In late 2017, Nicomatic, a world leader in the connector industry, undertook to support the Grenoble University Space Centre’s (CSUG) activities. This commitment is in keeping with the group’s desire for long-term involvement in the training of young people and their passion for contributing to the democratisation of space by developing the NewSpace* sector.
Since 2015, the Grenoble University Space Centre has brought together around a hundred students each year, mainly from the Université Grenoble Alpes and Grenoble INP, to participate in the space adventure by building nanosatellites. They are assisted by research professors and engineers, in turn supported by manufacturers — project sponsors — in order to complete technological systems for scientific and industrial experimentation in space.
Nicomatic is joining the ranks of the CSUG’s sponsors, via the Fondation Université Grenoble Alpes foundation, providing sponsorship in the form of funding, in addition to equipment for outfitting the nanosatellites and expertise, advice and support for research professors and their students in order to participate in this great space technology democratisation adventure. Nicomatic’s involvement is part of a long-term partnership to create innovative projects and participate in the group’s Open Innovation. Indeed, Nicomatic is developing innovative management and offers a business management style considered to be “free, empowering and informative”, in which any employee with an idea is invited to present it to the company’s executive team, as well as share and actualise it, seeing it through to completion. This was the case for Sylvie Demathieu, Nicomatic’s head of space market development, who came up with this sponsorship project:
“I’m delighted that we were able to conclude a partnership with the UGA foundation and the CSUG. It seemed obvious to me, given we share the same vision and we have a mutual need for one another in order to participate together in the development of the NewSpace sector. This sponsorship is proof of Nicomatic’s true commitment to developing its activities in the space market and our support of ambitious university research and development programs, like the nanosatellites,” states Sylvie Demathieu, Nicomatic’s head of space market development.
“Connectors are a very frequent point of failure for spatial systems and Nicomatic’s expertise in on-board connectors will be very useful for the CSUG in learning to avoid these breakdowns and will be very educational for the students. Moreover, Nicomatic is an innovative company in many ways: in management, methodology and even in development. This relationship that we are in the process of building will help us to enhance and improve our processes together. For the Space Centre, more than simple sponsorship, this is a true partnership that we have just created,” applauds Mathieu Barthélémy, CSUG Director.
*NewSpace: the NewSpace sector concerns new aerospace companies working on developing low-cost public access to space exploration.