It’s official. Chris Stott is a geek.

The Manx space entrepreneur co-founded the regulatory and orbital frequency services company, ManSat, Odyssey Moon, and the International Institute of Space Commerce.

He is married to Nicole Stott, an American astronaut and they live near Houston, Texas.

He is co-founder of an organisation called Geeks Without Frontiers, which has launched an initiative to connect the estimated 4.2 billion people in the world who do not have the benefit of internet access, and to help meet the UN sustainable development goals.

Its Community Connect programme is a code of best practices for satellite operators, regulators, service oroviders and integrators, designed to help promote the more rapid and cost-effective deployment of satellite broadband to communities across the world.

Since its release at the Geeks annual conference in Washington DC in October, Community Connect has also been endorsed by many different organisations and Mr Stott’s ManSat is a supporter.

Geeks co-founder John Morris said: ’The Geeks initiative reflects the UN Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development’s recommendations for countries to both "develop enhanced national broadband plans" and to "update regulatory frameworks for broadband" in recognition of the vital role of broadband in building and transforming economies and societies and achieving the SDGs.

’Community Connect will provide a powerful tool that can be harnessed by any country to help develop satellite broadband services as an important part of their national broadband strategy and policies.’

Mr Stott said: ’Community Connect is the next logical step in opening up broadband for the global community.

’The technology, the need and the demand are there. We now need to ensure that the regulatory paths are also there in order to enable it all to happen.

’This endorsement of Community Connect by so many experienced industry participants and by the Pacific Telecommunications Council is a ringing validation of the importance of this initiative.’