ESA BIC Centro is a business incubation centre that supports early-stage startups developing commercial products or services with a space connection. This includes:
The programme is coordinated by Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN), in Coimbra, and offers incubation activities in Coimbra, Pampilhosa da Serra and Santa Maria (Azores), as part of the European Space Agency (ESA) Business Incubation Centre network.
Space technologies now shape everyday sectors such as mobility, energy, agriculture, health, and environmental monitoring. ESA BIC Centro exists to help entrepreneurs turn these technologies into viable businesses. It connects startups with technical expertise, business support, and funding, while linking regional innovation ecosystems with ESA and the wider European space economy.
ESA BIC Centro supports early-stage teams and startups that:
Founders may come from research, industry, or entrepreneurship, and may be at the idea stage or in the early years of company creation.
Applications are accepted through a permanent Open Call with periodic cut-off dates.
