MATTHEW ISAKOWITZ FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
SUMMITS
A highlight of the Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship Program was the annual Summit, a jam-packed event designed specifically for the current class of Matthew Isakowitz Fellows as a way to further their professional careers in the commercial spaceflight industry. Here’s a glimpse into just a few of the memorable moments from past MIFP Summits…
Behind-the-Scenes Tours of Companies
“MIFP has easily been the most impactful career-building program that I’ve had the honor of being a part of. ”
“The experience was beyond any of my wildest dreams. The opportunity to meet and talk with industry titans like Gwynne Shotwell and George Whitesides, especially so early in my career, was an experience I will never forget. ”
Discussions with Space Industry Insiders
2023 Founders Panel featuring Rob Meyerson (Delalune Space, former Blue Origin), Melanie Stricklan (Slingshot Aerospace), Ian Vorbach, (MIFP Alum and Entrepreneur), and Phil Ingle (Morgan Stanley).
2022 “Liftoff” Book panel discussion with some of SpaceX’s earliest team members: Jessica Jensen, Hans Koenigsmann, and Tom Mueller.
2018 Entrepreneurship Panel featuring Van Espahbodi (Starburst), Stan Dubyn (Millenium Space), John Gedmark (Co-founder and CEO, Astranis), and Bulent Altan (Co-founder, Global Space Ventures).
2021 “Liftoff” Book panel discussion with some of SpaceX’s earliest team members: Tim Buzza, Tom Mueller, and Flo Li.
2019 Entrepreneurship Panel featuring John Gedmark (Co-founder and CEO, Astranis), Mandy Vaughn (President, VOX Space), George Whitesides (CEO, Virgin Galactic and The Spaceship Company), Natalya Bailey (Founder, Accion), and Chris Moran (Executive Director, Lockheed Martin Ventures).
Q&A with Elon Musk (Founder and CEO, SpaceX) and the 2019 Fellows.
“It’s one amazing opportunity, after another, after another, after another. When you think the MIFP Team can’t top a panel, or tour, or activity they just did; they find a way to exceed it with the next one anyways!”
“I can confidently say that MIFP has helped me define what I want my career to look like and provided me with resources to achieve it. ”
Educational Challenges, from Business Pitches to Debates
Fellows presenting their “Moonshot Challenge” idea at the 2023 Summit.
Prepping for the 2018 Shark Tank Challenge.
Fellows presenting their “Moonshot Challenge” idea at the 2022 Summit.
Fellows presenting their winning idea at the 2018 Shark Tank Challenge.
Getting briefed on the 2023 “Moonshot Challenge.”
Fellows presenting their “Moonshot Challenge” idea at the 2022 Summit.
Prepping for the 2019 Great Space Debate.
John Gedmark (Co-founder and CEO, Astranis), Barry Matsumori (CEO, BridgeComm) and Mandy Vaughn (President, VOX Space) judging the 2018 Shark Tank Challenge.
Fellows presenting their “Moonshot Challenge” idea at the 2023 Summit.
“ It has been a summer of one extraordinary moment after the next... However, it was all the little things that really set this Fellowship apart: sharing jokes on the bus with incredibly passionate people, meeting my heroes in the industry over lunches, stumbling into opportunities in casual conversations, and learning about all the ways one person’s incredible love for space touched not only all of our lives, but also helped change the course of the industry. ”
“Through the fellowship, I had the privilege of not only learning from a multitude of industry leaders but also joining an inspiring group of fellows who I know will one day change the world”
Networking Reception and Celebratory Dinner
Gwynne Shotwell (President and Chief Operating Officer at SpaceX) answering questions from Fellows as our 2021 Summit Dinner keynote speaker.
John Gedmark (Co-founder and CEO, Astranis) and Brett Alexander (Vice President for Government Sales and Strategy, Blue Origin) delivering the keynote address at the 2019 Summit Dinner.
Fellows with Debra Facktor (Airbus) at the 2023 Summit Reception.
Fellows with Anousheh Ansari (CEO of the X-Prize Foundation; Former Private Astronaut) at the 2022 Summit Reception.
Fellows with Melanie Stricklan (Slingshot Aerospace) and Jason Kim (Millennium Space Systems) at the 2023 Summit Reception.
Fellows with Natalya Bailey (CTO and Cofounder, Accion Systems) and Anita Sengupta (Chief Product Officer and Vice President, Airspace Experience Technologies) at the 2021 Summit Reception.
Fellows with Van Espahbodi (Co-founder, Starburst Aerospace) and Randy Villahermosa (General Manager of Innovation, Aerospace Corporation) at the 2019 Summit Reception.
George Whitesides (Former CEO of Virgin Galactic and The Spaceship Company) delivering the keynote address at the 2023 Summit Dinner.
Tim Ellis (Co-founder and CEO, Relativity Space) delivering the keynote talk as the 2022 Summit Dinner.
Fellows chatting with Buzz Aldrin, a special guest at the 2019 MIFP Reception & Dinner.
Fellows with Tom Mueller (Impulse Space) at the 2023 Summit Reception.
Fellows with Jessica Jensen (Vice President of Customer Operations and Integration, SpaceX) at the 2022 Summit Reception.
Fellows with Suzi McBride (Chief Operating Officer, Iridium) at the 2021 Summit Reception.
Fellows with Sirisha Bandla (MIFP Team Member; Business Development & Government Affairs Manager, Virgin Orbit), Tim Ellis (Co-founder and CEO, Relativity Space), and Peter Diamandis (Founder and Executive Chairman, XPRIZE Foundation).
“The experience was a reminder of aerospace’s potential—not just as an emerging industry, but as a unifying force for all mankind. ”
“During the Summit, I met an incredible group of students with just as much passion for the space industry as me.”
Getting to Know the Other Fellows and Alumni
2018 Class of Matthew Isakowitz Fellows
2019 Class of Matthew Isakowitz Fellows
2020 Class of Matthew Isakowitz Fellows (belated in-person gathering during Summer 2021!)
2021 Class of Matthew Isakowitz Fellows
2022 Class of Matthew Isakowitz Fellows
2023 Class of Matthew Isakowitz Fellows
2024 Class of Matthew Isakowitz Fellows
And even a socially-distanced Virtual Summit in Summer 2020!
Connecting virtually with the 2020 Fellows.
Networking and Q&As with aerospace industry leaders.
Epic virtual reunion with all of the past and present Matthew Isakowitz Fellows.
“MIFP was an incredible opportunity to meet peers who have just as much passion and excitement for new space as I do!”
“Even amidst the craziness of 2020, this Fellowship gave me a position on the ground floor of a blossoming company and built my network to include industry founders. ”
“This Fellowship experience reminded me every day why I chose to come into this field.”