Surrey Satellite Technology Limited

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Surrey Satellite Technology Limited

• From an idea to international success
• Dr. Jeffrey Ward
• Managing Director

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Surrey Satellites the Idea

• 1979 A PhD student in Electrical Engineering
  suggested that the University fund construction
  of an Amateur Radio Satellite.
• He thought that new developments in
  microcomputers could revolutionise satellite
  engineering.

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Images
In Guildford
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News Clipping
Surrey-built
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SSTL the Success

• 27 satellites developed and manufactured in
  Guildford, controlled in orbit from Guildford.
• Customers in UK, France, Germany, U.S.A., Korea,
  Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Chile, China,
  Turkey, Nigeria, Algeria
• Competing successfully against aerospace giants,
  e.g. EADS Astrium and Alcatel Espace.
• 25m turnover.
• 200 employees.

New SSTL HQ on the Surrey Research Park
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Disaster Monitoring

• Images provided by SSTL satellites

New Orleans 02-Sep-2005
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Navigation

• EU / ESA Galileo Europes GPS.
• SSTL providing the first test satellite.

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Photo
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Universities are great!

• Universities have values that can be good for
  companies.
• Innovation.
• Research.
• Learning.
• Universities have the brains companies need.
• Initial entrepreneurs.
• Ongoing researchers.
• Supporting experts.
• Graduates for hire.

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Universities are great, but

• Bureaucracy can kill entrepreneurs
• Risk aversion.
• Decision avoidance.
• Business cant run like research groups
• High technology focus.
• Low customer focus.
• Low accountability.

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Surreys Solutions

• Sound corporate governance for spinouts
• Active participation on company boards.
• Arms length commercial arrangements.
• Systematic risk management.
• UniSDirect office
• Support and promotion for University enterprises.
• Liaison between University and business.
• University of Surrey Seed Fund Ltd.
• 1,000,000 in venture funding for bridging the
  gap.
• Surrey Enterprise Hub partner.
• SETSquared Centre.
• Facilities and expertise for start-ups.
• Surrey Research Park.

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Home Sweet Home.

• Were here because we were born here.
• Where else could Surrey Satellite Technology
  be?
• Excellent supply chain.
• 50 of SSTLs suppliers in SEEDA boundary.
• Because it helps us manage our risks and costs.
• Skilled labour pool.
• Aerospace engineers and technicians available.
• Excellent long-distance connections.
• London on our doorstep.
• Access to HMG.
• Greenbelt on our doorstep.
• Quality of living.

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If You Can Afford It.

• High cost of living.
• Difficulty competing in international labour
  market.
• High cost of housing.
• Difficult for young families.
• Leads to long-distance commuting.
• Increasing trouble with transport.
• 101 variations in journey time.
• Labour costs drive the business model.
• Theres an impulse to send manufacturing off
  shore.
• Yet vertical integration is part of our business.
• Low support for the region from government.
• Because, hey, were already rich, arent we?

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Corporate Social Responsibility?

• Social responsibility is part of our culture.
• Bringing affordable access to space to poorer
  nations
• Hosting gap-year students, home and overseas
• Minimising resource usage
• Re-cycling
• Cycling
• Charitable giving
• Focusing on people
• But will it become part of our Business Plan?
• A hygiene factor or differentiator?
• Will employees seek responsible employers?
• Will shareholders pay a premium for CSR?
• Will government regulate us to act responsibly?
• Will customers pay a premium for CRS?

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Challenges

• How to avoid off-shore migration of work?
• If manual jobs go, intellectual jobs will follow.
• How to create affordable, desirable housing?
• Nibble away the green belt bit by bit?
• Plan both to preserve and occupy the green belt?
• Plan to live further from work?
• Plan to work further from work?
• Stop increasing the workforce?