By Aleksandar Nikolov:

What inspired you to join the initiative?

I wanted to get involved in the development of the space sector for some time and I thought that participating in such a project would be a great way to share my ideas with the broader community of people that are passionate about space. Being inspired by visionaries like Elon Musk and the recent successes of SpaceX (ok, some sci-fi movies played some role too :), I found that exploring the topic of a viable Martian economy of 1 Million people will be a perfect way to combine my professional expertise with my passion for space.

What positive experience did you gain from this competition?

The major positive was the ability to meet and work with people of different backgrounds from all over the world towards a common goal. What we achieved in such a short time was absolutely amazing! The collaboration with the different task groups, midnight discussions and online meetings showed me the huge potential when people are mobilized and motivated by a shared dream.