Commercialisation of space boosted at ESA Ministerial Council

ScaleUp is part of ESA’s directorate of Commercialisation, Industry and Procurement which works with all directorates in ESA to help deliver new commercialisation opportunities in European space thereby increasing the competitiveness of Europe’s space economy and bringing socio-economic benefits to European citizens.

Through this funding, ESA aims to create a European commercialisation hub, where new ideas for space can become commercial realities.

The ScaleUp programme, which has two elements, supports a company along its entire life cycle. First, it assists in the development of the enterprise with business incubation, business acceleration, intellectual property and technology transfer services (ScaleUp Innovate), and then, it facilitates the scaling up of their products on new markets (ScaleUp Invest).

ScaleUp is business-focused and not technology or sector specific and applies within all ESA programmes. This programme targets start-up companies, applied research and innovation centres, and more mature companies such as SMEs, Mid-Caps and large system integrators.

ESA will give European private investors the confidence to invest in home-grown space businesses which have the potential to become global entities. ESA’s collaboration with investors via its Investor Network facilitates access to finance for New Space businesses, enabling them to scale up in the global marketplace. This will increase Europe’s economic autonomy with market growth independent of other actors.

Commercialisation plays an integral role in creating prosperity in all areas of the space sector. Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General, said ESA shall “build a place where European space entrepreneurs thrive.” Many representatives in opening statements at the Ministerial meeting also expressed their wish to support European space entrepreneurs.

Ilona Lundström voiced Finland’s strong support for activities to scale up innovation and to foster capital financing for new space sector companies and startups, while Hungary’s, Péter Szijjártó, thanked ESA for signing an agreement that gives Hungarian SMEs access to two million euros continuously for five years on an annual basis to enhance and improve their role in the European space industry.

George Freeman, representing the UK, gave examples of various commercial space businesses driving economic growth, delivering prosperity for the whole of the UK and bringing opportunity to all.   

Géraldine Naja, ESA Director of Commercialisation, Industry and Procurement, commented: “I am thrilled by the engagement in ESA’s ScaleUp programme. By supporting the best of European inspiration and space innovation, and by improving access to capital to scale up in the market, we strengthen Europe’s economy and can stay at the forefront in the commercialisation of space.”