“Through being part of the ScaleUp Phi-LabNET network, the ESA Phi-Lab in Ireland is able to help companies not only in Ireland but also in other participating ESA Member States, reach their full commercial potential by providing targeted and relevant support for their most innovative proposals.”
– Philip Thomas, Head of the ScaleUp Programme Division within ESA Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness Directorate
ESA has expanded its European innovation network with the establishment of ESA Phi‑Lab Ireland, a new centre designed to advance the development and commercialisation of next‑generation space technologies.
Hosted at Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) in Mullingar and developed in collaboration with the AMBER Centre at Trinity College Dublin, the facility strengthens ESA’s capacity to support industry in maturing space‑optimised hardware and accelerating commercially driven innovation across Europe.
ESA Phi‑LabNET: a Network for Innovation
Part of ScaleUp in the ACCESS programme, Phi‑LabNET is ESA’s network of innovation laboratories designed to bring research closer to commercialisation by directly connecting scientific and technological advances with real commercial needs.
Each Phi‑Lab acts as a reference centre for a specific domain of expertise, such as AI, robotics, advanced manufacturing, sensors, quantum technologies, or climate resilience.
Through regular funding opportunities for economic operators, aligned with both ESA and national priorities, these labs enable industry, startups, and young companies to advance breakthrough ideas into viable commercial products.
Ireland’s First ESA Phi‑Lab: A National Platform for Space Innovation
The launch of ESA Phi-Lab Ireland marks a step in expanding ESA’s ScaleUp innovation footprint, establishing a national centre dedicated to space-optimised hardware development, from materials discovery through to high volume manufacturing.
Two companies, MBRYONICS and Ubotica Technologies, have already been selected through the first Open Call, with a second call opening later in 2026 to support additional industry‑driven projects.
Official Launch Event
The official launch took place on 13 February 2026 at IMR in Mullingar, bringing together ESA representatives, government stakeholders, National Delegates to ESA, Enterprise Ireland, and industry.
The event opened with remarks from Barry Kennedy, CEO of IMR, followed by a Ministerial Address and plaque unveiling by Ireland’s Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke TD, who noted that “ESA Phi-Lab Ireland strengthens Ireland’s position as a hub for advanced research, innovation and high-value enterprise. It demonstrates our long-term commitment to supporting cutting-edge technologies that will drive competitiveness, create skilled jobs and deliver solutions to global challenges, from advanced manufacturing to industrial transformation. The Government’s €170 million commitment to ESA over the next five years is about ensuring Ireland plays a leading role in Europe’s space future.”
Pictured are Will Barton OBE, Chairman at IMR, Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Barry Kennedy, CEO at IMR, Dietmar Pilz, Director of Technology, Engineering & Quality, and Head of ESTEC at ESA, Philip Thomas, Head of ScaleUp Programme Division at ESA, and Ken Horan, Head of ESA Phi-Lab Ireland at the official opening of the ESA Phi-Lab Ireland, headquartered at IMR in Mullingar, unveiling a commemorative plaque. Photo Credits: Patrick Browne.
Alan Dillion TD, Minister of State for Employment, Small Businesses and Retail & Circular Economy, added, “Ireland’s growing leadership in space-enabled innovation is reflected in the establishment of ESA Phi-Lab Ireland. This new national platform strengthens our position at the forefront of advanced manufacturing, next-generation research, and European collaboration. By investing in cutting-edge technologies and deepening our partnership with the European Space Agency, Ireland is laying the foundations for high-value jobs, industrial competitiveness, and solutions that will benefit society for decades to come.”
ESA leaders Dietmar Pilz, Director of Technology, Engineering and Quality, and Head of ESA ESTEC, and Philip Thomas, Head of ESA ScaleUp Division, highlighted the strategic importance of the Phi-LabNET and ESA’s commitment to commercially-driven innovation.
“ESA Phi-Lab in Ireland is a powerful example of how Europe is strengthening its technology by bringing cutting-edge research closer to industrial applications. With ESA Phi‑Lab Ireland, ESA is investing in the technologies that will elevate the future of Europe’s space sector, strengthening industrial competitiveness while ensuring that innovation for space delivers value far beyond it. It reinforces ESA’s commitment to fostering excellence across its Member States and to ensuring that innovation developed for space delivers real benefits for industry, society and Europe’s long‑term competitiveness”, stated Dietmar Pilz.
The programme continued with a panel discussion on opportunities for Irish companies in European and global space markets, featuring ESA, MBRYONICS, Ubotica Technologies, and Enterprise Ireland.
The establishment of ESA Phi-Lab Ireland comes at a time of expansion in Ireland’s space ecosystem, with more than 100 Irish companies currently active with ESA programmes. The new centre reinforces ESA’s strategic objective of enabling Member States to drive technological progress, supporting the maturation of critical capabilities with high commercial potential that will underpin Europe’s future space competitiveness.
Go to ESA Phi-Lab Ireland Website