https://arab.news/rvskv
RIYADH: In recognition of Saudi Arabia’s increasing prominence in the space and aviation industry, Italian aerospace company Argotec is gearing up to expand its operations in the Kingdom.
David Avino, Argotec's CEO and founder, shared the company’s expansion plans during an interview with Arab News on the sidelines of the World Defense Show in Riyadh.
Avino, also the founder of the company, which “only started in 2008 like a startup,” emphasized the desire for additional investors as they aim to expand in the Kingdom, following the launch of their subsidiary in the US.
In pursuit of this plan, the executive mentioned that they have already started fostering the right connections and partnerships to share their expertise in developing new technologies.
Avino said: “We are very much willing, in a certain way, to have different contacts with the Saudi Arabian Military Industries and others. We have already started with the Saudi Space Agency as well because we do have technologies, a long know-how, and capabilities. In a certain way, we are also considering opening a subsidiary here in Saudi (Arabia), serving the entire Middle East in the future.”
He added: “We want to be here. There are good universities here. There is definitely a good space agency. There is a defense agency as well. And we are very open on the kind of partnership the Saudi government wants to put on the table and working together.”
Avino highlighted it was very important that Saudi Arabia was investing in line with Vision 2030 in aviation, defense as well as space because “this domain is very much important.”
“This is not only important for defense but also for technology developments, because every time you do something in space, there is something new, and this technology most of the time is re-entering Earth and is helping the humans,” he said.
Besides making technology, serving satellites in space, and supporting defense services for humans, the head of the Italian-based company also mentioned that they “have a really good know-how in training astronauts” and “on operations as well for the astronauts.”
He concluded by saying that, in the space business, there were some countries that started 60 years ago, which meant “a lot of skills, a lot of expertise, a lot of mistakes made.” Moving forward, what Saudi Arabia and Argotec could do is “get the heritage of those companies and avoid the same mistakes that were done 50 years ago.”