More than 150 representatives of ESA ScaleUp business support services from across Europe – from BICs to Phi-Labs, and Technology Brokers to Accelerators – came together at the historic Real Fabrica de Artilleria de Sevilla for the ESA ScaleUp Commercialisation Network Meeting from 19–21 May. Under the hot Spanish sun, the key topics to consistently emerge were collaboration and internationalisation – and the urgent need to build a sovereign European space commercialisation ecosystem.
Amid the positive buzz of multilingual networking and connections, there was a clear theme underlying the discussions: the paradigm shifts brought about by the changing world order. The recognition of space as a critical infrastructure for the European economy, resilience and sovereignty gives new meaning to the role of the Network in delivering a stronger European space ecosystem by bringing businesses into the ESA family and supporting their growth.
“Space is no longer an isolated sector or a purely institutional domain. It is critical infrastructure, a transversal enabling technology and a key pillar of Europe’s competitiveness, resilience and technological sovereignty. Europe has the talent, the industry and the research capacity to innovate; the real challenge now is to scale that innovation into competitive companies, sustainable industrial capabilities and global impact,” explained José María Pérez, Head of the National Programmes Department of the host national Spanish Space Agency (AEE).
The challenges – and opportunities – arising from the shifting geopolitical sands, as well as the urgency for Europe to act, were underlined by Philip Thomas, Head of ScaleUp Division at ESA: “The world as we know it has been changing radically in the past year and that means huge changes for the space sector. Geopolitically, we can no longer assume that reliance on traditional partners is a safe option. We also need to look carefully at some of the critical dependences in the European space supply chain where companies are most exposed. We must apply strategic focus now to build European capability. If we don’t, sovereignty remains out of reach.”
“Having said that, there has never been a more exciting time to be a part of the space sector in Europe. What we are deploying are models of support for the commercialisation of space that works in each Member State – this is not a one size fits all approach. At the same time, we must avoid creating silos, where countries and activities are operating in isolation.”
ESA’s space commercialisation network is in a unique position to enable Europe to pack a punch in the global space ecosystem by tapping into local and regional ecosystems.
“There is nothing like this network anywhere else in the world and in any sector. It is ‘ESA near me’ for startups and businesses anywhere in Europe, a local point of contact that can scale companies, capabilities, investment,” ESA Head of Applications and Solutions Nick Appleyard said.
Practically and operationally what that means on the ground is a laser focus on collaboration, strengthening links and cross pollination across ESA’s commercialisation services and across national borders.
“We have a network that is a powerful asset. We work together with Member States to help startups connect with others across the network to build technical and commercial partnerships, and help companies break into markets beyond Europe,” Mr Thomas said.
The power of the ScaleUp network in supporting businesses was clear as representatives from kick-starts shared their experiences at the event.
“ESA believes in you, when others don’t. This is so important as a startup, because you then have credibility and something to show to then attract investors,” Alessia Gloder from Adaptronics explained.
Wrapping up the event Head of Innovation Services at ESA Roberto Cossu noted the shared sense of direction that had been palpable throughout the three days: “You all share the need and want to support businesses beyond your services and countries, and it is great to see the collaboration that is already happening across different components of ESA’s ScaleUp network. More connections need to be made too with the support that is available to businesses through BASS and other ESA programmes.”
While collaboration, internationalisation and scaling up were the mots du jour, Cornelis Eldering, Head of the Space Solutions section at ESA, pointed out that a healthy space ecosystem is not just about creating global giants. “Many companies coming out of BICs remain intentionally small and specialised. We support those smaller businesses too – SMEs are after all the backbone of European economies. The key is to be able to provide the right support to the right business – and for those that have the ambition and the capacity to become a global unicorn, we can and must enable that to happen here in Europe, for the benefit of Europe.”
Finally, with a nod to Spain’s national motto, Mr Eldering summed up the mood and ambition with upbeat gusto: “As a network, we are the gateway for European businesses to venture into the world.”