Location Washington D.C., U.S. For the first time, SARIO agency participated in the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) that took place in the capital of the USA this year. Already 70th edition of the major global event focused on space, space technologies and industry, the International Astronautical Congress (IAC), was held in Washington D.C. from 21st to 25th October. This annual event consists of a multiple-day conference divided into parallel thematic streams, as well as various networking events and expositions. The congress is attended by representatives of the commercial, public and academic sectors from all over the world. This year SARIO agency successfully initiated contact with representatives of companies and governmental institutions from various countries including Germany, Italy, USA, Belgium, Israel, Romania and also newly-selected IAC 2020 host - Azerbaijan. The agency plans to further develop these contacts within the new pilot project called SARIO Diversification Services aimed at supporting the diversification of the Slovak economy and development of its high-tech sectors through the creation of new business opportunities for local companies. In this project's framework, SARIO is also considering active participation in the conference programme of the next year's IAC, which will take place in Dubai only a few days before EXPO 2020 opens its gates. The 70th edition of International Astronautical Congress was a special one for Slovakia in multiple ways. The Faculty of Aeronautics of the Technical University in Košice became a member of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) as the very first Slovak institution, and a cosmic engineer Ján Baláž from the Institute of Experimental Physics of Slovak Academy of Sciences in Košice became a member of the International Academy of Astronautics. A big success was also achieved by an international team with participation of the Faculty of Aeronautics of the Technical University in Košice, the Slovak University of Technology, Slovak Organisation for Space Activities and two Slovak companies Spacemanic and Needronix whose GRBAlpha CubeSat project ranked second in a competition by IAF and GK Launch Services company. For more information about SARIO Diversifikation Services, please contact:Michal Brichta,Consultant and Diversification Team Leader,Investment Projects Department, SARIOE: michal.brichta@sario.sk
