The European Space Agency (ESA) is now inviting entrepreneurs to submit innovative ideas to the Earth Observation Entrepreneurship Initiative (EOEI) Call until 19 June 2016 12:00 CET! The Call aims to attract new players to the world of Earth Observation from space and support innovative ideas using Earth Observation (EO) data that can turn grand challenges of our society, emerging business needs and advances in digital technologies into new growth opportunities for Europe. ESA plans to award up to 50 Innovation Vouchers worth 15,000 EURO enabling the selected applicants to procure data, tools and specific expertise and services to refine their idea and prototype products both on a technical and business model point of view. It is to be noted that this Call is directed specifically to new players and is fully complementary to other existing competitions (e.g. Copernicus Masters, App camps), as it addresses the pre-incubation phase, thereby bridging the feasibility gap between ideas and the incubation of new companies. More information: http://esa-eoei.org/

O Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) lança hoje com a Agência Espacial Europeia (ESA ARTES Applications), em colaboração com o Gabinete do Espaço da Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) e a Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações (ANACOM) a sua call anual para aplicações de comunicações por satélite e para aplicações integradas, denominada Small ARTES Applications. Esta call insere-se no âmbito das actividades “espaço-terra” do IPN, visando estimular a submissão de projectos que se proponham utilizar recursos espaciais para gerar negócio noutros mercados (transportes, turismo, mar, energia, etc.). Esta call estará aberta para submissão de candidaturas até ao dia 21 de Junho e apoia duas linhas de projectos: 1. Comunicações por Satélite 2. Aplicações Integradas A call Small ARTES Applications é... Uma oportunidade para validação técnica e de mercado de ideias que utilizem activos espaciais para criar novos produtos ou serviços ou trazer uma vantagem competitiva a produtos/serviços existentes, respondendo a uma necessidade ou oportunidade concreta de mercados não espaciais (transportes, turismo, mar, energia, etc.). É também uma preparação para projectos futuros no contexto dos programas ESA ARTES Applications (ESA ARTES Integrated Applications e ESA ARTES SatCom Applications). Exemplo dos projectos Small ARTES Applications 2015. Activos espaciais são... Equipamentos que são ou podem ser colocados no espaço (ex. satélite, lançador) ou equipamentos terrestres que apoiam directamente a actividade no espaço (ex. uma ground station), incluindo todas as tecnologias, arquitecturas, software, técnicas, ferramentas, sistemas, hardware, modelos, componentes, materiais, etc. desenvolvidos para integrar esses equipamentos, bem como dados e imagens gerados a partir deles (ex. provenientes de satélites de Observação da Terra). A ESA divide os activos espaciais por áreas, por exemplo: Navegação, Telecomunicações, Observação da Terra. Para saber mais sobre a categorização dos vários activos espaciais, visitar www.esa.int/ESA (menu “Our Activities” no topo da página). Uma ideia de negócio é enquadrável na linha de Comunicações por Satélite quando... O produto ou serviço a levar para o mercado não espacial incorpora comunicações por satélite. Uma ideia de negócio é enquadrável na linha de Aplicações Inegradas quando… O produto ou serviço a levar para o mercado não espacial incorpora pelo menos dois activos espaciais, por exemplo: Tecnologia + Telecomunicações; Navegação + Telecomunicações; Navegação + Observação da Terra; Ciência Espacial + Navegação; etc.. Para ter acesso aos activos espaciais… Resultados de projectos ESA, projectos FP7/H2020, projectos FCT ou outros; Directório de patentes da ESA: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Engineering_Technology/IP_for_commercialisation; Base de dados de tecnologias do espaço com potencial de aplicação não espacial: http://www.esa-tec.eu/see-more/space-technologies/ Informação sobre a call Small ARTES Applications, incluindo documentação de candidatura: http://space.ipn.pt/pages/artes_call Para mais informação, contactar space@ipn.pt

Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) was invited by the European Commission to present their best practices in coordinating the Incubation Center of European Space Agency in Portugal (ESA BIC Portugal) during the 2nd Finance Workshop Space Economy, held on 3 May in Brussels. Launched in 2014 end, the ESA BIC Portugal is one of 16 current ESA incubators at European level. In this structure are supported startups to implement proven technology in space in sectors such as health, transport, energy, security and urban life. The 2nd Finance Workshop Space Economy brought together representatives of the European Commission, the European Space Agency and Airbus, as well as investors and incubators. The initiative intended to discuss new ways to finance the growing boom in space startups that has taken place mainly in the United States and Europe, from SME finance programs to the emergence of specialized investment funds for the space industry. In addition to the ESA BIC Portugal, ESA BIC UK was also chosen to present their experience in business incubation in the space area. So far, the ESA BIC Portugal has supported 11 startups. In the next five years - duration of the program - provides incubate 30 companies that will create about 240 new jobs and ability to raise capital of 6.5 million euros. The ESA BIC Portugal is a direct investment in Portugal of € 1,950,000 (one million nine hundred and fifty thousand euros) in five years. This program is led by the IPN and has poles in UPTEC and DNA Cascais Agency. The ESA BIC Portugal has the support of the Space Office (FCT / ANI) and other stakeholders, such as CCDRC, universities, municipalities and investors and was considered of strategic importance to Portugal, which is why the Government through the FCT, It has invested significant resources in this area.

MOSTRA QUE A CIDADE DOS ESTUDANTES TEM UM NOVO PROFESSOR. BIG smart cities by Vodafone Power Lab e Ericsson é uma competição de ideias para negócios de base tecnológica que melhorem o dia-a-dia de quem vive, trabalha ou visita uma cidade. Este ano, o BIG smart cities ficou mais BIG ainda, e evoluiu para uma amplitude nacional, com as cidades do Porto, Coimbra, Évora e Lisboa a promoverem eventos locais: os BIG city challenges. Assim, durante o mês de Abril, vamos procurar 4 equipas nestas 4 cidades, para se juntarem aos 20 finalistas que vão poder desenvolver as suas ideias num programa de pré-aceleração. Faz-te BIG, prepara o teu pitch, inscreve-te e vem aproveitar os BIG city challenges para melhorares o teu projeto. Além da possibilidade de teres acesso direto ao grupo de 20 finalistas BIG smart cities e de ganhares o prize money de 500 euros, terás a oportunidade de aperfeiçoares o teu modelo de negócio, através de mentoring no dia do challenge. Marca já na tua agenda: o BIG city challenge @ Coimbra é no dia 21 de Abril no Instituto Pedro Nunes às 14h. Vais ficar a olhar para o Mondego ou vens mudar o mundo? 3 COISAS QUE PRECISAS DE SABER SOBRE O BIG SMART CITIES: 1. Este ano tens 2 formas de candidatar-te: através do formulário disponível no site bigsmartcities.com e/ou participando num dos eventos BIG city challenges a decorrer no Porto, Coimbra, Évora e Lisboa. 2. A tua ideia deve enquadrar-se numa das seguintes áreas de oportunidade: Smart Living (Qualidade de vida, Energia, Saúde, Educação), Smart Mobility, Smart Tourism e Smart Government. 3. De entre os 20 finalistas BIG smart sities, será selecionado um vencedor que recebe 10.000 euros, 6 meses de incubac?a?o no Vodafone Power Lab e uma viagem para conhecer um polo de inovação da Ericsson na Europa. Tens alguma dúvida? Então aparece numa das sessões de esclarecimento que vamos anunciando no Facebook ou envia-nos um e-mail para hello@bigsmartcities.com. PENSA BIG. PENSA SMART. INSCREVE­-TE EM BIGSMARTCITIES.COM Mais informação em: bigsmartcities.com https://www.facebook.com/BIGsmartcities https://twitter.com/BIGsmartcities

The ‘Space for Sustainability Award’ is targeting students and young professionals under 30 with Project Ideas which will enable the space sector to put SD on a formal footing, raise awareness among the younger generations and professionals, and contribute to furthering the debate on the topic. Submit your idea to a judging panel of distinguished personalities and win a memorable trip and the opportunity to make some great contacts! The author of the winning Project Idea will have the quite unique opportunity to visit Europe’s Spaceport at Kourou (French Guiana) as well as to attend a launch of either Ariane, Vega or Soyouz!! The main requirement for the Award is that the innovative Project Idea must link space (from a broad perspective) with at least one of the pillars of sustainable development (environment, economy, social, governance), and preferably focus specifically on European purposes. Information available at http://sdaward.eisc.esa.int/

The deadlines to submit proposals for ESA BIC Portugal in 2016 are the following (PT time): - 1st February - 18th May - 12th October The application documents are available at: http://space.ipn.pt/pages/open_call Startup? Start now! For more information, contact us at space@ipn.pt!

On the occasion of the 1st anniversary of the Business Incubation Center of the European Space Agency in Portugal, it takes place on 19 November, Thursday, at 17:00, at the Instituto Pedro Nunes, in Coimbra, a presentation event of the results of this project and firms that will be supported in the next two years. The Business Incubation Centre of the European Space Agency in Portugal (ESA BIC Portugal), coordinated by Pedro Nunes Institute, was released in late 2014, being one of the 13 current ESA BICs in Europe. ESA BICs supports startups applying technology developed for the space in sectors such as health, transport, energy, safety and urban life.

A new competition INNOspace Masters was recently launched by the Space Administration department of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to promote innovative ideas for the next space generation, organized by Anwendungszentrum GmbH Oberpfaffenhofen (AZO), which also organised the ESA/SAP Earth Observation Appathon early in 2015 in Portugal and other 5 locations. What topics does the competition address? INNOspace Masters is especially interested in forward-thinking ideas, research projects, demonstrators, prototypes, and innovative (but ready-to-implement) business concepts in the following subject areas: generative manufacturing, increased modularisation of production, flexible platforms, intelligent components, cyber-physical systems for complex production and logistics processes, and innovations along the entire value chain in satellite manufacturing. Prizes awarded by first-class partners The prizes will be awarded in three categories to meet different levels of innovative maturity and sophistication sponsored by world-class partners, including: the Space Administration department of the German Aerospace Center, Airbus Defence & Space, and Germany's two ESA Business Incubation Centres in Bavaria and Darmstadt. Along with extensive marketing/communication activities and networking contacts, the winners can look forward to technological and business-related services from first-rate partners. From 16 September 2015 to 31 January 2016, interested major enterprises, SMEs, start-ups, university, or non-university research institution (or even a consortium of organisations) are invited to submit their brilliant ideas and solutions for the next space generation in the very first INNOspace Masters competition. For more information, visit: www.innospace-masters.de

With the support of the European Space Agency (ESA) and in the scope of the activities of ESA Business Incubation Centre in Portugal (ESA BIC Portugal), IPN will host an "Investment Readiness Training" facilitated by Rick Salmon. Message by Rick: "If you are an early-­stage entrepreneur who will either need funding now or in the future, then you will need help. You can try to figure it out on your own or you can learn from people who have already done this successfully. To succeed you will need to work your own network and you will need to tap into other people’s networks. You will also need some special communication skills if you are going to be able to connect quickly, make a lasting good first impression and then be able to persuade investors to support your company’s growth. If you have a sense of urgency about this, then you cannot afford to wait or leave this to chance. Many entrepreneurs fail because they don’t get the help they need at the time that they need it most. Take advantage of a unique offer. The Investment Readiness Programme (IRP) has been designed to quickly and effectively teach you some of the tools necessary in order to obtain funding and grow your business. Great entrepreneurs are usually serial entrepreneurs. They learn the rules of the game and they are most often successful in raising capital again and again. Wouldn’t you like to learn some of these skills? The IRP will provide you with the opportunity to learn and to benefit from other’s experience and networks. My name is Rick Salmon and I will be your facilitator and the leader for this exciting programme. I am an experienced serial entrepreneur and have built a number of successful technology startup companies over the past 20 years. The ESA Investment Readiness Programme offers the very best of what I have learned as an entrepreneur. When clients retain me as a startup consultant they’re actually paying for two basic things, experience and innovation. Experience can be gained in only two ways, through one’s own situations or by learning about other’s situations. Innovation however, is a method of thinking. During the Investment Readiness Programme I want to share from my own experiences and perhaps bring in other special guests and experts who will share from their own experience. I will attempt to help the participants to become more innovative thinkers in approaching their own startup situations. I encourage you to join this exciting Programme. I will take-?on the personal challenge of doing whatever I can to discover how to help you and how to make your company succeed." The training targets ESA BIC Portugal startups and intends to generate important benefits for the entrepreneurs: get the business ready for investors and customers; clarify the company’s Unique Selling Proposition; learn to communicate your value in a brief but powerful way; create a 15-­second elevator pitch for power/speed networking; prepare, present and perfect an 8-­minute investor presentation; learn how to speed-­up your overall business development cycle.

The Ambassador Platform for Portugal, managed by IPN, and ESA invite the space and non-space communities to attend a workshop on ESA ARTES Applications opportunities, including the topics of megaconstellations and funding schemes. Date and time: 28 Oct 2015, 10h-12h30 Venue: Ciência Viva, Pavilhão do Conhecimento, Lisboa, Portugal Agenda: Morning: 10:00 ESA ARTES Programme overview, Luís Serina, Space Office 10:15 ESA ARTES Application programmes (ARTES 3-4 / ARTES 20) Norbert Huebner, European Space Agency (ESA) 10:45 Megaconstellations, Cyril Michel, European Space Agency (ESA) 11:05 The Portuguese Ambassador Platform (Support to the national community) Inês Plácido, Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) 11:25 Experience in ARTES 20 projects, Testimonies of Space companies 12:15 Questions & Answers Afternoon: Bilateral meetings with ESA ARTES representatives about ARTES applications and ARTES space/ground segment can be requested via space@ipn.pt and will be held in the afternoon of the event. Registration: http://www.gppq.fct.pt/h2020/eventos.php?id=4101 For queries, please contact: space@ipn.pt or 239700900

The next deadline to submit your proposals to the ESA BIC Portugal programme is on the 2nd of November! Please contact space@ipn.pt for questions!

"É uma comunidade jovem e pequena, mas faz parte da elite mundial na investigação aeroespacial e constitui um dos nossos melhores "produtos" de exportação. Quinze anos depois da adesão de Portugal à ESA e ao ESO, os méritos destes estudantes, cientistas, engenheiros e comunicadores são observáveis a olho nu. Mas o financiamento é curto e não há um plano de acção delineado. Até onde podemos ir?" Notícia completa em: http://p3.publico.pt/node/18032/

"A tecnologia usada propõe-se ajudar a preparar missões tripuladas a outros planetas que venham a ser calendarizadas, fornecendo o máximo de informação sobre esses planetas" Notícia completa em: http://sicnoticias.sapo.pt/pais/2015-09-01-Portugal-lidera-consorcio-que-vai-testar-tecnologia-para-explorar-planetas

The new dates for the selection campaign #46 are: - submimssion date: 2nd of November - evaluation date: 18th of November

Stimulating terrestrial applications using space assets (satcom or combined space assets), IPN, FCT and ANACOM jointly launch an open call that funds 25k€ to build a solid outline proposal to ESA ARTES 20 and ARTES 3-4 calls! All information available at: http://space.ipn.pt/pages/artes_call For any questions, please contact space@ipn.pt or 239 700 922

Call for digital technologies: connecting people and creating communities The Institute for Sustainability, in partnership with the Mayor of London’s Office, has launched a challenge-led competition to encourage SMEs and entrepreneurs to come forward with technology that could help the capital’s major redevelopment projects cope with the demands of London’s growing population. More information: http://www.iveridis.com/?v=join&pID=CCA092A2-DF5C-C4D6-FDF79F619655E50C

Time is running! At this website you will find all relevant information to apply for ESA BIC Portugal! (see above "BIC Open Call"), or call us at space@ipn.pt!

LAUNCH YOUR BUSINESS WITH BIG DATA FROM SPACE Earth observation and the big data it produces can help countless innovative products and services really take off. SUBMISSIONS ARE WELCOME IN ANY RELEVANT APPLICATION FIELD, INCLUDING: Agriculture, Rescue/Emergency, Environment, Marine, Mobile Apps, Energy, Smart Cities and Transport/Logistics SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 13th July 2015 For more information: http://www.copernicus-masters.com/

Está aberto o iGEO - Mentes Criativas, um concurso que premeia a criatividade nacional na utilização de informação geográfica através de aplicações móveis, promovido pelo Ministério do Ambiente, Ordenamento do Território e Energia (MAOTE), através da Direção-Geral do Território, e que conta com o patrocínio da Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento (FLAD). A aplicação vencedora receberá um prémio no valor total de 4.000 dólares e o segundo e terceiro lugar receberão prémios no valor de 2.500 dólares e 1.000 dólares, respetivamente, prémios que são patrocinados pela FLAD. Destinado a pessoas coletivas ou singulares, maiores de 18 anos e residentes em Portugal, o iGEO - Mentes Criativas visa fomentar a utilização e a informação geográfica disponível em aplicações móveis, premiando as melhores propostas ao nível de inovação, funcionalidade, design, usabilidade e desempenho, bem como na promoção dos vários temas georreferenciados e disponibilizados no portal iGEO. O iGEO (http://www.igeo.pt) é uma iniciativa do MAOTE que pretende colocar os dados geográficos de referência da administração pública ao serviço da sociedade e, assim, promover a criação de novos produtos e serviços de elevado valor acrescentado suportados por modelos de conhecimento intensivo. Os dados a disponibilizar, no âmbito desta iniciativa, terão como principais destinatários a administração pública, as instituições de ensino e de investigação, as Organizações Não Governamentais e também as empresas privadas. Os proponentes poderão consultar todas as informações em http://www.igeo.pt/DadosAbertos/InscricaoConcurso.aspx e apresentar a sua candidatura até às 23h59, do dia 15 de abril de 2015. Para eventuais dúvidas ou pedidos de esclarecimentos contate a Direção-Geral do Território através de concurso_apps@igeo.pt

Selection campaign #45 - Deadline: 18th May 2015 - Tender Evaluation Board: May-June Selection campaign #46 - Deadline: 2nd November 2015 - Tender Evaluation Board: 18th November 2015

The call for proposals for ESA BIC Portugal is now open! The call will be permanently open and four evaluations will take place each year in the next 5 years. The next submission deadline is 2nd of February! The incubatees of ESA BIC Portugal, either in Coimbra (with IPN), Cascais (with DNA Cascais) or Porto (with UPTEC) will benefit from 50.000€ for prototype/product/service development and management and acquisition of intellectual property, alongside with business support and 80h of technical support. Launch your business with Space at ESA BIC Portugal! For more information, please contact: space@ipn.pt

Research, innovation and technology in radio program led by Edgar Canelas. This time it was ESA BIC Portugal who was on the spotlight, in the November emission. http://www.rtp.pt/play/p383/e173753/os-dias-do-futuro

" ESA’s latest Business Incubation Centre has opened in Portugal, ready to help entrepreneurs and start-up companies take space technology and services into non-space areas such as health, transport and energy. Over the coming five years, the centre will help 30 Portuguese start-up companies to get their businesses going, creating at least 120 local high-tech jobs. The companies will receive €1.5 million as seed incentive and be able to tap into an additional €7 million." To see the full article: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Technology/TTP2/ESA_business_incubator_opens_in_Portugal

During the 5th Portuguese Space Forum, held on November 5th, was launched the ESA Business Incubation Centre in Portugal (ESA BIC Portugal), which will support Portuguese companies that implement space technology in sectors such as health, transport, security, or energy. Over the next five years, the 30 companies supported by ESA BIC Portugal can access a total investment value of 1,5 million euros, raise capital of around 7 million euros, and are expected to create more than 120 new jobs. The ESA BIC Portugal is managed by Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) and implemented in collaboration with Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto and DNA Cascais. In addition, ESA BIC Portugal will count on multiple local, regional and national partners (business experts, technical experts from higher education institutions – namely the University of Coimbra and the University of Porto). The launch of ESA BIC Portugal was attended by Franco Ongaro, ESA Director D-TEC, Teresa Mendes, President of IPN, João Gabriel, Rector of the University of Coimbra, Pedro Carneiro, Vice President of Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, António Pires de Lima, Portuguese Minister of the Economy, and Nuno Crato, Portuguese Minister of Education and Science. Carlos Cerqueira, Head of Innovation at IPN said that “ESA BIC Portugal has unique characteristics since it promotes the creation of startups based on state-of-the-art technologies tested in Space applications, providing these new companies with the potential to create disruptive innovations tailored for the global markets”. Teresa Mendes, President of IPN, added that “the ESA BIC and Ambassador Platform in Portugal contribute to further accomplish IPN’s mission to support the technology transfer process and to stimulate the creation of new economic activity and skilled jobs in Portugal”. Click here to see the presentation! http://www.slideshare.net/xysto/esa-bic-and-ambassador-platform-in-portugal-051114

The Technology Transfer Programme Office (TTPO) seeks entrepreneurs with innovative ideas for using space technologies or developing applications, to create new products and services in a non-space environment. ESA’s Business Incubation Centres (BICs), initiated by ESA's Technology Transfer Programme Office (TTPO), work to inspire entrepreneurs to turn space-connected business ideas into commercial companies, and provide technical expertise and business-development support. Our Business Incubation Centres across European countries support selected entrepreneurs with comprehensive commercial and technical assistance to help them start up businesses that apply space technology to non-space industrial, scientific and commercial fields. ESA BICs help to create viable businesses and new jobs by providing support to more than 75 companies every year in Europe, and more than 200 start-ups companies have received support to date. More info at http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Technology/Business_Incubation/

Instituto Pedro Nunes from Coimbra will implement an ESA BIC. The goal is to support businesses that apply space technology in Earth in sectors such as health, energy, transport, security and urban life. More on Diário Digital (in portuguese) http://diariodigital.sapo.pt/news.asp?id_news=740491

From Space to Earth. European Space Agency will launch incubator for Portuguese companies. More on Observador (in portuguese). http://observador.pt/2014/10/28/tecnologia-espaco-na-terra-agencia-espacial-europeia-vai-lancar-incubadora-para-empresas-portuguesas/

Instituto Pedro Nunes will install a business incubator of the European Space Agency (ESA) in the country. The new incubator will support 30 companies over the next five years. More on Exame Informática (in portuguese) http://exameinformatica.sapo.pt/noticias/mercados/2014-10-28-Agencia-Espacial-Europeia-vai-lancar-incubadora-em-Portugal