As part of the European Space Agency (ESA)’s wider engagement with industry and investors, ESA contributed to key discussions on the future of Europe’s space economy at ILA Berlin 2026 and SuperReturn Tech Sovereignty 2026. Across both events, the common theme of strengthening financing conditions to support the scaling of European space companies emerged.
Driving investment discussions at SuperReturn
At SuperReturn Tech Sovereignty in Berlin, Germany, on 11 June, Cecilia Blacker Sy, Head of Planning, Strategy and Management Coordination Office at ESA, joined Will Porteous, General Partner at RRE Ventures, for a fireside chat focusing on the evolving global and European space sectors.
The discussion highlighted how ESA can help European investors shift momentum to leading late-stage rounds for space scaleups, which includes starting a dedicated directorate, simplifying contracts and closing the late stage funding gap by working with the European Investment Bank (EIB) to provide financing through the Space TechEU lending envelope.
The work with EIB is developed under the TechEU initiative to address structural gaps in access to credit for European space companies. The facility is designed to support SMEs and mid-caps by enabling broader access to debt financing, complementing existing ESA programmes. It reflects the shared objective to strengthen financing conditions and support companies as they scale.
Showcasing the ecosystem at ILA Berlin
These priorities were also reflected at ILA Berlin, on 10–14 June, where ESA participated extensively across the programme. The opening of the ILA Space Pavilion featured ESA astronaut Dr Alexander Gerst, while ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher contributed to discussions during ILA Space Day, including a live call with ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot on board the International Space Station.
Within this context, Gianluigi Baldesi, Head of ESA’s Ventures and Financing Office, took part in a roundtable on empowering European space startups. The discussion underlined that while strong institutional support and public funding are in place, the key priority now is to unlock growth-stage financing and support European companies in scaling commercially and internationally.