The program is designed to support students interested in the space sector by connecting them with experienced mentors from academia and industry. It offers a unique opportunity to develop skills, consult ideas, and gain insights into career paths in space technologies.
About the Programme
Participants will be matched with mentors and will take part in:
- 3 individual mentoring meetings (approximately one per month)
- guidance on career development, research, or technical projects
- support in developing ideas, including startup and innovation pathways
- additional sessions focused on entrepreneurship and commercialization
Meetings may take place in person, online, or in a hybrid format, and may be conducted in English or Polish.
Mentors
Four mentors have agreed to participate in the pilot edition of the SpaceTech Career Mentoring program. Three mentors will support students in developing their technical and scientific interests in the space technology sector, while one mentor will provide additional guidance for participants interested in transforming their ideas into startup projects.
Prof. Tadeusz Uhl is a full professor at AGH University of Krakow specializing in mechatronics, structural dynamics, robotics, structural health monitoring, and contactless measurement methods. He is the author of over 1000 scientific publications, including more than 400 articles in JCR-indexed journals. Prof. Uhl has also founded 28 startup companies together with students, several of which have grown into internationally recognized enterprises employing over 500 people.
Michał Lupa, PhD is the Head of the Remote Sensing Research Group at the Faculty of Space Technology, AGH University of Krakow. He has over 14 years of experience in designing and delivering advanced IT systems based on Earth Observation (EO) data. During his career, he has led projects for key national and international institutions, including ESA, UK Space Agency, Ordnance Survey (UK), the Head Office of Geodesy and Cartography (Poland), the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management – National Research Institute (Poland), the Geospatial Commission (UK), and UK Research and Innovation. His work focuses on satellite data analysis, machine learning, and geospatial technologies.
Martyna Gatkowska, PhD is a satellite remote sensing expert with 15 years of experience in the space sector. She served as the European Space Agency’s Business Ambassador to Poland and as an EO Expert at the Executive Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture. Her interests revolve around EO data application for agriculture, insurance, natural hazards management etc.She specializes in obtaining funds for research and innovation projects from European Space Agency and European Commission as well as business models and pitch deck preparation.
Justyna Topolska, PhD has been involved in the development of the innovation ecosystem at the AGH University of Krakow since 2017. Since 2019, she has also been employed as a Business Developer at the University’s Special Purpose Company – Krakowskie Centrum Innowacyjych Technologii INNOAGH Ltd., where she supports the process of establishing spin off companies based on AGH knowledge and technology. Involved in projects at the AGH supporting innovation, she is an incubation manager for teams developing ideas in the seed and pre-seed phase. As an expert and reviewer she evaluates proposals and applications of innovative projects at the university and national level, e.g. Cassini Hackathon, Innovation Incubator etc. In the UNIVERSEH 2.0. project, she is the leader of WP5 tasks on behalf of AGH.
Key Dates
- Application deadline: April 6, 2026 (23:59)
- Selection results: by April 10, 2026 (all applicants will be informed via email)
- Program duration: April – June 2026
Regulations
Detailed rules of participation are available here.
How to Apply
To apply, please complete the application form.