Draft:Abel Avellan
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Abel Avellan | |
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Born | |
Citizenship |
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Education | Electronic Engineer, Simon Bolivar University |
Occupation(s) | Inventor, Serial Entrepreneur, Businessman |
Known for | Founder, Chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile |
Title |
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Abel Avellan is an inventor, serial entrepreneur, and engineer specializing in space technologies. He serves as the Chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (Nasdaq ASTS), a company he founded. He was also the founder and CEO of Emerging Markets Communications (EMC) until it was sold for $550 million, and was the Chairman of NanoAvionics until it was sold by AST SpaceMobile. He has filed approximately 30 patents related to these ventures.[1]
Avellan had 81,5% of AST SpaceMobile voting shares as of May 2024.
Background[edit]
Avellan has worked in the space industry for more than 25 years and is the co-inventor of more than two dozen US patents.[2] He is a US citizen and resides in Florida and Texas with his family.[3]
Career[edit]
AST SpaceMobile[edit]
Avellan is the Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of AST & Science LLC (which operates under AST SpaceMobile) since its inception in 2017.[4][5] He has served as the CEO and Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors since April 2021.[6] AST SpaceMobile is a Texas-based entity that focuses on using satellites to provide cellular broadband service from space for use with everyday smartphones.[7] The network is designed to enable direct satellite connections to mobile phones, aiming to provide universal coverage, especially in remote, rural, and disaster-affected areas.[8] AST SpaceMobile raised $110 million in a series B funding round in March 2020, led by Vodafone and Rakuten for the development of a satellite-powered mobile broadband network, SpaceMobile.[7] The company raised $417 million in April 2021 by merging with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) called the New Providence Acquisition Corp. In 2024, Google and AT&T joined existing shareholder Vodafone in a $155 million strategic investment in AST SpaceMobile.[9] Avellan contributed personally to the funding round and co-invented several key technologies used by the company's satellites.[7]
Emerging Markets Communications[edit]
In 1999, Avellan established Emerging Markets Communications (EMC), a firm dedicated to providing satellite communications services, including high-bandwidth data transfer for video and other applications.[7] The company served the maritime and other mobility markets. [10]In 2016, Avellan sold EMC for $550 million.[7] The services offered by EMC include satellite, remote fiber, and terrestrial broadband, internet, and entertainment over remote networks, voice and video conferencing, system integration, and managed connectivity, with a global customer base.[11]
NanoAvionics[edit]
In March 2018, following AST's acquisition of a controlling interest in NanoAvionics, Avellan assumed the role of Chairman of the Board for the European satellite manufacturer and system integrator.[12] This acquisition facilitated AST's entry into the US market and the commercialization of its technology. AST SpaceMobile sold its shares following Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace acquisition of a majority stake in NanoAvionics[13] for $68 million.[14]
Appointments[edit]
ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission[edit]
In February 2024, Avellan was appointed as a commissioner to the ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development.[15] The commission focuses on employing broadband technology to advance the global achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, emphasizing the importance of universal broadband connectivity as a catalyst for socio-economic development, innovation, and access to essential services.[15]
References[edit]
- ^ "A New Firm Says It Can Link Satellites to Ordinary Smartphones". The Economist. Mar 7, 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^ "AST SpaceMobile Announces an Expanded Board of Directors to Join at the Closing of the Business Combination With New Providence Acquisition Corp". Cisneros. Mar 2, 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^ "AST & Science". AST & Science. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^ "AST & Science Company Profile". Tracxn. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^ Sheetz, Michael (Dec 16, 2020). "Satellite-to-Smartphone Broadband Company AST & Science to Go Public Through a SPAC". CNBC. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^ "Our Board". AST & Science BAND. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Knapp, Alex (Mar 3, 2020). "This Satellite Startup Raised $110 Million to Make Your Cellphone Work Everywhere". Forbes. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- ^ "During President's Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa Mission to Kenya, Raimondo Highlights Public-Private Partnerships to Deepen Bilateral Commercial Ties & Announces Joint Statement on AI and Digital Upskilling". U.S. Department of Commerce. Apr 26, 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- ^ Rainbow, Jason (Jan 19, 2024). "Google and AT&T Join $155 Million AST SpaceMobile Investment". SpaceNews. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- ^ Wingrove, Martyn (Jul 28, 2016). "Global Eagle Gobbles Up EMC". Riviera. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- ^ "Emerging Markets Communications LLC". Bloomberg. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- ^ Russell, Kendall (Mar 9, 2018). "AST & Science Announces Majority Investment in NanoAvionics". Via Satellite. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (Jul 5, 2022). "Kongsberg to Acquire Majority Stake in NanoAvionics". SpaceNews. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- ^ Durrett, Madeline (July 6, 2022). "Kongsberg to Buy AST SpaceMobile's Stake in NanoAvionics for $68M". Connectivity Business News. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- ^ a b "AST SpaceMobile's Abel Avellan Appointed Commissioner to the ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission". Business Wire. Feb 21, 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
Category:1971 births
Category:Living people
Category:21st-century American businesspeople
Category:21st-century American engineers
Category:American aerospace businesspeople
Category:American chairpersons of corporations
Category:American technology chief executives
Category:American technology company founders
Category:Businesspeople in information technology
Category:Venezuelan emigrants to the United States
Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States
Category:People in the space industry
Category:People with multiple nationality