Technoport SA’s Post

🚀 Call for Applications has been extended by two weeks ⚠️ ⏳ Due date: 16 August 2024 - 23:59 CET ㅤ 🔴 What is the #ESRIC Startup Support Programme? The ESRIC Start-up Support Programme is the first incubation programme exclusively dedicated to space resources utilization projects. The Programme provides a dedicated technical and business support from all our partners including researchers and engineers from European Space Agency - ESA, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) and European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC) and many other including a funding of 200,000 € for product development (MvP/PoC). 🔵 Benefits of the Programme: Selected projects from all around the world will receive a funding in the form of a non-repayable/Non-equity grant up to 200.000€. You will receive additional technical, business and marketing support from a team of experts in business innovation. You will also be able to benefit from a wide network of local and international partners. 🔴 Who can apply? The call is open to all worldwide #DeepTech and #SpaceTech project owners and small and medium-sized enterprises, incorporated no longer than 5 years ago. They must be in the Space Resources Utilization field, with a terrestrial and/or space application. Have a look on the teaser video below and apply 👇👇 ▶ https://lnkd.in/dwsmFCxt For more information, do not hesitate to contact Olivier ZEPHIR, PhD. & Lari Cujko #ISRU #space #spaceresources #startups #supportprogram European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC) Kathryn Hadler Luxembourg Space Agency European Space Agency - ESA ESA Commercialisation Gateway Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) Technoport SA Colorado School of Mines Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office New York Luxembourg Trade & Investment Office San Francisco Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office Taipei 盧森堡台北辦事處 Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office Abu Dhabi Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office - Tokyo （ルクセンブルク貿易投資事務所） Venture Café Tokyo Institut de la Propriété Intellectuelle Luxembourg GIE (IPIL) Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office Tel Aviv Luxinnovation GIE Helix Space PwC France Luigi Scatteia Yann Perrot Alessandro Calzi Bertrand Moupfouma SpearLight Philippe Briot Kevin Cannon Christopher Dreyer Space Technology Centre AGH Politecnico di Torino Cesare Tamburi

☄️ Just 2 days left ☄️ In case you missed it, the deadline to apply for ESA BIC Finland is this Friday! Do you know that we have been running this program since 2018? Since then, more than 20 amazing companies have been through the ESA BIC Finland #incubation program and benefited from it. For some of our alumni companies, the #space industry represents a new business area, or an opportunity to better serve and address their existing markets utilizing space assets or to find new customer segments. 🚀 Check the list of alumni companies - where you will find familiar names such as Solar Foods, Kuva Space, or Awake.AI to name a few- here: https://lnkd.in/dBtm7M_Q 🪐 How does it sound? Ready to accept the challenge and take your startup to space? All the details and application info: https://lnkd.in/gWP9gbJP European Space Agency - ESA University of Vaasa Business Tampere Business Turku #esabicfinland #europeanspaceagency #businessincubationcentre #finnishstartups #funding

The Space For Inspiration 2024 event, organised by ESA BSGN | Business in Space Growth Network and held at ESA ESTEC | Erasmus Innovation Centre, marked a significant annual gathering in the field of commercial space exploration and brought together leading visionaries, entrepreneurs, innovators and investors in the sector. Luca del Monte, Head of the European Space Agency - ESA Commercialisation Department, opened the event with a keynote speech where he presented the unified ESA Commercialisation Strategy and emphasised the ESA's efforts to foster a sustainable commercial space ecosystem and support the private sector's space ventures across all stages of their growth, from incubation (with the ESA BIC programme) to scaling up (via INVEST). Another key session on Future Markets from the ESA perspective featured Kenza Benamar, Bernhard Hufenbach, Christian Walter and Kais Barmawi, where it was discussed the role of the ScaleUp INVEST programme in ensuring a vibrant B2B deal flow in the EU space sector. This talk highlighted the importance of such initiatives for the growth and scalability of space-related businesses in Europe. Overall, the Space For Inspiration 2024 event showcased the latest trends and strategies in commercial space exploration, emphasising collaboration, innovation and market growth. #spaceexploration #spaceindustry #spaceinnovation

🎉 Exciting news! Registrations for the 5th Italian Space Startup Competition are online! Be part of this extraordinary event that propels you to the forefront of space innovation. 🚀🌌 Check out the website >> https://lnkd.in/dfczhNsj 📣The Italian Space Startup Competition will take place at the Italian Space Agency on March 16th - 17th Agenzia Spaziale Italiana 📣The registration deadline for Early Bird has been extended. Afterwards, there will be the Standard registration window, closing on the 31th of January. Don't miss out! 📣Ready to shape the future? On the 16th and 17th of March 2024, buckle up and join us in the Italian Space Startup Competition! The event is tailor-made – but not limited – for recent graduates, students, and young professionals eager to venture into the exciting realm of the space sector. Ready to embrace a challenge in a business context? This is your launchpad! 🚀 🌐 The interdisciplinary nature of the event welcomes participants from any background – whether you're an engineer, law enthusiast, economics whiz, or anything in between, you're invited to participate and bring your unique perspective to the table. 🚀 The competition opens its doors to both individuals and teams, with or without ideas, and startups in the bootstrapping phase (no external funding received). 🌱 👥 Participants without a team won't be left adrift – seize the opportunity to join or be matched with existing groups, fostering collaboration that transcends boundaries! 🚀 📆 Mark your calendars – participants must be between the ages of 18 and 35 to embark on this cosmic journey. #ItalianSpaceCompetition #ISSC5 #SpaceInnovation #SGAC #StartUp

❗️❗️ Last Chance to Register for the 30-day “Space Challenge”! 🚀 🌌 Challenge your idea for applications in one of the fastest-growing industries globally - Space Industry! No prior knowledge of space economy required! The program will give you a chance to discover whether your business idea or project has a role to play in the space industry - now opening doors to businesses from non-space sectors with new opportunities, and increasing the number of support mechanisms for space-related ventures. You will understand whether you qualify to join the future ESA-BIC in Latvia (lead by Commercialization Reactor), as well as other space-related programmes. Benefit from the program by getting understanding of: ✅ the space industry and the "NewSpace" economy, its opportunities and needs; ✅ how to find a place for your company or project in the space industry and the “NewSpace” economy; ✅ whether the technology has applications in the space industry; ✅ how to develop ideas; ✅ how to seek available funding. The program structure: 🎓 Lecture (15.02, 16:00 EET): without going too much into detail, you’ll learn what the space industry is about today to help you navigate this domain. 🚀 30-day challenge: daily targeted tasks to discover your business niche within the space industry, with support of our team and a final pitch. Best suited for: 🏆Tech Startups 🏆Deep-tech Startups 🏆Researchers 🏆Space Enthusiasts Find Your Place in Space! 🎟 Register here: https://lnkd.in/dEkr7_xv 📅 Program dates: 15.02-21.03.2024 ❗️ Registration closes: 14.02.2024 📍 Where? Online 🛰️ Fees: 50 EUR / free of charge for CR Community ✔️ Language: English 🌐Web: https://lnkd.in/dvvtFb74 The “Space Challenge” is organised by the Commercialization Reactor, in cooperation with the LAIK - Latvian Space Industry Association.

Two observations from #EUSpaceForum   I’ve spent the last two days in Brussels following the European Space Forum. During the conference I noticed two common threads in the conversations worries me a bit: 1.    For the EU self-reliance in space means launching Ariane 6 from Kourou   On of the big themes of the conference was how to create European self-reliance and how to build complete European value-chains in the space domain. The answer seemed to start and stop with getting to the first launch of Ariane 6 from Kourou. The contrast from the dialogue in the US is striking. There self-reliance and resilience is seen as two sides of the same coin. I’ve yet to hear an American official be content with a single launcher out of a single spaceport, as their European counterparts seems to be. Is this a result from the trauma of lack of capacity due to the cancellation of several Ariane 5 launches and then the subsequent delay of Ariane 6? Is because of fear about lessening of European cohesion, making it seem dangerous that different companies in different European countries build launchers and spaceports independent of each other?   If Europe truly wants self-reliance and a resilient space capacity it needs to broaden its horizons and lessen its dependence on a single launcher from a launch-site across the Atlantic. Having multiple assets gives you options and creates deterrence in and of itself.     2.    Europe’s lack of high-risk private capital is universally seen as a problem – yet nobody wants to propose a solution.   Many speakers lamented Europe’s lack of high-risk private capital, and many longing glances was sent across the Atlantic where venture capital funds and ultra-high-net-worth-individuals are supplying capital to the plethora of space startups. The lack of scaling capital – and the scaling experience – that a VC-fund brings, is seen as one of the main causes behind Europe’s lackluster performance in the NewSpace sector.   The capital out of the US was also seen as a threat – the thinking being that venture funding and M&A were taking IP and Commercial opportunities out of Europe as soon as they had a proven business case.   Although this was identified as a problem, nobody seems to want to propose a solution. The closest seems to get is the usual complicated public tendering process for institutional acquisition of capacities, and IRIS2’s even more complicated model of commercial/public payload cohosting.   The absence of ideas is worrying. If this is the crux keeping Europe on the loosing side of a newspace race (and loosing out on other growth industries) we need to find a fix for this market failure. new ideas about how European states invest public money in important growth industries should be on the table.  

🚀 The Challenge of Funding in Europe's Space Industry Last week, I reached out to my network to identify the most pressing challenges facing the European space industry. The consensus was clear: lack of funding and investment is the top concern, with 51% of answers highlighting it as the primary roadblock. This issue carries significant implications for our industry: 🛰️ Limited Innovation: The development of space hardware is inherently capital-intensive. Without sufficient funding, our ability to research and innovate diminishes, putting Europe at risk of falling behind in critical technological advancements. 🌍 Global Competitiveness: As the international space race intensifies, Europe risks falling behind. Strategic investment is critical for Europe to secure its position across emerging markets and lead technological advancements. 💔 Fragmented Startup Ecosystem: While Europe boasts a vibrant newspace startup ecosystem, many of these companies remain small compared to their US counterparts. For example, look at the launcher startups in Europe versus those in the US… Europe startups need the funding to grow and compete effectively. 🎓 Decreased Appeal of the Industry: A lack of funding makes the space sector less attractive to top talent, I’d argue. Not that we lack top talent, of course. But I do think more people would be eager to work in the space industry if we had more funding opportunities and, as a result, more innovation. So, what can we do to address these challenges? I believe the first step is to explore strategies similar to those the US used to boost their space industry. What do you think is the most important change needed in Europe to take the first step? 💬 P.S. While regulatory hurdles and bureaucracy pose significant challenges, I believe tackling funding should be our immediate priority. We can dive deeper into the other issues in future discussions 😉 #SpaceIndustry #Space #NewSpace

🚀 Find Your Place in Space - Register for the 30-Day “Space Challenge” 🌌 Have you ever considered space as your next opportunity? Commercialization Reactor, in cooperation with the LAIK - Latvian Space Industry Association, invites you to ponder your potential role in the dynamic space economy. Are you ready to embark on a journey into the cosmos? 🌌 Space, being one of the fastest-growing industries globally, has opened its doors to diverse businesses from non-space sectors, offering new opportunities. In the Baltics, this trend is gaining momentum too, with an increasing number of support mechanisms for space-related ventures. 🤝 For instance, in 2024, the launch of the new European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre (ESA-BIC) is planned in Latvia, with Commercialisation Reactor as the prime partner for this centre’s operations! This initiative aims to further fuel the growth of space-related startups in the region. 🌌 Programme structure: • Lecture: without going too much into detail, you’ll learn what the space industry is about today to help you navigate this domain. • 30-day challenge: daily targeted tasks to discover your business niche within the space industry, with support of our team and a final pitch. 🌠 Why attend? There’s a high chance that your business has a role to play in the space industry, qualifying you to join the future ESA-BIC in Latvia as well as other space-related programmes. 👩🚀 Who is it for? Deep-tech startups, technological start-ups, researchers and space enthusiasts, with or without prior knowledge of the space economy. 📅 When: 15.02-21.03.2024 📍 Where: Online 🛰️ Fees: 50 EUR / free of charge for CR Residents ✔️ Language: English ✅ Register here: https://lnkd.in/dEkr7_xv 🌐 Webpage: https://lnkd.in/dvvtFb74 

The #Space #Economy is BOOMING and the ESA Commercialisation Gateway is your entry point to all the #business #opportunities within the European Space Agency - ESA.

🌍 Had the privilege of speaking at the #EO4Africa Symposium at the European Space Agency - ESA in ESRIN, Italy, where we discussed private sector involvement in Earth Observation (EO) systems, products, and services. The focus was on gathering lessons learned by the private sector in navigating markets and tailoring EO solutions to meet the needs of targeted users. During my intervention, I addressed some hard truths: 💡 Entrepreneurship in Africa is a whole different ball game. We're not just building businesses—we’re forced to solve foundational issues like building logistics networks or helping customers secure funding, before we can even focus on our core mission. While EO offers huge potential, turning it into a viable business model adds complexity to an already tough journey. The space community often lacks understanding of real-world industrial challenges, while industries are unaware of the full potential of space capabilities. This disconnect creates a bottleneck for market growth, leaving space tech largely confined to research or unsustainable donor-led and/or government consultancies. 💡 Time to get real about funding. If Africa is to truly compete globally in this sector, we need substantial investment in space tech—on par with what Europe and North America receive. The tokenism of $10k innovation competitions, often hyped as a way to spur entrepreneurship, simply isn’t enough. There’s too much emphasis on turning almost everyone into an entrepreneur, but it's an illusion to think African innovators can build scalable, bankable businesses with such crumbs—especially when their counterparts in the Global North have far more resources to bring ideas to life. 💡 Collaboration is key—but it must be meaningful. Stop letting valuable research collect dust—share it with innovators who can test real-world business models. Likewise, businesses should collaborate by sharing high-quality, GDPR-compliant data to drive innovation. This shouldn’t just be about de-risking technology, but as much about securing sufficient funding for implementing go-to-market strategies. The real challenge? Shifting the mindset of customers—just as real as climate change. Special thanks to our session chairs,  Sandile Malinga, PhD from Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Meshack Kinyua (African Union Commission), and to my fellow panelists: Emmanuel PAJOT (EARSC) | Temidayo Oniosun (Space in Africa) | Imraan Saloojee(RIIS) | Vivianne Meta (LocateIT). Let’s stop playing small and unlock the full potential of space technologies for Africa's future! 🌍🚀 #EO4Africa #Space4Development #GlobalPartnerships #Africa