Scaling in New Space: The Strategic Value of People

The global Space Economy market is rapidly expanding. In 2023, its value was estimated at $630 billion, with growth projections indicating it could reach $1.79 trillion by 2035, recording an average annual growth rate of 9%. 

In Europe, the space industry’s sales reached €8.4 billion in 2023, with over 800 new companies founded in the past decade and 63,000 employees in the sector. 

These numbers mark only the beginning of an incredible growth trajectory for the New Space sector. In this evolving landscape, technological innovation is and will continue to be the driving force behind rapid expansion. However, what increasingly differentiates companies that successfully scale is their ability to build and enhance their human capital. Technologies advance, business models evolve, but without the right people, no organization can truly compete and thrive in such a dynamic environment. 

Today, the emerging space sector is the stage for a crucial challenge: on one hand, the need to push the boundaries of innovation; on the other, the urgency of building highly specialized teams in an increasingly competitive market. In this scenario, recruiting cannot be considered an isolated or merely operational process—it becomes an integral part of corporate strategy, determining the speed and sustainability of business growth. 

The New Space sector is characterized by unprecedented technological acceleration, a surge in private investments, and a race for innovation that is reshaping the industrial landscape. However, growth is not just about funding and technology—it’s about people. 

Companies that successfully identify, attract, and retain top talent are the ones driving the transformation of the sector. The challenge? The competition for these talents is fierce, and the risk of hiring the wrong profiles can jeopardize an entire company’s growth trajectory. 

Every decision in a company’s scaling journey impacts its future. A single hiring mistake can result in delays, inefficiencies, and loss of competitiveness. This is why recruiting must be integrated into the company’s strategic vision, evolving from a support function into a true booster of exponential growth.

Human Capital as the Driving Force of Growth in New Space

The New Space sector is experiencing unprecedented technological acceleration, a surge in private investments, and an innovation race that is reshaping the industrial landscape. However, growth is not just about funding and technology—it’s about people.

Companies that successfully identify, attract, and retain top talent are the ones leading the sector’s transformation. The challenge? Competition for these talents is fierce, and hiring the wrong profiles can compromise an entire company’s growth trajectory.

The Challenges of Recruiting in New Space

If recruiting is a critical challenge for all industries today, in New Space, it becomes even more crucial. For entrepreneurs and CEOs, finding and retaining key talent is an absolute priority to ensure competitiveness and business growth. The main difficulties include:

• An Ultra-Competitive Market. Large corporations and government programs absorb a significant share of top professionals, leaving scale-ups and SMEs with a narrow window to attract the right candidates. For example, NASA, ESA, and other institutions have highly structured recruitment programs with competitive salary packages and career paths, making it harder for emerging companies to secure top talent.
• Skill Mismatch. The skills required to scale in this sector are rare and often poorly defined. Having a clear hiring strategy is already a critical issue to address. The risk of hiring unsuitable candidates is high, leading to significant costs—not only in terms of payroll but also in missed strategic business opportunities. A prime example is the need for AI expertise in autonomous space navigation—only a handful of experts worldwide possess the right combination of AI and aerospace engineering knowledge.
• Speed and Precision in Recruitment. In New Space, time-to-market is critical. A slow or ineffective hiring process can jeopardize business objectives and cause project delays. Moreover, hiring mistakes have amplified consequences: a misfit senior engineer in a development team can slow down an entire production line or compromise mission safety. Additionally, a poorly selected leader can demoralize junior team members, reducing retention. Conversely, a well-chosen leader or expert not only brings technical and strategic expertise but also acts as a catalyst for professional growth, motivating junior staff to contribute actively to the company’s vision.

Building a High-Performance Team

Overcoming these challenges requires a paradigm shift in talent management. A successful talent acquisition and management strategy is no longer about merely filling vacancies—it must anticipate future business needs, ensuring continuity and adaptability. A well-structured team will grow alongside the organization, tackling challenges with agility and contributing to a sustainable competitive advantage. 

According to the widely referenced book HR Road for Scale-Up, integrating HR functions into strategic business decisions aligns skills with long-term objectives, reducing turnover and enhancing operational efficiency.

Key Strategies for Talent Acquisition in New Space

• Adopting a Strategic Approach to Recruiting. It’s not just about filling positions but about building a team capable of supporting long-term growth.
• Targeted Employer Branding. Attracting top talent requires a clear and authentic value proposition. Highly skilled professionals choose companies with a strong vision and an environment where they can make a real impact.
• Data-Driven Recruiting. Leveraging predictive analytics to identify patterns in hiring processes and improve recruitment quality.
• Onboarding and Continuous Development. A structured onboarding and professional growth plan is essential to maximize new hires’ contributions.
• Aligning Business Strategy with Talent Management. According to HR Road for Scale-Up, companies that successfully scale are those that plan hiring with a long-term vision, avoiding fragmented and ineffective teams.

When Expertise Makes the Difference

In such a competitive market, the difference between success and stagnation lies in adopting a strategic approach to recruiting. A skilled talent acquisition partner can transform hiring from a reactive process into a strategic, competitive advantage.

At Kilpatrick, through our SkyHunters division, we support New Space companies with a structured consulting model that includes:

• Targeted Search & Selection: Identifying and attracting highly qualified professionals aligned with company culture and strategic goals.
• Strategic Support for CEOs & HR Teams: Developing tailored talent acquisition strategies to build resilient, high-performing teams.
• Scalable HR Strategies: Exponential growth requires clear workforce planning to ensure teams are always equipped for market challenges.
• Access to an Exclusive New Space Talent Network: With our deep industry expertise, we can engage top professionals, including passive candidates who are not actively job-seeking.

Executive Search as a Strategic Asset

In a highly specialized and competitive environment, traditional recruiting is not enough. This is where executive search comes in—going beyond job postings to focus on the strategic identification and attraction of the right leaders and specialists to drive business growth.

With over 20 years of experience in talent acquisition for Aviation, Aerospace & Defence, and New Space, I have had the privilege of working with pioneering companies, helping them build world-class teams capable of tackling technological transformation and global competition.

As Client Director of Kilpatrick’s Aviation, Aerospace & Defence, and New Space practice, I support companies in more than just talent acquisition—I help them navigate market dynamics, anticipate future needs, and secure the right leaders to drive strategic growth.

Too many companies, despite being at the cutting edge of technology, still underestimate the importance of a strategic talent search approach, relying on outdated and ineffective recruitment models.

Why is Executive Search essential for New Space?

Unlike traditional recruiting, executive search operates on a deeper, more targeted level—identifying and attracting leaders and specialists who can drive growth and innovation. In New Space, where competition for talent is intense and the margin for error is slim, choosing the right executive search partner is not just an advantage—it is a necessity for long-term success. Strategic talent acquisition is an investment, not an expense. Through a proven methodology combining market analysis, targeted headhunting, and in-depth technical and soft skills assessment, we ensure that companies don’t just find talent but attract the right people to align with their vision and objectives.

Recently, we supported a New Space scale-up in the search for their CTO. The challenge was not just finding an expert in advanced materials engineering but also a leader with a strategic vision capable of scaling the business internationally and developing the internal team. Through meticulous market mapping and targeted headhunting, we identified the ideal candidate, accelerating the company’s growth trajectory.

In another case, we helped an Aerospace Company recruit a Head of Business Development with specific experience in government contracts. The professional we sourced played a pivotal role in securing key strategic partnerships.

Conclusion: Winning the Talent Race in New Space

Relying on an expert executive search partner is the key to building a top-tier team and avoiding costly hiring mistakes that could hinder business growth. In an industry where timing is critical and human capital is the real engine of innovation, there is no room for error in talent acquisition.

Success in New Space, Aerospace, and Defense depends on the ability to attract and retain the right people.

If your goal is to build a team that propels your company beyond the frontiers of innovation, we are here to support you. Contact us to discover how we can help you select the best talent for the future of your business in New Space.

Bruna Putzulu
Kilpatrick Client Director – SkyHunters Division
b.putzulu@kpexs.com