A groundbreaking new report has illuminated why humanity is closer than ever to sending astronauts to Mars. For years, space exploration enthusiasts and scientists have debated the feasibility, timing, and reasons for such an ambitious mission. Now, researchers from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have laid out a science-driven agenda for human exploration of the red planet. The focus? Searching for evidence of life, both past and present.
As someone who founded a startup with a strong mission to push limits (and people), I see an undeniable parallel between exploring Mars and building a bootstrapped business in uncharted markets. Risks are high, resources are limited, but potential returns, both tangible and intangible, could be enormous. This is a story about discovery, strategy, and preparing for the unknown.
The Why: Prioritizing Science Above All Else
The report emphasizes that the primary purpose of sending humans to Mars should not just be conquering new frontiers but answering a profoundly existential question: Are we alone in the universe? Robotic exploration has provided hints of Mars’ wet and warmer past, but the ability of humans to conduct complex sampling, adaptive research, and real-time judgment could exponentially increase our understanding.
That said, it’s more than a quest for answers. Much like entrepreneurs who aim to disrupt or innovate, these missions could kickstart entirely new paradigms for how we view ourselves and our role in the universe.
The How: Key Goals for Human Mars Missions
The researchers outlined concrete scientific objectives for future missions. Let me break down the ones that stand out most, particularly through my lens of planning startup strategies:
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Search for Life
Scientists aim to identify direct evidence of life, whether it's microbial fossils or present-day organisms. For an entrepreneur, this could translate to locating underserved or niche communities, your own equivalent of Mars’ hidden life. -
Water Resources
Understanding how water behaved on Mars isn’t just about the planet’s geological history but could influence survival strategies for future astronauts. As a business analogy, this reminds me of resource allocation. Knowing exactly where to “dig” for opportunities and which channels to prioritize can make the difference between future success and drying up. -
Mars Weather Mapping
Martian dust storms have been described as both beautiful and terrifying, much like market volatility. Knowing how to navigate these hazards ensures progress isn’t derailed. Similarly, for startups, market research and adaptability are non-negotiable. -
Mars Geology
Studying rocks might not seem thrilling, but Mars' lava flows hold stories about its history. Entrepreneurs should similarly comb through “uncharted” territories, even boring or overlooked ones, for paths nobody else is exploring yet. -
Habitat and Crew Health
Living on Mars will be physically and mentally challenging, requiring systems to support astronauts' health in unprecedented ways. Running a bootstrapped company mirrors this: resilience comes from preparing not just funding but also team wellbeing for the long haul.
The Startup Comparison: Lessons in Preparation
Researchers don't plan to send humans to Mars tomorrow. They’ve mapped out a step-by-step strategy, starting with shorter missions to test operations and work within specific zones on the planet. Founders can follow a similar approach: instead of leaping headfirst into your grand vision, trial smaller versions of an idea, refine them, and then scale.
Common Missteps When Tackling “Mars” Levels of Risk
Here’s where I’m drawing on five years of solopreneur experience and lessons from scaling startups under tight financial constraints:
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Obsessing Over Perfection
Scientists know Mars missions won’t deliver instant success. Similarly, many founders delay launch, waiting for everything to be flawless. Just start, test in smaller markets, and iterate. -
Neglecting Collaboration
Planning a Mars mission involves various stakeholders, space agencies, scientists, technologists, and policymakers. As founders, it’s tempting to go solo, but collaboration unlocks perspectives and possibilities you might miss otherwise. -
Ignoring Ethical Considerations
Mars exploration raises genuine philosophical questions about contamination and responsibility. Founders face similar considerations around sustainable growth, data privacy, diversity, and inclusivity. Prioritize these now, before external pressures force your hand. -
Misjudging Resources
Long-duration missions to Mars will rely on finding and harvesting resources on-site. Founders often underestimate the need for both planning and flexibility when scaling limited budgets or operational costs.
The European Landscape for Action-Oriented Female Entrepreneurs
European entrepreneurs, particularly women, face unique challenges in taking risks akin to a Mars mission. Founders in the EU often contend with regulatory complexities, risk-averse investment cultures, or smaller networks compared to Silicon Valley ecosystems. Yet, if there’s one takeaway from the Mars report, it’s that the real win isn’t necessarily about being first, it’s about showing sustained, quality exploration.
Programs like Femtech Accelerator or the support of initiatives like the Female Founders in European Tech network have made it clear that collaboration and long-term vision can lead to success. While I experienced skepticism early in my career for being both a woman and a non-tech-background founder breaking into deeptech, I relied on preparation, partnerships, and passion to move forward.
How to Prepare for Your Mars Mission
Inspired? Here’s how to plan your own “walk on Mars”, whatever that might symbolize for you.
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Identify Your Big Vision
Is your mission to build a more inclusive workspace? Scale a sustainable product? Or disrupt SaaS? Get specific. -
Set Fail-Proof Early Objectives
Mars researchers aim to start with limited “test” missions. Similarly, validate your startup concept in smaller markets and refine before scaling. -
Build an Ecosystem of Support
Much like NASA’s partnerships with private companies like SpaceX, ensure you have alliances, be it through accelerators, local networks, or mentors. -
Prepare for Worst-Case Scenarios
Whether planning for Mars dust storms or economic downturns, resilient founders adapt to hurdles without losing the larger vision. -
Remember the Why
Is your objective purely financial, or is there a bigger mission motivating you? Ground your goals in values that inspire others to join the journey.
Conclusion
The Mars report is not just a guide for space exploration, it’s a playbook for tackling bold, seemingly unachievable goals. For founders, especially women navigating European entrepreneurship, this is a reminder to prioritize calculated risk-taking, embrace collaborations, and focus on long-term benefits.
Mars reminds us all: the best opportunities often lie where no one has gone before. Are you ready to step foot on your own version of the red planet?
FAQ
1. Why is the idea of sending humans to Mars gaining momentum now?
A major new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine highlights advances in robotics and private space technology, which make crewed missions to Mars feasible in the coming decades. The report also emphasizes the search for life on Mars as a top scientific priority. Learn more about the report from Ars Technica.
2. What is the primary scientific goal of human Mars missions?
The exploration aims to search for life, past or present, in its most authentic form to answer the existential question of whether we are alone in the universe. Discover more on Scientific American.
3. What role will water resources play in these missions?
Water on Mars is key, as understanding its behavior will not only help with geological analysis but also inform strategies for astronaut survival and resource allocation during missions. Read about it on IFL Science.
4. How will Mars’ unique environment affect astronaut health?
Mars missions will examine psychological, cognitive, and physical impacts on humans living in such an isolated, harsh environment. This includes studying the effects of low gravity and radiation exposure. Explore this subject in-depth through Ars Technica.
5. What is the importance of Mars weather mapping?
Understanding Martian weather, particularly its dust storms, will ensure mission safety. Predicting these storms will be critical for landing, operations, and the return journey. Check out NASA's Mars Science page.
6. Why is planetary protection a controversial topic for Mars missions?
Sending humans to Mars raises ethical concerns about contaminating the planet. Scientists are debating how to balance exploration with preserving Mars' natural environment, especially in areas that might harbor life. Learn more from the European Space Agency.
7. How does this report prioritize collaboration for Mars exploration?
The report stresses the importance of partnerships among space agencies, private companies, scientists, and policy-makers to pool resources and knowledge for successful missions. Discover the report’s recommendations here.
8. What is the significance of studying Mars geology?
Examining Mars’ ancient lava flows and rock formations can reveal important details about the planet's history, including its past climate and habitability. Read more on Scientific American.
9. What preparations are needed to ensure long-term exploration on Mars?
Mission strategies emphasize smaller-scale test missions before grand-scale operations. This includes cargo deliveries and setting up self-sustaining systems for humans on Mars. Find out more on Phys.org.
10. How are private companies contributing to Mars missions?
The involvement of companies like SpaceX in building reusable Mars transport systems is accelerating the timeline for human missions. Such public-private partnerships are set to play a crucial role. Learn more about such efforts from Ars Technica.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
