A bel Avellan is a veteran entrepreneur in the satellite and space technology industry, best known as the founder, Chairman, and CEO of AST SpaceMobile. His ambitious company is focused on a groundbreaking goal: building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network designed to be accessible directly by standard, unmodified mobile phones. This vision aims to eliminate connectivity gaps and bring affordable broadband to the hundreds of millions of people worldwide who remain unconnected.

Before founding AST SpaceMobile, Avellan had already established a successful track record in the satellite communications field. In 1999, he founded Emerging Market Communications (EMC), a company that provided satellite-based communications services to maritime, energy, and government clients in remote locations. He grew EMC into a major player in the industry, eventually selling it to Global Eagle Entertainment for $550 million in 2016. This success provided him with the capital and experience to pursue the far more audacious goal of AST SpaceMobile. His career is a testament to his persistent focus on leveraging space technology to solve fundamental communication challenges on Earth.