Daniela Trujillo

Colombian aerospace engineer and founder of low-cost satellite technology startup

Daniela Trujillo, a Colombian aerospace engineer with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), co-founded Spire in 2013 but gained global recognition in 2021 when her team developed SOYUZ - the world's first biodegradable satellite material made from agricultural waste. This innovation reduces space debris while enabling affordable satellite deployment for developing countries. Trujillo's work bridges space exploration with environmental sustainability, earning her a 2022 Ashoka Fellowship.

As CEO of her startup Kalapa Group, she focuses on democratizing satellite tech for climate monitoring in regions like the Amazon basin. Her 2023 project Climate Tracker uses AI-powered satellites to detect illegal deforestation in real-time. She's pioneered partnerships with governments in Ecuador and Peru to implement these systems.

Trujillo's TED Talk "How We Can Grow Satellites From Plants" (15M+ views) explains her biomaterial innovations. She advises the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs on equitable space access and recently launched the Girls in Space Academy, mentoring over 2,000 young Latin American women in STEM. Her vision of a sustainable space economy where all nations benefit makes her a transformative figure in modern aerospace.