Erika Wagner

Blue Origin

Business Development Manager

Engineer, program manager, and business professional with interest in innovation and humanity’s grand challenges.

Strong interdisciplinary background in aerospace and biomedical engineering, with significant exposure to both spacecraft development and clinical medicine. Research expertise in vestibular physiology, bone biomechanics, organizational innovation, and prize theory.

Built the X PRIZE Lab @ MIT from the ground up, developing a network for teaching and research on innovation incentives. Transitioned to Senior Director of Exploration Prize Development with the X PRIZE Foundation, managing a portfolio of new competition designs in space, sea and advanced transportation.

Now have returned to the commercial space industry, specializing in translating between scientists, engineers, and the rest of the world. Passionate about human spaceflight and the opportunities afforded for research, education, and the arts as we open the space frontier. Frequent public speaker on commercial spaceflight, innovation, and STEM/STEAM.

Specialties: exploration, aerospace medicine, commercial spaceflight, innovation, prize theory