Stéphane Timpano is CEO of ASPIRE, the program management and business development arm of the Advanced Technology Research Council located in Abu Dhabi.

The ATRC’s mission is to build a vibrant research and development ecosystem that supports Abu Dhabi—and the broader UAE—in its transformation into a knowledge-based economy. With nearly 1,300 employees representing over 80 nationalities, the Council is also investing in the next generation of innovators through a wide range of STEM initiatives.

ASPIRE drives the Council’s programmatic efforts by crowdsourcing top global talent through international competitions and grand challenges. These challenges are designed to tackle real-world problems—everything from global hunger and maritime safety to the future of autonomous mobility—by bringing together experts from academia and industry to co-create cutting-edge solutions.

As CEO, Stéphane leads ASPIRE’s strategic direction and oversees relationships with key stakeholders and partners. He brings more than 20 years of management consulting experience, including major client engagement in the Telecom and Technology industries at Bain & Company in the entire EMEA region.

Before consulting, Stéphane worked in the media industry in Italy, gaining valuable experience at Sky Italia News Corporation and IMS (EMI Group).

He holds an MBA from SDA Bocconi in Milan, a degree in Political Sciences and a degree in Economics in France.

Recently, more than 2,500 people gathered to watch top autonomous drone racers compete for a $1 million prize pool at the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) Drone Racein Abu Dhabi. And in case you were wondering, MavLab, from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, secured victories in three out of four competitions. They clinched the AI Grand Challenge with their drone completing two laps of the 170-metre course in just 17 seconds. MavLab won the world’s first AI-only drag race, demonstrating straight-line speed and precision under intense acceleration. And in a landmark moment, MavLab’s autonomous drone defeated three top DCL champion pilots in a head-to-head AI-versus-human showdown. With precision flying, the AI-powered drone edged out its human-piloted rivals in thrilling contests. Equally impressive was TII Racing from the UAE, which triumphed in the multi-drone challenge, showcasing advanced coordination, collision avoidance, and team-based AI strategy. These same decision-making skills are vital in cargo delivery, emergency response, and next-gen aviation, where precision under pressure is non-negotiable.

In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Stéphane shares insights into ASPIRE’s mission, the rise of autonomous racing challenges, and the broader impact these competitions can have across technology, education, and industry.

Dawn Zoldi is CEO and Founder of P3 Tech Consulting and Publisher of Autonomy Global.  P3 Tech is an internationally recognized company that provides consulting, content, and education on emerging technologies, with a special focus on legal and regulatory issues in autonomous systems. The company is best known for its award-winning Dawn of Autonomy podcast (formerly Dawn of Drones) and its global media platform, Autonomy Global, which connects people passionate about advanced tech policy with the programs and insights they need to succeed.

Dawn is a licensed attorney and retired U.S. Air Force Colonel, with 28 years of military and federal service. She’s also a Part 107 certified drone pilot and an internationally recognized expert in uncrewed aircraft system law and policy. Her work has been featured on Fox News, CNN, Forbes, Newsweek, and PBS. Her Dawn of Autonomy podcast was named one of the “Top 7 Drone Podcasts of 2024” by The Drone Girl and “Best Drone Podcast of the Year 2023” by The Droning Company. She is also the author of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Legal and Business Considerations: A Modern Primer for U.S. Drone Programs.

In early 2025, Congress passed a continuing resolution to keep the U.S. government funded. But what does that mean for the drone industry? In this episode, Dawn breaks it down—especially for companies working in autonomy, robotics, drones, and AI technologies for defense. She also shares updates on her Law-Tech Connect Workshop and the latest from Autonomy Global.