Abel Avellan

Abel Avellan is an inventor, serial entrepreneur, and engineer specializing in space technologies. He serves as the Chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (Nasdaq ASTS), a company he founded. He was also the founder and CEO of Emerging Markets Communications (EMC) until it was sold for $550 million, and was the Chairman of NanoAvionics until it was sold by AST SpaceMobile. He has filed approximately 30 patents related to these ventures.
Avellan had 81,5% of AST SpaceMobile voting shares as of May 2024.
==Background==
Avellan has worked in the space industry for more than 25 years and is the co-inventor of more than two dozen US patents. He is a US citizen and resides in Florida and Texas with his family.
==Career==
===AST SpaceMobile===
Avellan is the Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of AST & Science LLC (which operates under AST SpaceMobile) since its inception in 2017. He has served as the CEO and Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors since April 2021. AST SpaceMobile is a Texas-based entity that focuses on using satellites to provide cellular broadband service from space for use with everyday smartphones. The network is designed to enable direct satellite
connections to mobile phones, aiming to provide universal coverage, especially in remote, rural, and
disaster-affected areas. AST SpaceMobile raised $110 million in a series B funding round in March 2020, led by Vodafone and Rakuten for the development of a satellite-powered mobile broadband network, SpaceMobile. The company raised $417 million in April 2021 by merging with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) called the New Providence Acquisition Corp. In 2024, Google and AT&T joined existing shareholder Vodafone in a $155 million strategic investment in AST SpaceMobile.
Avellan contributed personally to the funding round and co-invented several key technologies used by the company's satellites.
===Emerging Markets Communications===
In 1999, Avellan established Emerging Markets Communications (EMC), a firm dedicated to providing satellite communications services, including high-bandwidth data transfer for video and other applications. The company served the maritime and other mobility markets. In 2016, Avellan sold EMC for $550 million. The services offered by EMC include satellite, remote fiber, and terrestrial broadband, internet, and entertainment over remote networks, voice and video conferencing, system integration, and managed connectivity, with a global customer base.
===NanoAvionics===
In March 2018, following AST's acquisition of a controlling interest in NanoAvionics, Avellan assumed the role of Chairman of the Board for the European satellite manufacturer and system integrator. This acquisition facilitated AST's entry into the US market and the commercialization of its technology. AST SpaceMobile sold its shares following Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace acquisition of a majority stake in NanoAvionics for $68 million.
==Appointments==
===ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission===
In February 2024, Avellan was appointed as a commissioner to the ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development. The commission focuses on employing broadband technology to advance the global achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, emphasizing the importance of universal broadband connectivity as a catalyst for socio-economic development, innovation, and access to essential services.
Category:Inventors
Category:Entrepreneurs
Category:Businessmen
Category:1971 births