SpaceBase Limited does not build satellites or rockets. Instead, the Auckland-based consultancy builds the industrial scaffolding required to launch them. For nearly a decade, its founders have been running workshops and competitions designed to identify and cultivate the specific technical, regulatory, and entrepreneurial talent a region needs to participate in the space economy [LinkedIn]. The bet is that the first step toward a national space program is not a launchpad, but a curriculum.
The capability assessment wedge
The core of SpaceBase's work is a proprietary capability assessment tool and workshop series [LinkedIn (Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom)]. The process is diagnostic: it evaluates a region's existing strengths in adjacent sectors like aerospace, advanced manufacturing, or data analytics, then maps them against the gaps needed to support space-related activity. The output is a tailored roadmap, which SpaceBase then helps execute through follow-on programs like hackathons and innovation challenges. This consultancy-first approach is their wedge into ecosystems that lack the foundational density of traditional space hubs. It is a services business built on deep domain expertise, not a software platform chasing scale.
A self-funded social enterprise
SpaceBase operates with the structure and ethos of a social enterprise, a fact underscored by its funding profile. Efforts to date have been about 90% self-funded by its founders, according to a 2026 statement [PledgeMe]. This capital-light model aligns with its mission-driven focus on democratizing access to space for emerging and developing nations [Perplexity Sonar Pro]. The team, led by co-founders Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom and Eric Dahlstrom, has deep roots in the global space community, with Paat-Dahlstrom also hosting the SpaceBase Podcast to further ecosystem conversations [Apple Podcasts]. Their participation in the first cohort of New Zealand's Edmund Hillary Fellowship provided early validation and network access within the country [Edmund Hillary Fellowship, 2026].
| Founder | Role | Key Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom | Co-Founder & CEO | Leads consultancy, hosts SpaceBase Podcast [Apple Podcasts] |
| Eric Dahlstrom | Co-Founder | |
| Rich Bodo | Co-Founder | Joined the team in 2017 [spacebase.co] |
Proving the model in New Zealand
Before exporting its framework, SpaceBase has been stress-testing it at home. The company acts as a delivery partner for national space and aerospace challenges in New Zealand, working with government bodies like the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and corporate partners including Airbus [spacebase.co/challenges/]. A flagship 2026 initiative is hosting the ActInSpace Hackathon in Auckland, in partnership with Outset Ventures, Planet, and Aerospace New Zealand, among others [Aerospace New Zealand, 2026]. This track record of executing complex, multi-stakeholder programs provides the case studies necessary to convince international clients. The model's scalability will be tested by its ability to replicate these outcomes in regions with vastly different starting conditions.
The constraints of consultancy scale
The consultancy model brings inherent advantages and limitations that define SpaceBase's growth ceiling.
- Deep customization. Each regional assessment and subsequent program is bespoke, allowing for precise fit but limiting the speed of deployment. You cannot templatize a national industrial policy.
- Revenue linearity. Impact is tied directly to billable expert hours and project contracts. Unlike a SaaS tool, there is no software margin or user-based network effect to drive exponential value.
- Founder bandwidth. With a small, founder-led team and predominantly self-funded capital, the company's reach is constrained by the number of high-stakes engagements its principals can personally lead and quality-control.
For SpaceBase, scaling up means either systematizing its diagnostic tools into a repeatable product suite,a significant pivot from its services roots,or building a training pipeline to certify other consultants in its methodology. The latter would dilute control over delivery quality, while the former would require a different kind of technical investment. The company's next phase will be defined by which constraint it chooses to solve first. The technical breakdown is simple: their asset is institutional knowledge and a proven process. The sober assessment is that this asset does not clone easily, and the risk at scale is that growth either stalls or forces a fundamental change in the business model they have patiently built.
Sources
- [LinkedIn] SpaceBase Limited | https://nz.linkedin.com/company/spacebase-ltd
- [LinkedIn (Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom)] Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/epaatdahlstrom
- [Perplexity Sonar Pro] SpaceBase Limited brief |
- [PledgeMe, 2026] SpaceBase statement on PledgeMe |
- [Apple Podcasts] SpaceBase Podcast Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spacebase-podcast/id1487933047
- [Edmund Hillary Fellowship, 2026] Edmund Hillary Fellowship profile |
- [spacebase.co] About - SpaceBase | https://spacebase.co/about/
- [spacebase.co/challenges/] SpaceBase Challenges page | https://spacebase.co/challenges/
- [Aerospace New Zealand, 2026] ActInSpace Hackathon announcement |