This Talent Day at NL Space campus will be focusing on attracting, finding and keeping Space Talent, and as Space Talent: how to find your place in the sector.
The first Network & Drinks of 2026 will take place on Thursday, 26 February, at the Space Business Innovation Centre (SBIC) in Noordwijk. Network & Drinks is a regular meeting point for everyone active in, or entering, the space sector, featuring short pitches from start-ups and innovative companies, brief updates from the community and partners, and time to connect with others. The February edition takes place in the week leading up to the Amsterdam Space Symposium (3–4 March 2026).
Are you space talent? Before this edition starts, you can join Dialogue for Space, happening at Cometlab from 16:00 till 17:00, where space experts talk about how they got their job in the space industry.
Looking for space talent? During the Network & Drinks you can meet the space talents that are joining the preceding event Dialogue for Space.
Programme Talent Day
14:00 Deep-Dive Session: Talent
This deep-dive session looks at hiring and retaining talent in the space sector from three complementary perspectives: recruitment, legal frameworks, and company experience. The session focuses on how organisations can attract the right people, what to consider before and during hiring, and how to create working environments where talent wants to stay.
Contributions come from S&T (recruitment and sourcing approaches), TeekensKarstens (employment law, contracts, and compliance), and Spectral Industries (practical experience with hiring and retention in a growing space company). The format combines short presentations with extended discussion, allowing participants to engage with all three perspectives.
Read more and register here: https://www.eventbrite.nl/e/tickets-deep-dive-session-talent-1982489420223
16:00 Dialogue for Space #3 at Cometlab
Dialogue for Space organises its third event, welcoming the guest speakers Annemarie Schuite, Varvara Kut’yina, and Onerva Aalto. With the keynote speech of Judith Sandriman from the Netherlands Space Office.
Each month, Dialogue for Space brings the next generation of EU Space dreamers, doers, and innovators with a seasoned space industry professional on the same stage. This way, an open dialogue is created for peers who are exploring a careerpath and finding their place in the EU space.
Find more info here: https://www.nlspacecampus.eu/events/dialogue-for-space-3-at-cometlab/
17:00 Space For Talent Research Initial Findings at SBIC Noordwijk
Space for Talent is a strategy founded by NL Space, the collaborative brand by the Netherlands Space Office, SpaceNed and NL Space Campus. About 6 months ago, research started to specify the talent needs within the industry. We already found that there is a significant and growing need for talent. On this talent theme day, we will share and discuss some of the initial findings together.
The final publication of the research will be presented at the end of March. To attend this session, please register for Network & Drinks, as it is part of the same programme.
17:00 Network & Drinks at SBIC Noordwijk
- NL Space Summer School; registrations for 2026 open 1 February
The event takes place at the Space Business Innovation Centre (SBIC) in Noordwijk. It brings together the NL Space Campus community — including partners such as SBIC, NSO, SpaceNed, NVR, ESA ESTEC, LDE Universities, and SGAC — to share insights, opportunities, and ideas.
Pitch highlights during Network & Drinks
- Dialogue for Space – A recurring series where young professionals and experienced space experts discuss career paths in the space sector.
- SGAC The Netherlands – Connecting students and young professionals to the Dutch space ecosystem through events, projects, and international networks.
- NL Space Summer School – An interdisciplinary summer programme (5–10 July 2026) offering hands-on exposure to space organisations, universities, and industry in the Netherlands.
Register for this event here: https://events.nlspacecampus.eu/NetworkDrinks26Feb2026
NL Space Campus Network Community
Together, we make the campus a meeting place for the space community — a place where entrepreneurs, education, research, government, and industry connect, and where open innovation begins. Bring colleagues we don’t know yet, start-ups that want to meet other start-ups, young professionals, and curious investors. Everyone is welcome!
Media
Photographs will be made, and by registering, you permit us to share them. If you do not want your photo shared with our community online, please let us know when you register.
Pitch your initiative next time
Community members can register for a 3-minute pitch for a future edition of Network & Drinks. You can find more about registering for a future edition here.