Michal Kuneš

Founder of SPACEALIST. Consultant for space, deep-tech and defence projects, working with clients in Europe and beyond.

Michal Kuneš

Hi, I'm Michal

I started in 2012 at the Czech Space Office, where I managed the national project Support of Space Project Management, trained SMEs and public authorities on ESA and EU programmes and represented the Czech Republic at the International Astronautical Federation and the Space Generation Advisory Council. From 2017 I worked at CzechInvest, the Business and Investment Development Agency of the Czech Republic, on ESA BIC Prague, running scouting, incubation and mentoring and international projects such as the Astropreneurs Space Startup Accelerator, EO ClimLab and Copernicus User Uptake. From 2020 to 2025 I led ESA BIC Czech Republic as Programme Manager, from proposal and procurement to budgeting, contracting and reporting, and scouted, selected and supported over 70 space startups in ESA BIC alone.

I studied both sides of the job: aircraft and space systems at the Czech Technical University, with a thesis on the design of a CubeSat mission, and corporate economics and management, with a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises, at the Prague University of Economics and Business. Space projects need both, because good technology alone rarely wins funding or customers, and a good business plan fails without technology that works.

I founded SPACEALIST in 2026 to bring that experience to clients directly: startups and scaleups, established companies, investors, institutions and academia. I work project by project or on retainer, in English and Czech, and you deal with me directly at every step.

Experience

  • 2026 to nowSPACEALIST, Founder
  • 2020 to 2025ESA BIC Czech Republic, Programme Manager, CzechInvest
  • 2017 to 2020ESA BIC Prague, Project Manager, CzechInvest
  • 2012 to 2017Czech Space Office, Space Project Manager and Consultant

Education

  • 2013 to 2016Czech Technical University, Master's degree in Aircraft and Space Systems
  • 2011 to 2013Prague University of Economics and Business, Master's degree in Corporate Economics and Management, specialisation in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
  • 2008 to 2011Prague University of Economics and Business, Bachelor's degree in Corporate Economics and Management

Memberships

  • 2014 to nowInternational Astronautical Federation, committees on space entrepreneurship and investment, programme and project management, and knowledge management
  • 2013 to 2018Space Generation Advisory Council, Scholarships Coordinator and Executive Council member (2016 to 2018), National Point of Contact for the Czech Republic (2014 to 2016)

Certificates

  • 2022PRINCE2 Foundation, Project Management, PeopleCert

Awards

  • 2018Young Space Leaders Recognition, International Astronautical Federation

What I bring

Mentoring

Across ESA BIC, accelerators and other programmes I have mentored more than 100 startups in space and deep tech, and helped several of them secure investment and grow from the first idea to scaling.

Pitches and due diligence

I have heard 1000+ startup pitches and worked with several VCs. I know what investors want to hear, and what makes them pass. I also provide independent evaluations and technical due diligence.

Funding and evaluation

I have written and won ESA and Horizon Europe projects, and I have evaluated them from the other side of the table, both applications to ESA BIC and proposals to ESA and Horizon Europe. I know what scores and what does not.

Project management

I have managed national space projects and international ones funded by ESA and Horizon Europe, and I am a PRINCE2 certified project manager.

Ecosystem

I know the Czech and European space ecosystem in depth: the institutions, the funding mechanisms and the people. Through the IAF, SGAC and international events I also have contacts well beyond Europe. I have advised public authorities on national space strategy, connected startups with industry, investors and academia, and facilitated technology transfer into the space industry.

Technology

Space technologies, satellite data, deep tech and dual-use technologies, and how to turn them into business value. I have organised hackathons, workshops and conferences on Copernicus, Galileo and EGNOS.

Working on a space, deep-tech or defence project?

Tell me where you are and where you want to get. Together we will see quickly whether and how I can help.

Let's talk

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 17 October 2026

This policy explains how SPACEALIST handles personal data on this website and when you get in touch. We collect as little as possible.

Controller

Michal Kuneš, SPACEALIST, Prague, Czech Republic. Contact: michal.kunes@spacealist.space

What we process and why

Cookies

This website uses no cookies and stores nothing on your device.

Recipients and transfers

We share data only with the service providers above, who process it on our behalf. Some of them are based outside the EU; such transfers are protected by the EU–US Data Privacy Framework or the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses. We never sell your data or use it for marketing. When you contact us through WhatsApp or LinkedIn, these platforms also process your data under their own privacy policies.

Retention

We keep correspondence as long as needed to handle your enquiry or our cooperation, and afterwards only as long as the law requires. Statistics are kept in aggregated form only.

Your rights

You can request access to your data, its correction or erasure, restriction of processing and data portability, and you can object to processing based on legitimate interest. Just write to us. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Czech data protection authority, Úřad pro ochranu osobních údajů (uoou.gov.cz).