The Challenge
The primary objective of this Invitation to Tender is to support industry in assessing the potential of bioengineering in microgravity environments, addressing market requirements from various industries, including but not limited to pharmaceuticals, materials science, healthcare, food and nutrients, assessing the customer demand and developing value propositions that resonate with customers and are embedded in profitable business models.
This initiative centres on the advancement of bioengineering through the unique conditions offered by space, particularly the microgravity environment.
Topics of Relevance
Various industries, including but not limited to pharmaceuticals, materials science, healthcare, food and nutrients could benefit from the potential for biomanufacturing in space leveraging several bioengineering technologies relevant to space applications. These include:
- Tissue Engineering: This involves the development of artificial tissues and organs that can be used for medical treatments.
- Biomanufacturing: This technology focuses on the production of biological products, such as pharmaceuticals and food, in space environments.
- Microgravity Bioreactors: These are designed to simulate the microgravity conditions of space, allowing researchers to study the fundamental underlaying physics at play by reducing the effects of gravity on biological systems and processes.
ESA has formed partnerships with a number of companies including SpaceApps (IceCubes service), Kayser Italia (bioreactor express service), which offers services for experiments on the ISS, and BioRider, designed for operations and biological sample recovery aboard ESA’s Space Rider vehicle.
This transition enables the use of microgravity to create new products and services with improved efficiency and quality.
Value of Space
In the context of this Invitation to Tender, the microgravity environment provides unique conditions that enable bioengineering advances which are not possible on Earth. For instance:
- microgravity eliminates sedimentation and buoyancy-driven forces, providing an optimal setting for bioengineering applications
- the altered fluid dynamics and decreased shear stress observed in microgravity can influence cell differentiation, gene expression, and nutrient transport
By leveraging these new possibilities, companies can create innovative products with superior performance or offer specialised services such as access to in-orbit experimentation for research and development. These opportunities have the potential to transform industries from pharmaceuticals and healthcare to advanced materials and more, fostering commercial growth and scientific breakthroughs.
What we look for
We look for promising business ideas addressing topics of relevance or related areas that propose:
- attractive market opportunities, identified customer needs and customer engagement
- commercially viable service/product concepts
- technically feasible solutions
- added value of space microgravity environment
- motivated teams with business, technical, and financial expertise
What we offer
- 200k Euros (firm fixed price), 100% of total cost
- technical and commercial guidance
- access to our networks and partners
- use of the ESA brand for your service
ESA Tender Information
The initiative is open to the submission of proposals for enabling studies.
- Enabling Studies -to develop early user engagement for space services where short- and medium-term market roll-out is hindered by major barriers such as regulatory issues or public-driven business model.
How to Apply
- Register by completing the online questionnaire on esa-star registration (this provides for the minimum ‘light registration’)
- Visit esa-star publications and search for this opportunity to download the official tender documentation. Official documents will include proposal templates, a draft contract, and additional information about this opportunity.
- Write your proposal and obtain a Letter of Support from your National Delegation, if required (please see Authorisation of Funding section below).
- Submit your proposal via esa-star tendering before the deadline (do not wait until the last minute).
Authorisation of Funding
This opportunity is open to companies that intend to develop space-enabled services and products related, but not restricted, to the topics of relevance outlined above. To be eligible for funding, your team must be based in one of the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Teams can involve non-European entities, but their contribution to the activity cannot be funded by ESA.
Authorisation of Funding letters from the corresponding National Delegations are required as part of the application.