One of the world’s premier space industry gatherings, the Global Space Technology Convention and Exhibition (GSTCE) is returning for its 17th edition in Singapore this month with a new identity and expanded vision.
Formerly the Global Space and Technology Convention, the event has repositioned to reflect its dual focus on conference and exhibition elements. The show, which annually draws close to 1,000 delegates from over 40 countries, is set to host 60 exhibitors this year – more than double the previous editions.
This year’s theme, Commercialising Space – New Frontiers in Disruptive Innovation, underscores the transformative potential of space as a key economic driver. While the space industry has been growing at a healthy clip in the last few years with decreasing launch costs and advancements in satellite technology, the pace of commercial activity is set to increase even further.
The key driver for this is how space is increasing its contribution as a horizontal technology, spurring innovation in vast sectors including energy, climate technology, supply chain and transport, financial services, and agriculture.
Jeremy Chan, chairman of Singapore Space & Technology Ltd, the organisers of GSTCE, highlighted the event’s evolution and its alignment with the economic promise of the space industry,
“GSTCE 2025 reflects the growing opportunities in the space economy,” he said. “By bringing together regional and global space leaders, we aim to accelerate collaboration and innovation that will unlock commercial opportunities. This year’s expanded exhibition reflects the dynamism of the space sector and its potential to transform industries worldwide.”
Beyond direct economic gains, the ripple effects of space commercialisation are profound. Breakthroughs in satellite technology are poised to revolutionise industrial sectors, improve disaster response and enhance climate monitoring, enable precision agriculture, and more sustainable urban planning. The knowledge and innovations derived from space activities are increasingly influencing healthcare, energy, and transportation, further underscoring the growing economic importance of this frontier.
Reflecting the growing economic contribution of the sector, GSTCE 2025 features three key announcements that will accelerate the space industry ecosystem and leverage space to drive innovative commercial opportunities especially in the space-for-earth domain.
One of GSTCE 2025’s key highlights is the launch of Space to Thrive: Southeast Asia’s Space Industry on the Rise, a comprehensive deep dive into the commercial opportunities of space and its contribution to economies in Southeast Asia. Co-authored by Deloitte and Singapore Space & Technology Ltd, this landmark report reveals that increasing the adoption of earth observation data across the region has the potential to contribute an additional USD100 billion to Southeast Asia’s GDP cumulatively from 2023 to 2030.
“The space economy is a frontier of unparalleled potential, and Southeast Asia’s unique characteristics make it a hub for transformative applications of space technologies,” said Deloitte Southeast Asia CEO Eugene Ho. “Our three-year collaboration with SSTL underscores Deloitte’s commitment to unlocking the region’s potential by bridging insights with actionable innovation to accelerate the opportunities that the space industry offers.”
Underscoring the importance of GSTC as a commercial platform and a gateway for strategic partnerships, Japan joins GSTCE 2025 as featured country this year, following its USD6.2 billion Space Strategy Fund commitment to advancing its space industry. Japan’s presence highlights its leadership in global space initiatives and underscores the value of global partnership for space economy.
A JAXA delegation led by President Yamakawa will participate, along with many other Japanese companies, including Archeda, Arkedge Space, Digital Blast, ispace, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO), Pale Blue, Satellite Sta Services (SDS), SKY Perfect JSAT, Synspective and Space One. A Space Innovation and Financing Workshop will be held at GSTCE 2025, where participants from Japan, Singapore and other countries will explore the possibility of business collaboration.
Japan’s pavilion at the exhibition will feature technologies, research, and insights from its thriving space ecosystem. Within the pavilion are advanced earth observation, satellite communications, innovative propulsion systems and lunar robotic exploration, including ispace, Synspective, Mitsubishi, Pale Blue and Sky Perfect JSAT.
Top panels with industry leaders will explore themes such as public-private partnerships, advancements in satellite technology, and the economic impact of Japan’s space investments.
GSTCE 2025 sees strong participation from the global space community with country pavilions from Italy, India and South Africa, in addition to JAXA’s country pavilion on the exhibition floor. The exhibition has more than doubled in size, growing from over 20 exhibitors in previous editions to 60 exhibitors from 15 countries in this edition.
Yet another highlight is the Singapore pavilion that has also doubled the size of its predecessor in 2024. It features 16 Singapore-based space companies, ranging from well-established players with over two decades of experience to cutting-edge startups that have launched technologies that support global space missions.
Running in parallel to the exhibition is a full two-day conference of high-level conference panels and workshops led by global industry luminaries that cut across ten industry sectors from finance, aviation and maritime to GenAI and robotics. Reflecting the increasing relevance of space across different sectors, the conference and workshop themes cover the impact of space on the maritime industry, supply chain sector, communications, security and climate tech.
The Global Space Technology Convention and Exhibition (GSTCE) 2025 will be held across February 26 -27, 2025. at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.
