Nicholas Hong, Starburst Singapore Managing Director, brings over 14 years of experience in innovation consulting, ecosystem development, and cross-border venture building across Southeast Asia.
He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the National University of Singapore and began his career in management consulting. He later served in key roles at Enterprise Singapore and IMDA, where he helped shape sector innovation strategies, brokered international partnerships (including bilateral programs with Israel) and drove digital transformation for high-growth SMEs across multiple sectors.
Nicholas also has hands-on experience as a founder and operator, having built and scaled multiple ventures in retail, fitness, and entertainment across the CLMV countries.
Having worked extensively with SMEs, government agencies, and founders, Nicholas brings a uniquely blended perspective to deep tech innovation in Southeast Asia. Currently based in Singapore, he leads Starburst’s efforts in startup sourcing, corporate innovation partnerships, and ecosystem development.
Michael leads Starburst’s US east coast operations based in Arlington, VA.
Michael is an international commercial aerospace, defense & space executive experienced in working with disruptively innovative start-ups across numerous commercial aerospace, defense & space domains as their banker, consultant, acquirer and employee since before it became popular.
Michael’s formative experiences include intelligence operations and combat service with the 82nd Airborne Division for Operation Desert Storm, with Task Force 118 for then-classified Operation Prime Chance, and missions with the 519th Military Intelligence Battalion (Airborne) (Tactical Exploitation) supporting the XVIII Airborne Corps, the JFK Special Warfare Center & School and national level agencies.
Since graduating from the Wharton School, Michael worked in strategy consulting (McKinsey & PricewaterhouseCoopers), Fortune 500 corporate development (Rockwell Collins & Thales) and investment banking (PCE Investment Bankers & The McLean Group) roles. More recently, he served as Strategy, Business Development & Sales VP at AI start-up SparkCognition and as the VP of Strategic Partnerships at Israeli offensive cyber counter-UAS start-up D-Fend Solutions.
Michael is the founder of senior executive association Wharton Aerospace and its 1492 Club. He is also a board director at the National Defense University Foundation.
Felix Eid is a result-driven aerospace enthusiast with 4 years of experience scaling innovation and driving growth through strategic and financial planning.
As Chief of Staff at Starburst, Felix facilitates key initiatives by aligning priorities between C-suite leadership and Country Managers, while consolidating financial data to provide actionable insights for the CEO, Head of Strategy, and CFO.
Felix began his career in engineering, earning both an Engineering Diploma and an M.Eng. Seeking new challenges, he transitioned into technology consulting at Accenture and Capgemini, where he led agile teams of experts and developed critical performance metrics to enhance project outcomes.
His desire to influence technology adoption drove him to strategy consulting at Starburst, culminating in his current role as Chief of Staff, where he contributes to achieving Starburst’s mission at a global level.
Cécile Josse is a seasoned marketing and communications professional with expertise in branding, digital strategy, and event management, particularly within the aerospace and defense sectors.
At Starburst, she leads the development and execution of global communication strategies, focusing on PR, content creation, social media management, and strategic event planning to enhance the company’s position in the industry.
She works closely with international teams and major stakeholders such as Thales, Safran, the French Space Agency, the European Space Agency, and the European Commission, driving initiatives that foster innovation and strengthen relationships with start-ups, corporate partners, and industry leaders.
Her contributions have helped elevate high-profile events, such as Demo Days, selection committees, and investor networking sessions, amplifying visibility and opportunities for emerging aerospace innovators.
Chris Barchak is a Managing Partner at Starburst Ventures Europe, bringing a strong technology background and deep investment experience across multiple stages and geographies.
Chris holds an M.Eng./S.B. in Computer Science from MIT. He began his career in various types of operational, customer-facing roles within the enterprise software sector, including pre-sales consulting, software development, implementation, and product marketing.
After earning his MBA from INSEAD, Chris launched his 20-year venture investing career at Index Ventures in Geneva, working as an Associate under firm founder Neil Rimer. As Principal at Fidelity’s Growth Partners Europe, he led their Series A round in Neo4j (now valued at over $2 billion). He has also held senior investment roles at Conor Venture Partners, Next47, and Valo Ventures.
A dual Finnish/US citizen and current UK resident, Chris identifies, supports, and invests in high growth, transformative technology ventures.
Íñigo Estébanez de la Mata leads Starburst’s activities in Spain, driving collaborations between local institutions, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs. He played a key role in launching Spain’s first space-dedicated startup accelerator, the New Space Catalonia Accelerator, and has supported major aerospace and defense corporations in their open innovation strategies.
With a background in aerospace engineering, Íñigo studied at Universidad Europea de Madrid and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Before joining Starburst, he contributed to the design of a small satellite launcher and a nanosatellite, gaining hands-on experience in both engineering and procurement.
Ilan Rozenkopf is the global Head of Strategy and New Ventures at Starburst.
After graduating with a master’s degree in development economics from the London School of Economics and an engineering degree from École Centrale de Paris, he joined McKinsey & Company. During more than 13 years as a Partner at McKinsey & Company, he specialized in strategy and corporate finance for aviation, defense, and space corporates (with a focus on growth and innovation).
His distinctiveness within the sector lies in three main areas: expertise in strategy and corporate finance, space industry specialization, and experience with startups and scale-ups. Ilan has substantial knowledge in strategy and corporate finance, serving numerous heads of strategy, M&A, CFOs within the industry, as well as private equity investors. In space expertise, he led McKinsey’s space practice in Europe, working closely with major European space players and the European Space Agency. Additionally, he brings significant experience working with startups and scale-ups, particularly in urban air mobility and the emerging “new space” sector.
Ilan is driving Starburst’s strategic development and accelerating the creation of venture capital funds focused on dual-use technologies worldwide.
With over 10 years of experience in the aerospace industry, Matthieu Chartier is currently Managing Director of Starburst France. He specializes in Aerospace & Defense (A&D) with a focus on Tech & Deeptech.
Prior to joining Starburst in the spring of 2023, Chartier was the Project Leader at BCG Paris. His career began at ArianeGroup (former Airbus Defense & Space), where he spent 5 years designing and building Space ground infrastructures (including the Ariane 6 assembly Line, Kazakhstan Space center, and more).
In 2018, he joined Microsoft’s Strategy Consulting team, where he focused on the A&D French market to support the growing needs in the Digital & Tech verticals of the industry. He developed several strategic partnerships with major European players (for example, Airbus, Thales Alenia Space, and Naval Group) and led the elaboration of Microsoft France’s Space strategy, supporting the launch of Azure Space & Azure Orbital products in France.
Giulio Busulini is an independent senior consultant who cooperates with a wide range of networks of educational and scientific institutions across the United States and Europe. A former diplomat and entrepreneur, he helps institutions and businesses to strategically innovate, build partnerships, negotiate internationally, and be successful in a competitive global market.
Between 2010 and 2019, he served as Science and Technology Advisor at the Italian Embassy in Washington. In this position, he worked with US federal agencies. Building on this experience, he is now an advisor at the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at George Washington University (GWU) and a visiting scholar at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) and the Italian Research Council (CNR). He is also an advisor to institutions such as the Italian Ministry of Defense, the Space Economy Evolution Lab and DEVO Lab at the Bocconi School of Management (SDA), the Italian national cluster on advanced manufacturing, Fabbrica Intelligente, and the Italian National Laboratory on Cybersecurity. He has also been engaged as a strategic consultant in the field of national security between the United States and Europe.
He recently acted as a strategic consultant to the CCO of Leonardo S.p.A. (defense and space). At the invitation of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, Dr. Busulini is also a member of the Global Science Diplomacy Roundtable. Prior to his appointment as Scientific Advisor to the Italian Embassy in the United States, he coordinated the business incubator at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. He holds a BA in Institutional Communication, an MA in Security and Defense Studies, and an MS in Intelligence and Computer Sciences.
Bertram Gorlo leads the Starburst Germany office. A seasoned aerospace executive with nearly three decades of experience in the aerospace industry, with a decade dedicated to the commercial aviation world and nearly two decades in the military aviation sector.
Throughout his career, Bertram has navigated various facets of the aerospace industry, including aero engines, civil and military aircraft, industrial gas turbines, UAVs, and civil and military service solutions. His repertoire also includes expertise in program and project execution, strategy development, business development, sales, and key account management, with firsthand experience with commercial and institutional customers.
In his role as Managing Director for Starburst, Bertram focuses on expanding the company’s presence in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Drawing upon his expertise and industry connections, he is pivotal in connecting promising startups with governments, institutions, and industry leaders.
