On September 2022 at the 73rd International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2022) in Paris, ESA introduced ten talented entrepreneurs in its start-up pitch competition. The competition was run across the ESA Business Incubation Centres (ESA BICs) in two domains: Earth Observation and Space Transportation.
The winning start-up in the Earth Observation category was the French SpaceSense and in the Space Transportation category the British Magdrive. Both winners received one hour C-level mentoring from Geraldine Naja, ESA Director for Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness, and various follow ups with ESA and space industry experts. Additionally, both winners experienced weightlessness on board of an Airbus A310 Zero-G aircraft operated by Novespace.
Credits: Air Zero G / Novespace
Credits: Air Zero G / Novespace
For the runners-up, SuperSharp Space Systems attended a C-level mentoring session with Simonetta Cheli, ESA Director of Earth Observation. Finally, The Exploration Company attended a mentoring session with Daniel Neuenschwander, ESA Director of Space Transportation.
Six months on
Six months after the ESA BIC Pitch to Fly Start-up Competition, the achievements and the progress of all four start-ups are impressive
- SpaceSense released the first version of its product and is currently processing about 15 million hectares monthly. The start-up is also on the way of becoming a partner in the ESA Partnership Initiative for Commercialisation (EPIC), alongside partners such as Airbus, Planet, Sinergise and Euroconsult. Sami Yacoubi from SpaceSense said: “The mentoring was very useful to help us get a larger vision of the European Earth Observation market and gave us some good contacts and opportunities. The flight is an amazing opportunity to do a once in a lifetime experience, and really understand the physical sensation that astronauts go through. It was amazing!”.
- SuperSharp Space Systems continued the development of its unfolding space telescope with financial support from the UK Ministry of Defense. This latest technology development contract will enable SuperSharp to deliver a space-rated version of the telescope in 2023, which they are aiming to test in space in 2025. The company has also participated in other European pitch competitions in the last six months, including the ESA BIC Czech Republic Pitch Competition and the ESA BIC UK Ignite Pitch Competition, leading to further interest in their flagship product.
- Magdrive launched its first prototype, Operation Get it Up, to demonstrate its unique power system. The latest full system prototype Look What you Made Me Do is producing measurable thrust, so that work can begin on the Engineering Model with funding from the UK government. Magdrive has secured additional grants from the UK Space Agency to develop an electric third kick stage for launch vehicles to significantly extend their deployment range. Reflecting on the parabolic flight moments after the last parabola, Mark Stokes from Magdrive reported: “This was incredible. You are floating, but you are not. You are upside down and you have no idea where you are. It’s better than 1 G, if I could live in 0 G I would!”
- In February 2023, The Exploration Company secured 40 million EURO funding closing the biggest Series A raised by a space tech start-up in Europe. The first capsule demo is ready for flight and will be launched in August 2023. The second and larger caspule demo is on-track to be launched in October 2024 with payload clients onboard, and is already sold out. The company is also working with ESA and AZO Anwendungszentrum GmbH Oberpfaffenhofen to the ESA Payload Masters, an opportunity with the aim of promoting and scouting for innovative in-orbit experiments and novel technologies for payloads and open to start-ups, SMEs and research centers in ESA member states with application deadline on 30 April 2023.
Geraldine Naja, ESA Director for Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness, stated: “During the mentoring sessions with Sami and Mark, I was able to see first-hand the challenges they face among established space industry and to listen to their needs as founders of rapidly growing start-ups. Interactions like this are having direct impact on our approach to start-up support, as well as commercialisation and transformation at ESA more generally. It is also heartwarming to see their enthusiasm, creativity, and confidence. These sessions are not only useful to them – they are essential for us! Reflecting on the progress of all four companies over just half a year, one can witness the dynamism and fast pace of new space companies in Europe and ESA’s endeavor in enabling and matching this!”.
Coming up next, and open until 3 May 2023, is the New Space Global Markets Challenge, a call for opportunity organised by the ESA Commercialisation Gateway, to support European space start-ups to scale their solutions to new markets.