He has worked for more than 20 years in the Canadian aerospace industry beginning with the Canadian Space Station Program at Spar Aerospace Limited, later acquired by MDA Space Missions, before joining MSCI in 2007. He has worked on the design of sensors; space robotic systems and architectures and advanced technology; and variable-autonomy ground control solutions for space robotic systems that is currently used on the space station. This work has included the Canadarm2 and Dextre space robotic system currently in operation on the International Space Station, the Canadarm Shuttle Manipulator System, and the history-making Orbital Express Manipulator System that flew in 2007. He most recently led the NEOSSat Microsatellite Program funded jointly by the Canadian Space Agency and Defense Research and Development Canada and which successfully launched in 2013. He received his degrees from the University of Toronto, where he is also currently engaged in several engineering courses as a course coordinator and as a regular guest lecturer. He is a member of the IEEE, OSPE and PEO. Mr. Gillett is one of the 1999 recipients of the PEO Medal for Engineering Excellence

Max Cameron is a Cofounder, Product at Kera Software in Toronto. Kera's Get Started widget turns new users into experts, and is easily integrated into any web application.

"I have always been passionate about web and mobile applications. User experience, solving real world problems and interfacing with clients have always been my top favorite activities. I like networking, connecting and getting to know new people.

I am currently the head of product at unoapp.com and DigitalMenubox.com while advising gofoodo.com,tastefilter.com and getturnstyle.com. I've previously worked on BoardSuite.co and Mercurygrove.com as a team member and on Armorant.com and PickYoursUp.com as a co-founder. I have had a total of 4 startups in the past."

Andrew is the Co-Founder and CEO of Pilot.me – a platform for capturing and collaborating on ideas inside organizations. He is also the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at renowned user experience design agency, Jet Cooper and a Speakers Coach for TEDxToronto where he works with Executives, Authors, Politicians, and Scientists, on idea dissemination and telling their stories.

In his previous life, Andrew served as the Director of Customer Development for FreshBooks and has been taking technology to market for the better part of the last decade. To date, he has helped facilitate hackathons for Startup Weekend, Lean Startup Machine, Facebook and Free The Children.

Nael is a software craftsman with 10 years of experience building web applications for Startups, healthcare and financial institutions. His interests lie in web front-end architecture and engineering, data visualization and data mashups.

Nael is also the co-founder of DevTO which organizes tech events every month for the Toronto tech community.

Liav Koren is a Toronto based designer and researcher. After studying urbanism, math and art at York University he completed the masters of architecture program at the University of Toronto, graduating in 2007. Shortly after graduating he took control of Dorkbot Toronto, organizing a successful series of artist talks from emerging, mid-career and senior Canadian and international artist. After working for several award-winning architectural firms, Liav found himself drawn into the world of embedded hardware, electronics and interaction design.

In his spare time Liav enjoys pestering his cat, girlfriend and acquaintances. He is also an avid consumer of podcasts, high quality textbooks and microbrew.

Cassandra Marion is a Ph.D. student in geology-planetary science at the University of Western Ontario's Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration. Her research is focused on hydrothermal systems generated by meteorite impacts and impact cratering in general. As an expert in planning, logistics and management of field expeditions to remote locations, she acquired a 2 year position as Project Manager for "Impacts: A Lunar Sample Return Mission to the South Pole Aitken-Basin" as part of the Canadian Space Agency's Analogue Missions Program. This project consisted of 3 field deployments simulating a variety of human-robotic scenarios to the Moon working with a multidisciplinary team of engineers and scientists. She has participated in 2 2-week analogue missions as the crew geologist and executive officer at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah and as a field scientist for a Mars Sample Return mission run by MDA Corporation at Meteor Crater, Arizona. She is one of the 2013 recipients of the Lunar and Planetary Institute's Career Development Award. Ms. Marion is a certified scientific scuba diver and canoe tripper. She received her M.Sc. degree in Earth Sciences at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Bachelor's degree in geology at the University of Ottawa.

Rich Gilbank is a Developer at Jet Cooper. He has experience working with open source hardware, designing and building custom Arduinos, as well as software, working in Processing and OpenFrameworks. He has since found his niche in web application development.

He previously founded a web application development studio and worked as ‘Artist-in-Residence’ at a media art lab in Graz, Austria. Rich can typically be found on a motorcycle adventure, bouldering, home-brewing, or making something. He is an alumnus of Upper Canada College and Ryerson University.

Dr. Bhairavi Shankar is a recent graduate from the Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration (CPSX) at Western University in London, ON. Her research area focuses on the use of current, high resolution satellite imagery in studying impact craters (depression features formed when space rocks hit a planetary surface) on the Moon.

Dr. Shankar has been part of Mission Control in analogue missions in the Canadian Arctic, helping the team visualize surfaces in 2D/3D space and track the "astronauts". She has also helped promote space awareness within the Thames Valley School Board through the CPSX Outreach program. To learn more about the planetary science undergraduate/graduate programs at Western and CPSX, you can visit cpsx.uwo.ca or contact Bhairavi at [email protected].

She is excited to participate as a mentor towards the NASA SpaceApps challenge, eager to see the various challenges, and provide feedback on the design, strategy, and hardware aspects.

Perry Edmundson received his Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in 1996 and his Master's degree in Astronautical Engineering from the University of Southern California's Viterbi School of Engineering in Los Angeles, California in 2011. In 2005, he attended the International Space University Space Studies Program held at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He returned to ISU in 2006, 2007 and 2009 to present workshops for the Space Studies Program.

Perry has worked for COM DEV – a leading Canadian space company specializing in satellite communications payloads, scientific instruments, subsystems and micro-satellites, located in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada – since 1996. He has held roles in Mechanical Engineering, design tools and process management, micro-satellite production and launch procurement. In his current role as Product Marketing Manager, Perry interfaces with COM DEV’s international customers to provide solutions utilizing the company’s core RF microwave communications products.

Perry is an avid space enthusiast and supporter of human space exploration.

Satish is the Co-Founder of Jet Cooper, a Toronto-based user experience agency. He is an active member of the technology, design and startup community. His involvement includes Lean Coffee Toronto, TEDxToronto, and The Next 36. He tweets on lean startups, interesting reads, and good coffee.

Amir Komeily is an electrical engineer with extensive experience and management skills and works for COM DEV, a space manufacturing company based in Cambridge Canada. The company designs and manufactures satellite components and is the second largest space company in Canada.

As a technical lead he is responsible for overseeing and providing adequate solutions to all technical problems. He is also responsible for any process improvements to speed up design and manufacturing.

Amir holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electrical Engineering from McMaster University located in Hamilton, Ontario (2000).

Amir attended International Space University Space Studies Program 2007 in Beijing, China and has been involved with the ISU ever since. He has participated as an instructor for COM DEV’s optical and structural workshops at ISU SSP for three years. He’s also participated in presentations to promote ISU and encourage McMaster University students to participate in the ISU SSP. He is now the President for the Canadian Alumni for the International Space University.

David has been deeply involved in the entrepreneurial space his entire professional life. As the co-founder of mobile photo sharing application Burstn, he was part of the inaugural incubation round at the Ryerson Digital Media Zone. From pitch meetings in Silicon Valley to visting startups in the EU, David has collected a global understanding of the entrepreneurial space to bring home to Canadian innovators looking to navigate these sometimes dicey waters. Today he leverages his skills and network as a partner at Playground Inc. Helping teach startups to think like big business and big businesses to think like startups.

Arati is a digital strategist and communications professional at Jet Cooper. She has been leading operations, culture, and strategic programs since the early years of the design agency. She is passionate about intrapreneurship, process, and creativity. Arati also works on TEDxToronto's core team, serving as Logistics Director.

When she's not mentoring startups or running an event, she can be found ranting about Canadian politics whilst rearranging your furniture.

Engineer, trained in Aerospace and accomplished in Airworthiness, Aviation, Project, Mechanical, and Systems engineering. Since 2003 has demonstrated versatility and detail-oriented technical skills in multi-disciplinary environments as well as the ability to coordinate efforts of cross-functional teams. Skilled communicator who can create implementation plans, work break downs and schedules, with a history of successful project deliverables. I have a degree in Bachelors of Aerospace Engineering from Ryerson University, and a Masters of Space Studies from the International Space University. I have worked on Canada’s National Space Program-The Canada Arm at MDA Space Missions, Brampton for 3 years as a control systems engineer. I am currently working as a Project Systems Engineer at Star Navigation Systems Group to monitor airplanes in real time.

Currently a Partner at Teehan+Lax, Jeremy has built a career helping companies develop and deploy their brands in the digital space. Beginning in 1996, he worked as an Art Director at Modem Media where he spent six years articulating design direction for a number of Fortune 500 companies.

In the following years, Jeremy joined Organic as an Associate Creative Director, where he helped tune the online advertising practices for DaimlerChrysler. Building on that experience, Jeremy took the reigns as Creative Director at Blast Radius, where he helped deploy a number of innovative solutions by combining his passion for technology and design.

With a strong branding background and deep understanding of the production process, Jeremy is well equipped to conceive innovative digital experiences, but also manage the execution of those ideas down to the pixel.