'A Startup's Strength is the Freedom to Explore'

IN-SPACe's Pawan Goenka on the space startup landscape and what gives India an edge in the sector

- VASUDHA MUKHERJEE

As founding chairperson of IN-SPACE, Pawan Goenka is helping to architect the bridge between the legacy of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and India’s growing private space ecosystem.

In an interview with Forbes India, he reflects on why coming in as an “outsider” was his biggest strength, how the government works behind the scenes and why tolerance for failure is essential for building a global space power. Edited excerpts:

Q It's quite a shift from leading Mahindra to building a new space governance institution. When you made that move, did you know what you wanted to accomplish?

My answer might surprise you. When I was asked to take on this position, I had no clue about the space sector other than what you read as an interested layperson. Post my retirement, I had been doing some work with Minister Piyush Goyal on an MSME (Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) committee, so I had some exposure to government. Earlier, in my automotive days, through SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers) and similar bodies, I had a lot of engagement with the government. So that’s how, perhaps, the government knew of me.

Q What convinced you to take up the offer?

The offer came out of the blue, and I debated whether I should accept it. Then I was told that my biggest strength was precisely that I knew nothing about the space sector—but I did know about technology. I knew how to grow a business, what makes a company succeed, and of course, I understood R&D (research and development). They said they wanted someone who was not biased by the legacy of space, but who understood what needed to be done to make the private sector succeed in space. That’s how I came in.

Q How did you onboard yourself into the ecosystem?