SpaceUp · Assisting European SPACE Start-ups in scaling UP

The SpaceUp project aims at giving Europe's innovative start-ups in the space sector every opportunity to become world-leading companies. SpaceUp promotes technology transfer, networking, outreach and matchmaking with business angels, crowd funders, investors, human resource specialists and CEOs from corporates, culminating in six European SPACE ACADEMIES. Exposure to strategic corporate investors is being increased by engaging actively with relevant high tech industries like automotive, robotics. SpaceUp experts offer advice on how to best profit from the opportunities represented by European Public Funds (H2020/SME Instrument, EIB and EIF) and by the European Space Agency. Promising tech start-ups are being guided through already existing services offered like ESA-BICs, EEN, space-related clusters and NCPs. SpaceUp builds on activities carried out by ESA’s Technology Transfer Programme Office (TTPO) and ESA BICs, and fosters the uptake of space data and services by non-space industrial and service players for further commercial applications. SpaceUp reinforces the spin-out efforts of ESA through cross-fertilization by enhancing connection and networking with non-space technology experts, e.g. in maritime, logistics, land-use and security sectors. It also fosters spin-in activities from these into the space sector.Up to 360 start-ups in total can attend the six SPACE ACADEMIES taking place across Europe incl. the widening countries. Of these the most advanced 60 start-ups, applying for the SpaceUp coaching services, selected on the basis of the most viable cases (business, products and/or services) by the SpaceUp evaluation committee, are being invited not only to attend the SPACE ACADEMIES. They also get access to all partners’ services and to customized one-to-one coaching within areas of expertise they need to reach their next commercial stage (up to 10 per academy).Finally, recommendations on best practice and lessons learnt will be established for start-ups, SMEs and existing BICs and the sustainability of offering future European SPACE ACADEMIES will be explored.