Daniel Smith (space entrepreneur)

Daniel Smith (born 1983) is a Scottish space entrepreneur, sustainability advocate, and strategic communications specialist. He is the founder of AstroAgency, the world’s first space-focused marketing and strategy firm, and serves as the Scottish Government’s inaugural Trade and Investment Envoy for Space. Alongside AstroAgency, he is listed as a founding director of companies such as Skyrora and Fire Arrow, and not-for-profit industry body Space Scotland. Smith played a leading role in shaping and delivering Scotland’s first national space strategy and co-authored the world’s first dedicated space sustainability roadmap — commissioned by economic development agency Scottish Enterprise and delivered by AstroAgency alongside partners Optimat for Space Scotland’s Environmental Task Force. He has been a founding director of five space companies and is known for bridging the gap between space innovation and public understanding, with a focus on sustainable, commercially viable space activity that supports life on Earth.
Early life and education
Smith studied law at Napier University in Edinburgh, earning a BA (Hons) in Law Following sales and marketing roles for IT companies in Gibraltar, the Philippines and Ukraine, he later transitioned into the space industry and became a graduate of both the European Space Agency’s Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC) and the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Space Accelerator.
Career
AstroAgency
Following his role in helping to establish UK launch vehicle company Skyrora, he set up AstroAgency, a strategic communications firm focused exclusively on the global space sector. The company combines technical insight with commercial strategy to help satellite data companies, launch service providers, and spaceport developers build visibility and grow market adoption. AstroAgency works with clients across Europe, North America, and Asia. Smith was joined at AstroAgency by long-time collaborator and Sir Arthur Clarke award winner Daria Filichkina.
National Strategy Leadership
In 2021, Smith led the delivery of A Strategy for Space in Scotland, the country’s first dedicated space strategy. The document, coordinated through Space Scotland (then the Scottish Space Leadership Council), brought together stakeholders from government, academia, and industry to outline Scotland’s space ambitions.
Space Sustainability Roadmap
Under Smith’s leadership, AstroAgency co-authored the world’s first dedicated regional space sustainability roadmap, titled Space Sustainability: A Roadmap for Scotland. The project was commissioned by Scottish Enterprise and developed in partnership with Optimat, on behalf of Space Scotland’s Environmental Task Force. The roadmap highlights the need for sustainable orbital practices, environmental monitoring, and international collaboration.
Government and Advisory Roles
Smith was appointed in 2024 as the first-ever Trade and Investment Envoy for Space by the Scottish Government. He is also a member of the UN High-Level Expert Group on Data and Frontier Technologies and the UK Space Agency Sustainability Working Group.
He has been a founding director of five commercial space companies since 2017.
Media and public engagement
Smith has been featured in national and international media, including:
* A live interview on CNN International discussing the role of space in sustainability
* BBC Radio and STV television appearances
* A 2019 interview in Forbes on launch activity in Scotland
* Regular commentary and opinion columns in The Scotsman and Edinburgh Evening News
* Featured profiles in The Herald, Holyrood Magazine, and Edinburgh Inquirer
Smith is also credited as an associate producer of the commercial space documentary Fortitude, available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV. He supported the international touring exhibition Our Fragile Space by space photographer Max Alexander, helping promote awareness of space sustainability and orbital debris. The exhibition has appeared at venues across Europe, including sessions at the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Charity and advocacy
Smith is a trustee of Dnipro Kids, a Scottish charity supporting orphaned children from Ukraine. He has a strong personal connection to Ukraine through his wife and daughter, the latter born one week into the 2022 Russian invasion. His business partner Daria Filichkina is also Ukrainian and was joined by Smith to receive the Sir Arthur Clarke Individual award in Liverpool in October 2023, in recognition of her continued support of the space sector during a period of personal upheaval. Through AstroAgency, Smith has provided professional opportunities for displaced Ukrainians, while continuing to promote space technologies that support climate action, emergency response, and sustainable development.
Recognition and awards
In 2024, Smith was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) in recognition of his work in entrepreneurship and public engagement.
He has also been:
* A finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards
* A two-time finalist in the Sir Arthur Clarke Awards, honouring contributions to the UK space sector

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