aware of bias and do not trust women professionals as much as men. I was in a meeting with senior colleagues once, and one of them did not think I was up to the job of accompanying VIP guests because I quote "as a young woman I was not able to say no to seniors". I found this attitude unacceptable. I immediately clarified to this colleague, that my age and sex do not define my expertise and if he wished to take my place in the assignment he was welcome to do so without the need to undermine my professionalism based on my age or sex.
What advice would you give to the next generation of female scientists?
My advice to the next generation, in general, is not to let others define who you are and what you can do. None can fight your battles, and you are the only person that can stand up for yourself. Dream big and work hard to reach that dream. If it happens easily, good for you, but in my experience, do not expect it. We all grow, change, evolve, and it is natural to change path during your career. You define what you can do, and you can change it at any time. Do not forget to be kind. You are unique in your way, and you are surrounded by people that support you. Share your troubles with your peers and help each other. This is an excellent source of energy and will benefit you and those around you.
"I graduated in international politics and diplomacy, but my career took a turn when I learned about space policy. It is a field at a crossroad between jurisprudence and engineering. To formulate effective and long term policies, professionals need to understand the repercussions of upcoming space technologies. I loved the multidisciplinarity of this field. When I graduated, I took several different jobs, one of which was to organise Earth Observation events. I enjoyed this experience so much that I decided to explore possible developments of my career in the field of communications. I took a class in scientific communication, volunteered to design websites, organised events with NGOs and wrote blog articles for an online magazine. I took every possible opportunity that helped me to make one more step in the direction I wanted. It was the right choice, years later, when I became a founder of Space Products and Innovation, the communication skills I developed have contributed significantly to the success of the startup."
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