The European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) is proud to announce that ESPI Global Fellow Ioana Petrescu has been selected as a 2026 Karman Fellow, joining a distinguished international cohort of leaders shaping the future of the space sector.
Selected by the Karman Project as part of its seventh Fellowship cohort, Ioana is among 15 exceptional individuals chosen from a highly competitive pool of over 400 applicants representing 53 countries.
The Karman Fellowship is a globally recognised leadership programme that brings together mid-career professionals from across disciplines—including engineering, policy, science, and entrepreneurship—to foster collaboration, trust, and responsible leadership in space.
Ioana is an economist, former Minister of Finance of Romania, and space economics researcher. Her work has focused on how economics, governance, and political decision-making shape the future of space activities. Her research examines the role of governments in fostering innovation ecosystems, the balance between regulation and growth in the space sector, and how incentives influence long-term sustainability and strategic competition in space.
At ESPI, Ioana has been particularly active in advancing the emerging field of space economics. Together with ESPI, she launched the Space Economics Seminar Series, a global platform bringing together more than 300 participants from over 30 countries across academia, industry, and policymaking. The initiative aims to create a shared language between disciplines and explore how economic systems, regulation, and governance frameworks will shape the future of space.
Ioana’s collaboration with ESPI has also reflected the Institute’s broader mission of fostering international dialogue, trusted cooperation, and innovative thinking around the future of space governance and development. In an increasingly complex geopolitical environment, ESPI continues to play an important role as a platform connecting policy, industry, research, and emerging voices across the global space ecosystem.
“Space is often discussed as a technological race, but I increasingly believe its future will be determined by economics, governance, and the ability of people from different disciplines to think together,”
ESPI warmly congratulates Ioana on this outstanding recognition and looks forward to following her journey as part of the 2026 Karman Fellowship.
