The European Space Agency (ESA) hosted an event on April 03-04, 2025, where industry representatives gathered to discuss the future of space in Europe and prepare for the upcoming Council Meeting at Ministerial Level (CM25).
During the event, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher emphasised the importance of collaboration among ESA, European industry, and Member States to ensure long-term autonomy and competitiveness in the space sector. The two-day event involved presentations from ESA directors on programme proposals and opportunities, fostering an open dialogue with industry participants to gather feedback and improve future initiatives.
The ACCESS programme
During the event, Geraldine Naja, Director of Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness at ESA, together with Rita Rinaldo, Head of Projects and Studies Implementation Division, and Philip Thomas, Head of ScaleUp Programme Division, presented the new ACCESS (Accelerating Commercialisation and Competitiveness of the European Space Sector) Programme, designed to grow Europe’s commercial space sector by supporting companies in their commercialisation efforts. The programme aims to diversify the European space ecosystem and ensure that the entire sector, including Member States and agencies, benefits from the growth, innovation, and dynamism brought by the commercialisation of space.
The mission of ACCESS is to provide efficient and focused support for European companies, including start-ups, SMEs, and newcomer entities, in coordination with other ESA Programmes. This support enables the development of innovative commercial products and services that deliver socioeconomic impact at scale and ensure European competitiveness in both space and non-space markets.
Programme Structure
The ACCESS Programme is organised around two main elements:
- SCALE-UP: This element, first presented as a programme in 2022, includes components like Phi-LabNET, ESA Business Incubation Centres, ESA Technology Brokers, ESA Business Accelerator, and INVEST. These components focus on bringing research closer to commercialisation, helping entrepreneurs build competitive companies, supporting technology transfers, and accelerating the time-to-market for space products and services.
- Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS): This element, presented in 2016, supports companies in developing sustainable space-based business applications, providing funding and business support, and facilitating access to networks of stakeholders engaged in the adoption of space for their operations.
The ACCESS Programme builds on the successes and lessons learned from the BASS and ScaleUp programmes and aims to strengthen and further improve them. It also aligns with the objectives of ESA’s Agenda 2025 and Strategy 2040.