ESA BIC Centro operates through a permanent Open Call with periodic cut-off dates. Applications submitted before a cut-off are evaluated in the corresponding selection round.
To apply, a startup or founding team must:
Companies must operate at their own commercial risk and aim to bring a product or service to market.
Not sure if you qualify?
If you are unsure whether your idea fits the program, contact the ESA BIC Centro team for guidance.
ESA BIC Centro is a business incubation programme supporting startups that use space technology or develop solutions for the space sector, providing funding, technical and business guidance.
No. It is an incubation programme focused on product development and market validation over a longer period (up to 24 months).
Up to 24 months, including onboarding, workshops/training, events, technical and business coaching, periodic reviews and a final closeout.
Individuals, teams or companies may apply. If selected, a legal entity must exist before signing the incubation contract.
Yes. The company must be incorporated in Portugal before contract signature.
At least one authorised company representative must have permanent residence in Portugal.
The company must be less than 5 years old at the time of application.
Yes. The majority of the shares must belong to the applying entrepreneur(s) (or will be, upon incorporation).
ESA is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to peaceful purposes under the ESA Convention. Projects with direct military or weapon-related objectives are therefore not eligible. However, dual-use technologies are admissible provided the proposed activity has a clear civilian application and commercial market during the incubation period.
Your solution must either use space technology/systems/data in a non-space market (downstream) or develop products or services for the space sector (upstream). The space element must be essential to your value proposition.
No. Many projects enter from non-space industries; what matters is a clear, justified space connection.
Yes, if space data or technology is essential to the solution (e.g., EO analytics, GNSS features, SATCOM- enabled services).
At one of the ESA BIC Centro+ locations: Coimbra (IPN), Pampilhosa da Serra (Pampilhosa Business Center) or Santa Maria, Azores (Incuba+).
Upon approval, the company’s headquarters must be located at (or relocated to) one of the incubator facilities of ESA BIC Centro.
Startups are expected to maintain an active link with one of the ESA BIC Centro locations during the incubation period. Participation in certain programme activities, such as onboarding sessions, reviews or selected meetings, may include in-person moments, while day-to-day work can otherwise be organised flexibly by the team.
After contract signature.
After selection, the contracting phase covers legal/administrative checks (and incorporation if needed). Once all required information is validated, the contract is typically signed within a few weeks.
Up to €60,000 incentive funding per startup.
Half is funded by ESA and half by national or regional co-funding partners (paid by the incubator).
In instalments linked to agreed milestones and deliverables defined in the incubation contract.
Technical development, validation and project activities linked to the incubation objectives.
No. The incentive is equity-free and non-repayable when used per contract terms and deliverables.
Yes, but state-aid rules apply and must be declared.
The startup retains its IP. ESA/Incubator may use non-proprietary deliverables for communication/visibility under the contract’s terms.
ESA may use project information for communication and promotion purposes as described in the contract.
Applications may be submitted at any time and are evaluated at the next cut-off date.
Yes. Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss the project with the ESA BIC Centro team before submission. A short call helps confirm fit and the best way to prepare your application.
Cover Letter & Requirements Checklist, Business Plan, Incubation Proposal and Space Connection Assessment.
Applications undergo a formal check and compliant proposals are evaluated. Shortlisted applicants are invited to present their project to a Tender Evaluation Board.
Applications shall not be done to more than one ESA BIC at a time. This requirement also holds when applications are done by multiple legal entities with the same key founders or entrepreneurs.
Yes. You may submit an improved proposal in a later cut-off. Only when an application has been evaluated and rejected, a new application to the same or another ESA BIC is allowed
Yes, but applicants are advised to protect sensitive ideas before applying.
