Independence
SSIP is not owned by, and does not act on behalf of, any single company, institution or state. That independence is what allows competing organisations to work through us.
About SSIP
An independent Swiss platform for applied innovation.
SSIP, the Space Systems Innovation Platform, is a non-profit association established in Switzerland and based in Lucerne. We connect industrial companies, research organisations and international partners, and we structure the projects that emerge from those connections so they can be assessed, financed and delivered.
Mandate and principles
What the platform is, and what it is not.
Neutrality
We do not sell technology and we do not favour a supplier. Our role is to convene, structure and validate, so decisions stay with the organisations involved.
Applied outcomes
We measure ourselves on projects that move: a defined pilot, a working consortium, a validated feasibility case, rather than declarations of intent.
Civil scope
SSIP works on civil applied innovation. Dual-use relevance is acknowledged where it exists, within a clearly civil, non-military framework.
Why Lucerne
Lucerne stands at the intersection of Swiss innovation, precision engineering, applied research, and trust. From the Technopark Luzern we connect national actors in AI, quantum, robotics, earth observation, biotech and space systems, and we open that capability to selected international partners under a Swiss legal, security, and IP framework.
With the integration of leading research institutions, Lucerne offers a strong local base for applied innovation in space, dual-use and deep tech.
Global Collaboration
SSIP acts as a neutral collaboration platform for Space, Defense and dual-use innovation. We connect research, industry and institutions with trusted international partners.
Through structured cooperation and joint pilots, SSIP enables cross-border technology transfer while keeping IP, data and decision-making anchored in Switzerland.
Leadership and governance
Association governance and advisory structure.
SSIP is governed by an association board, supported by an operating team and an advisory board contributing scientific, industrial and international expertise.
Team
Paulo Pinheiro
Managing Director
Ecosystem orchestration, partnerships, and strategic liaison for Space & Defense. Responsible for operational leadership, stakeholder engagement, and program delivery.
Dino Causevic
CTO – Data & AI Systems
Leads SSIP Hub architecture, Earth Observation (EO) and Machine Learning (ML) pipelines. Focus on AI/quantum integration, scalable infrastructure, and data-driven collaboration tools.
Alexander Bisogni
CPIO - Programs & Innovation
Leads SSIP's programs and innovation, leveraging his career expertise in program management, product design, and development of ML & AI-infused design using RAG and neural networks.
Dr. Magdalena Herova
Head of Space Biology & Scientific Operations
Magdalena leads SSIP's space biology initiatives and scientific operations, bringing expertise in medical technology, biosciences, and applied research from HSLU. She drives the translation of microgravity-enabled research into real-world healthcare and industrial applications.
Paloma Rodriguez Arizpe
CBDO - Business Development
Paloma leads SSIP's strategic partnerships and global market expansion, strengthening our ecosystem by connecting institutions, industry partners, and innovators.
Adrian Tavarayan
Financial & Commercialisation Strategy Advisor (Canberra, Australia)
Drives SSIP's global growth and partner expansion across continents linking Swiss innovation with industry and investors in the Asia–Pacific region.
Rylan Coury
Strategic Lead - Launch & Life Sciences Integration
Rylan leads SSIP's launch-enabled life sciences integration. His work connects biological ambition with industrial scalability across complex aerospace ecosystems.
Marco Zerauschek
Strategic Lead – Operational Architecture & Ecosystem Integration
Leads the design of SSIP's operational framework and ecosystem-building initiatives, developing innovation programs and strategic workshops that connect industry, academia, and institutional partners.
Governance
Association Board
The association board responsible for SSIP's strategy, governance and institutional direction.
Paulo Pinheiro
Board Member, Managing Director
Ecosystem orchestration, partnerships, and strategic liaison for Space & Defense. Responsible for operational leadership, stakeholder engagement, and program delivery.
Aldo Lamberti
Board Member, President
Strategic governance, ecosystem development, and institutional partnerships. President of the SSIP Association Board, bringing deep expertise in AI entrepreneurship and innovation leadership to anchor SSIP within Switzerland's premier innovation hub.
Dr. Bernd Rattenbacher
Board Member, Space Life Sciences & Strategy
Senior scientist and strategic innovation leader at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts with extensive expertise in biomedical space research, molecular biology and translational life sciences. His research spans signal transduction, mRNA biology, oncology, drug targets and cellular regulation, bridging advanced science with operational strategy and international collaboration.
Max Erick Busse-Grawitz
Board Member, Technology Transfer & Advanced Engineering
Senior technology leader with over 30 years of experience in advanced engineering, sensors, robotics and industrial R&D. Currently Technology Transfer Manager at maxon, with previous leadership roles at CSEM and the Paul Scherrer Institute. Holds an MSc in Electrical Engineering from ETH Zürich and an MBA in Business Administration.
Board of Advisors
Tim Searle
Board Advisor, Global Strategy & Microgravity
Provides strategic guidance on international collaboration, microgravity research pathways and cross-ecosystem alignment. Brings over 15 years of experience in space policy, advanced R&D frameworks, and global partnership development to strengthen SSIP's role as a neutral hub for innovation.
Laura Kiviharju
Board Advisor, Data Compliance, AI Governance & Cybersecurity
Provides strategic guidance on data compliance, AI governance, cybersecurity, privacy, procurement and contractual matters. Over 15 years of experience in cybersecurity, AI and data protection management across defense, security and space sectors.
Davide Marotta
Board Advisor, Biomanufacturing & Life Sciences
Strategic guidance on space biomanufacturing, regenerative medicine, and microgravity life sciences. CSO at Helogen Corporation and former Program Director for In-Space Biomanufacturing at the ISS National Laboratory, strengthening SSIP's science-to-industry connection.