Thomas Laurent is a recognized expert in photonics, quantum technologies and space with well over 20 years of industry experience. He was co-founder and CTO/Managing Director of eagleyard  Photonics, a manufacturer of GaAs laser diodes. With his experience of involvement in traditional space missions such as GAIA, CATS, CAL and EXO Mars, he moved into the NewSpace sector. At Rivada, he is responsible for sales for government in the entire German-speaking region. He holds a doctorate in physical chemistry from the Humboldt University of Berlin, specializing in ultrafast spectroscopy.