On 20 September 2023, the ESA Partnership Initiative for Commercialisation (EPIC) hosted its inaugural event in Budapest in collaboration with Design Terminal – the economic operator for ESA BIC Hungary. The EPIC launch event brought together participants from ESA’s Commercialisation Networks (ESA BICs and ESA Technology Brokers) with EPIC partners and start-ups who graduated from ESA BICs across Europe.
Established in September 2022, EPIC aims to empower entrepreneurship and the commercial cases of space-enabled start-ups. EPIC is in its first year of operations and this event reflected on some of the partnerships so far and their current and future impact on the European start-up ecosystem.
The event relied on different formats such as presentations of the partners and their offers, panel sessions and townhall discussions to encourage fruitful interactions around the main objectives of EPIC:
- Purpose – pursuing fit-for-purpose partnerships and offers;
- Diversity – diversifying space as a business; and
- Sustainability – tackling global challenges together.
Sustainability of space through partnerships
EPIC panel session: Sustainability of space through partnerships
A panel on sustainability comprised of representatives from Sinergise, The Exploration Company and ICEYE explored what we can do collectively through partnerships to raise awareness in the space sector when it comes to sustainability efforts. The panel touched upon upcoming regulations and how these can help companies be more sustainable within their supply chains.
To dive into the details of this panel and hear the offers of some of the EPIC partners (Iceye, Planet and Sinergise) tune into the recording of the event.
EPIC townhall session
EPIC townhall session
The townhall session centred around topics such as enhancing start-up engagements and creating commercial opportunities for start-ups and in this way expanding the competitiveness of the wider European space ecosystem. There were some concrete outcomes discussed for the forthcoming year such as information days, demo days and hackathons. Keep an eye on EPIC developments as we have new activities coming and new EPIC partners joining.
To feel the energy of the event and hear directly from the ESA EPIC team and the EPIC partners check out the event’s wrap-up video.
Discover the EPIC initiative
