Jan Walter Schroeder
Co-Chair
TP - Enhancing industrial space competitiveness: Global trends and local positioning

Walter’s background is in Biomedical Engineering with a focus on human-machine interfaces and neuroscience. Walter studied Medical Informatics in Heidelberg/Heilbronn and wrote his master thesis in Taipeh, Taiwan (ROC) developing a new method for 3D dynamic body surface and volume reconstruction. Towards the end of his studies he participated in the CVA (Community of Ariane Cities) summer school 2007. After his studies, Walter joined CTAE (the Aerospace Research and Technology Centre) in Barcelona, as a Life Supports Systems Engineer in the Human Space Flight Department. Walter also worked alongside with Juan de Dalmau to organize the CVA’s anniversary with the involvement of local schools, councils and space organizations all over Europe. Afterwards he worked at Roche Diagnostics in Switzerland and then started his PhD in the UK developing a medical device that uses electrical stimulation to improve balance for patients with sensation loss. He also lectured in Applied Physics at the university. Walter participated in the ISU SSP in 2010 in Strasbourg. With the completion of his PhD he founded the startup company Sensovo, which in 2013 won the European Space Agency Innovation Prize for the concept of building a tactile navigation belt that leads its user via vibration. Walter runs the startup now as its CEO and is the main shareholder of the company. He holds a pilot license for paragliding and is a certified diver. Walter is a father of a baby boy and enjoys traveling with his family.