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Draft:Abel Avellan

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Abel Avellan
Born (1971-02-22) February 22, 1971 (age 53)
Venezuela
Citizenship
  • United States
EducationElectronic Engineer, Simon Bolivar University
Occupation(s)Inventor, Serial Entrepreneur, Businessman
Known forFounder, Chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile
Title
  • Commissioner, ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development

Abel Avellan is an inventor, serial entrepreneur, and engineer specializing in space technologies.[1][2][3][4] 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.[5]

Avellan had 81,5% of AST SpaceMobile voting shares as of May 2024.

Background

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Avellan has worked in the space industry for more than 25 years and is the co-inventor of more than two dozen US patents.[6] He is a US citizen and resides in Florida and Texas with his family.[7]

Career

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AST SpaceMobile

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Avellan is the Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of AST & Science LLC (which operates under AST SpaceMobile) since its inception in 2017.[8][9] He has served as the CEO and Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors since April 2021.[10] AST SpaceMobile is a Texas-based entity that focuses on using satellites to provide cellular broadband service from space for use with everyday smartphones.[11] 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.[12] 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.[11] 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.[13] Avellan contributed personally to the funding round and co-invented several key technologies used by the company's satellites.[11]

Emerging Markets Communications

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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.[11] The company served the maritime and other mobility markets. [14]In 2016, Avellan sold EMC for $550 million.[11] 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.[15]

NanoAvionics

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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.[16] 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[17] for $68 million.[18]

Appointments

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ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission

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In February 2024, Avellan was appointed as a commissioner to the ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development.[19] 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.[19]

References

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  1. ^ "AST SpaceMobile's Abel Avellan Appointed Commissioner to the ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission". Yahoo Finance. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  2. ^ Robuck, Mike (25 July 2024). "AST SpaceMobile plans satellite launch in September". Mobile World Live. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Hamarosan nem lesz gond, ha nincs földi térerő – és ez lesz az okostelefonok igazi nagy újítása". hvg.hu. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  4. ^ Jones, Dan (6 March 2024). "Ma Bell's in space: AST SpaceMobile readies for take-off". Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  5. ^ "A New Firm Says It Can Link Satellites to Ordinary Smartphones". The Economist. Mar 7, 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ "AST & Science". AST & Science. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  8. ^ "AST & Science Company Profile". Tracxn. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  9. ^ Sheetz, Michael (Dec 16, 2020). "Satellite-to-Smartphone Broadband Company AST & Science to Go Public Through a SPAC". CNBC. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  10. ^ "Our Board". AST & Science BAND. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ Rainbow, Jason (Jan 19, 2024). "Google and AT&T Join $155 Million AST SpaceMobile Investment". SpaceNews. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  14. ^ Wingrove, Martyn (Jul 28, 2016). "Global Eagle Gobbles Up EMC". Riviera. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Emerging Markets Communications LLC". Bloomberg. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  16. ^ Russell, Kendall (Mar 9, 2018). "AST & Science Announces Majority Investment in NanoAvionics". Via Satellite. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  17. ^ Foust, Jeff (Jul 5, 2022). "Kongsberg to Acquire Majority Stake in NanoAvionics". SpaceNews. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  18. ^ Durrett, Madeline (July 6, 2022). "Kongsberg to Buy AST SpaceMobile's Stake in NanoAvionics for $68M". Connectivity Business News. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  19. ^ 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 citizenship

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