Find the right production partners.
Connect buyer and mission requirements with suppliers ready to discuss sourcing, qualification, and production.
The Space Industrial Leadership Forum
October 28, 2026 El Segundo, CA
SCALING
SPACE.
Build the capacity behind
the next space economy.
An invitation-only working forum connecting mission owners, manufacturers, space companies, and capital to move from demand to delivery.
60 senior leaders · Three working tracks · Participation by approval
DateWednesday, October 28
Time8:00 AM–2:00 PM PT
VenueTHE BR-DGE · SpaceWERX hub
FormatKeynote + three working tracks
Mission. Capacity. Capital.
Turn demand
into production.
Space ambitions depend on industrial capacity. Spend a focused day with the people who can help you source, build, qualify, and finance what comes next.
Work through the bottlenecks.
Bring a specific challenge in supply, testing, workforce, or facilities. Explore the capabilities needed to move it forward.
Connect capacity with capital.
Discuss equipment, facilities, and working capital with investors and lenders focused on industrial growth.
Executive working sessions
Three tracks.
A shared path to delivery.
Choose the track where you can contribute most. Work through real operating cases in a 90-minute facilitated session, then connect findings across the room.
Align Demand & SupplyMatch mission demand with qualified supply.01
Compare shareable buyer and mission requirements with supplier capabilities, qualification needs, and procurement timelines. No sensitive program information is required.
Intended output
Priority buyer–supplier opportunities, qualification gaps, and named follow-up owners.
Unlock Production CapacityRemove the barriers to production.02
Work through constraints in components, testing, tooling, workforce, and qualification. Identify where automation, robotics, AI, and advanced manufacturing could improve throughput.
Intended output
Prioritized capacity constraints, alternative sourcing actions, and candidate production pilots.
Finance Industrial ScaleFinance the capacity to scale.03
Connect equipment, facilities, and working capital needs with financing requirements. Examine customer demand, production milestones, compliance readiness, and risk.
Intended output
Specific financing opportunities, underwriting requirements, and responsible follow-up parties.
Explore each track for its focus and intended output.
View the full programSpeakers & working session leaders
Meet the leaders
shaping the conversation.
Perspectives from regional leadership, manufacturing, workforce, capital, and risk.
01
Opening keynote
Stephen Cheung
President & CEO
Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation
Perspective
The industrial opportunity. Southern California’s manufacturing competitiveness, investment, and the conditions that enable production to scale.
02
Regional industrial ecosystem
Chris Pimentel
Mayor
City of El Segundo
Perspective
Where industry meets place. The infrastructure, workforce, land use, and public-private coordination required to support a dense, competitive aerospace manufacturing ecosystem.
03
Autonomy, workforce & deployment
Jay Seidel
Professor & Director
Fullerton Drone Lab, Fullerton College
Perspective
From autonomy to operations. How applied training, industry partnerships, and real-world deployment can turn drones, robotics, and autonomous systems into scalable industrial capability.
04
Capital for production
Ryan Johnson
Managing Partner
Subutai Capital Partners
Perspective
Where capital meets capacity. The investment and operating perspective on financing space, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing businesses.
05
Risk, contracts & execution
Tony Glebe
Executive Risk Advisor
IMA Financial Group
Perspective
Making growth executable. The risk and insurance requirements that influence customer contracts, financing, and reliable production.
Program and session assignments are subject to refinement.
Hosting and participating organizations
Who should be in the room
Bring a priority.
Bring the ability to act.
For senior leaders with a requirement to meet, capacity to offer, or capital to deploy.
Primes, OEMs & buyers
Bring real demand.
Share sourcing, qualification, schedule, or production requirements.
Manufacturers & suppliers
Bring capacity.
Show what you can build now, where you can expand, and what would unlock more throughput.
Banks & investors
Fund production.
Connect capital to equipment, facilities, working capital, and growth.
Government & mission owners
Bring mission requirements.
Connect acquisition, procurement, programs, and operational demand to industrial capability.
Technology & infrastructure
Improve execution.
Apply robotics, autonomy, AI, facilities, and manufacturing technology to real production needs.
Risk, insurance & legal
Make delivery possible.
Resolve the contractual, risk, and operating requirements that can slow production.
FROM DISCUSSION TO EXECUTION
The work continues
after October 28.
Each track is designed to turn a priority constraint into a practical next step, with proposed owners and milestones.
Industrial-Base Action Report
A focused post-forum synthesis of priority gaps, proposed actions, and opportunities, shared with appropriate participant review and confidentiality safeguards.
30/90-day follow-through
Proposed actions with identified owners and milestones, subject to participant agreement and available resources.
Relevant introductions
Connections around specific supplier, manufacturing, technology, and financing opportunities worth advancing.
A continuing industrial leadership initiative may be developed with selected contributors, depending on the substance and follow-through of the first session.
Planning your visit
Practical details.
How do I request an invitation?
Select “Request an invitation” and share your role, organization, and the priority or capability you bring. STEF reviews each request for fit with the working groups. Approved participants receive confirmation and arrival details by email.
Where and when is the forum?
Wednesday, October 28, 2026, from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM Pacific at THE BR-DGE · SpaceWERX hub in El Segundo, California. Arrival and access instructions will be provided to confirmed participants.
Is this the same event as STEF 2027?
SCALING SPACE on October 28 is a focused industrial leadership working forum. SpaceTech Economic Forum 2027 is the separate flagship gathering planned for May 2027 in Los Angeles / El Segundo. Each event has its own participation process.
October 28, 2026 · El Segundo
Help turn demand
into delivery.
Bring your industrial priority to a focused room of 60 senior leaders.
The flagship gathering · May 2027
SpaceTech
Economic Forum.
A gathering of leaders across capital, policy, and space technology.
Discover STEF 2027