ESA Business Applications offers funding and support to businesses from any sector who intend to use space (satellite navigation, earth observation, satellite telecommunication, space weather, space technologies) to develop new commercial services.
Applications are open all year. Businesses can submit a proposal at any time through the Call for Proposals for Downstream Applications or can apply to a Competitive Tender or a non-competitive Thematic Call for Proposals.
Kick-start Activities
Space for Sustainable Pharma
Call for Proposals (Competitive) Opening date: 23 September 2024 Closing date: 03 November 2024
The pharmaceutical industry is essential in our day-to-day lives. Medicines and vaccines cure people of disease, neutralise symptoms, and delay the onset of diseases, boosting both life expectancy and quality of life. Unfortunately, pharmaceuticals also have a significant negative impact on the environment. During the chemistry element of the drug development process, pollutants are emitted into the air, soil, and water. In addition, drug packaging is a significant source of waste and as a result of the various existing health and safety requirements, the development and usage of sustainable alternatives is complicated.
Nature-based Solutions
Call for Proposals (Competitive) Opening date: 09 October 2024 Closing date: 20 November 2024
This ‘Nature-based Solutions’ opportunity provides funding to teams who would like to develop a service related to nature-based solutions applications. Funding will be provided by the European Space Agency (ESA) for 6-month studies called ‘Kick-Starts’, which can lead onto larger scale Demonstration Projects. Kick-Starts are funded at 75% by ESA for a maximum of €75K per contract. Proposed services must use satellite data or space-based technologies. Please see the ‘Authorisation of Funding’ section below to check whether your team is eligible for funding.
Open Call for Proposals - Kick-Starts
Closing date: 31 December 2025
ESA’s OPEN CALL FOR PROPOSALS - KICK-STARTS (BASS ARTES 4.0) is always open. This means that businesses from any sector can apply for Kick-Starts throughout the year.
Competitive Calls
Space for Electromobility
Open Competition Opening date: 27-09-2024 Closing date: 29-11-2024
Electromobility has a crucial role to play in decarbonising the planet. Transport is responsible for around 25% of the EU’s total CO2 emissions, with road transport representing the greatest share of this (72% in 2019). The electrification of transport is playing a key role in the ongoing transformation of the mobility landscape, offering significant opportunities across the mobility ecosystem. There are also rigorous efforts underway to reduce average CO2 emissions from new vans and heavy-duty vehicles. The ‘Space for Electromobility’ invitation to tender (ITT) offers funding for teams who would like to develop sustainable space-based services and applications that address challenges related to the electromobility ecosystem.
Nature-based Solutions
Call for Proposals (Competitive) Opening date: 09-10-2024 Closing date: 20-11-2024
This ‘Nature-based Solutions’ opportunity provides funding to teams who would like to develop a service related to nature-based solutions applications. Funding will be provided by the European Space Agency (ESA) for 6-month studies called ‘Kick-Starts’, which can lead onto larger scale Demonstration Projects. Kick-Starts are funded at 75% by ESA for a maximum of €75K per contract. Proposed services must use satellite data or space-based technologies. Please see the ‘Authorisation of Funding’ section below to check whether your team is eligible for funding.
Space for Safeguarding of Children
Open Competition Opening date: 06-09-2024 Closing date: 06-11-2024
Protecting children from abuse and exploitation is a societal imperative that is entrenched in the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and in the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.2: “End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children”. However, it is a global – and often silent – epidemic. It happens in every country and every community and across all cultural and socio-economic contexts. According to studies, one in two children experiences violence every year, totalling one billion children across the globe.
Space for Sustainable Pharma
Call for Proposals (Competitive) Opening date: 23-09-2024 Closing date: 03-11-2024
The pharmaceutical industry is essential in our day-to-day lives. Medicines and vaccines cure people of disease, neutralise symptoms, and delay the onset of diseases, boosting both life expectancy and quality of life. Unfortunately, pharmaceuticals also have a significant negative impact on the environment. During the chemistry element of the drug development process, pollutants are emitted into the air, soil, and water. In addition, drug packaging is a significant source of waste and as a result of the various existing health and safety requirements, the development and usage of sustainable alternatives is complicated.
Non-Competitive Thematic Calls for Proposals
Space for Infrastructure: Health
Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)
The fifth thematic area under the “Space for Infrastructure” thematic call for proposals is health infrastructure. Health infrastructure refers to the physical and organisational structures and facilities that are necessary for the delivery of healthcare services
Space for the Sports Car Sector - Efficiency, Safety and Sustainability
Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)
The automotive sector is currently undergoing a rapid evolution, marked by a concerted effort around decarbonisation, sustainability, and digitalisation. One of the great challenges of the next few years will be to drastically reduce the carbon footprint of the automotive industry throughout the full value chain, not only through electrification of vehicles.
The luxury sports car market is mirroring the transformation of the overall automotive sector as technological advancements, changing customer preferences and ongoing regulatory changes push car makers to seek innovative solutions to stay ahead.
This ‘Space for the Sports Car Sector – Efficiency, Safety And Sustainability’ opportunity offers funding for teams who would like to develop sustainable space-based services and applications that address challenges related to the sports car sector.
Commercial Applications of Space-Enabled Robotics: Maritime and Marine
Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)
Commercial Applications of Space-Enabled Robotics
Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)
There have been remarkable advances in robotics technology in recent years, pushing the boundaries of the possible. Breakthroughs in robotics have resulted in enhanced autonomy, dexterity, and interaction capabilities of robotic systems and have paved the way for significant growth in the robotics market over the past few decades. Today, robots are used across a range of industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, critical infrastructure, agriculture and logistics, among others. The impact of robotics technologies on society is significant, as it has the potential to transform the way we work, live, and interact with each other. The parallel advancements in the space sector mean that satellite technologies now have the capability to enable novel services utilising robotics on Earth and/or augment their capabilities. As such, the opportunity exists to incorporate robotics and satellite technology to create new commercial services and add value.
Space for Infrastructure
Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)
Infrastructure underpins both national economies and citizens’ quality of life. It consists of the physical infrastructure needed, for example, to power homes and businesses and to supply the water that people need, but it also includes the digital infrastructure required to manage the transport of goods efficiently, to exchange ideas, and to stay in touch with family and friends. Infrastructure networks account for a substantial proportion of both government and private sector investment and, given its scale, it is critical that such investment is deployed effectively.
Maritime Decarbonisation
Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)
Maritime decarbonisation is a central element of maritime sustainability. Shipping is recognised as the most efficient form of commercial transport in terms of CO2 emissions per tonne of cargo transported in one mile. However, due to the scale of the industry, maritime transport is still a significant contributor to the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions (around 3% of total global CO2 emissions).
This call for proposals, issued under the ARTES BASS programme line, is aimed at supporting the development of sustainable space-based services and applications that address challenges related to the decarbonisation of the maritime industry. Additionally, the call seeks to assist the maritime sector in adapting to and complying with new European and international regulatory frameworks.
Space for Olympic Games
Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)
The intended call for proposals aims at supporting new space-based services for the digital transformation and sustainability of the sport sector, specifically in the organisation, management, and further exploitation of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It primarily targets the next Games in Europe - Paris 2024 and Milano-Cortina 2026, with the ambition of providing services for the future Games, ensuring continuity of the sustainability model.