Indraji Wanigaratne

First Cohort

Scholarship from Access Fund

Because I just can't get enough of playing satellite limbo. 

Unlocking lower orbits. 

Enables access to Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO: 100-500 km) for satellite operators. Range of benefits for the operator, plus enables "self-cleaning" satellite operations due to high air drag de-orbiting used satellites, eliminating space debris build-up. 

Concurrently building Skyhaven, a suite of internal tooling for import/export control compliance.

Finished with a Diploma instead of a BSc. 

Founding President - Durham Artificial Intelligence Society 
Head of AI - Entrepreneurs Durham 
Secretary - Effective Altruism Durham 
Competition Officer - Durham SEDS 
Member - Durham Freefall 

Closed down startup. 

Continuing to work on positive-sum solutions to the space debris problem at my next company. 

Space sustainability and in-space propulsion startup, working on incentive-alignment solution to the space debris problem. 

Opening up Very Low Earth Orbit (V-Low) for satellites with a novel magnetic thruster based on an electrodynamic tether.

Designed to perform constant drag compensation for satellites in V-Low to allow commercial access. 

V-Low satellite operations would allow sustainable space operations, meaning no space debris build-up at the end of the mission.

Gained interviews at Y Combinator and at TechStars Starburst.

Participated in Westcott Business Incubation centre. 

Project Athena 

Researching alternative treatment routes to adult medication-resistant ADHD using tDCS embedded in a wearable.