ESA title

Funding

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

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: 10-01-2025

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.

Green Hydrogen as a Sustainable Energy Source

Open Competition           Closing date: 01-01-2025

This Call for Proposals invites proposals for feasibility studies for services that explore innovative uses of space technology to advance green hydrogen as a sustainable energy source. This study aims to leverage satellite communication (SatCom), satellite Earth observation (SatEO), and satellite navigation (SatNav) to support green hydrogen production, storage, and distribution. The focus is on evaluating practical applications of green hydrogen across multiple sectors.

Commercial Applications of Space Weather Data

Open Competition           Closing date: 01-01-2025

Space weather is defined as the physical and phenomenological state of natural space environments. Observation, monitoring, analysis and modelling of the state of the Sun and interplanetary and planetary environments (both via space- and ground-based observations) help us to understand its state and the possible impacts on Earth. The purpose of this Invitation to Tender is to support industry in assessing the technical and economic viability of commercial services that leverage space weather data across a number of stated domains (and/or alternatives adequately justified by industry).

Non-Competitive Thematic Calls for Proposals

Space for Sustainable Forestry

Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)

Forests cover around 31% of the Earth's land area and host 80% of terrestrial biodiversity, providing essential ecosystem services such as regulating rainfall, protecting water sources, and preventing flooding and soil erosion. Forests are crucial in combating climate change as they produce oxygen and absorb CO2, with 40% of the world's oxygen and 660 gigatons of carbon stored in forests.

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. 

Integrated Digital Solutions for the Energy Sector

Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)

This Call for Proposals invites proposals for feasibility studies and demonstration projects for services that leverage space-based technologies to advance resilience and sustainability in the energy sector. With a focus on digital transformation, the call encourages innovative solutions that integrate digital tools such as IoT, AI, blockchain, AR/VR, and digital twins. These solutions aim to optimise electricity grid management, enable predictive maintenance, support energy storage, improve construction logistics, and streamline renewable energy management.

Maritime Decarbonisation - Decarbonisation through Maritime Autonomy

Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)

This call is part of the umbrella “Maritime Decarbonisation” thematic call for proposals. The objective of this subtheme is to develop new services that support the decarbonisation of the maritime sector through “maritime autonomy”. 

While autonomous shipping does not directly achieve decarbonisation, maritime autonomous systems offer transformative opportunities to make the sector cleaner, more energy-efficient, and environmentally sustainable. For example, the reduction or removal of onboard life support infrastructure, opens the door for more compact vessels being able to utilise cleaner and more sustainable energy sources, and unlocks new alternative routes. 

Commercial Applications of Space-Enabled Robotics: Agriculture

Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)

This call is part of the umbrella of “Commercial Applications of Space-Enabled Robotics” thematic call for proposals.

This Call for Proposals invites the submission of proposals for feasibility studies and demonstration projects for services that combine the use of satellite technologies and robotics in downstream services for Agriculture applications. 

‘Robotics’ is here defined to include physical robots, autonomous drones, machines and vehicles, and precursory solutions or those that enable these (e.g. perception and navigation systems for autonomous vehicle services, connectivity solutions to enable tele-operated robotics).

Space for Intermodal Transport

Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)

This opportunity offers funding to European teams interested in developing sustainable space-based services and applications for intermodal transport, covering both freight and passenger transportation. The Call will accept proposals for Feasibility Studies and Demonstration Projects. Proposed services must utilise satellite data or space-based technologies. 

Maritime Decarbonisation: Ports Decarbonisation

Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)

Ports play a pivotal role in maritime decarbonisation, serving as hubs for enabling the transition to cleaner and more sustainable shipping practices. They are more than just logistical centres — they are strategic agents of change in the decarbonisation of the maritime sector. The objective of this call’s sub-theme is to develop new services that support the decarbonisation of the maritime sector, with a focus on ports ecosystems.

Space for Construction Monitoring

Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)

Construction progress monitoring involves tracking and assessing the development of a construction project over time to ensure that it aligns with planned schedules, quality standards, and budgetary constraints. It uses various tools and techniques, including on-site inspections, drone surveys, and digital solutions such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and remote sensing technologies, to capture real-time data and provide stakeholders with a clear overview of the project's status. This helps identify delays, issues, and risks early, facilitating timely interventions and ensuring efficient resource allocation and project completion.

Space for Infrastructure: Digital Infrastructure

Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)

This is the sixth thematic area under the “Space for Infrastructure” thematic call. Digital infrastructure refers to technologies that provide the foundation for an organisation's information technology and operations by bringing together physical and virtual technologies such as computer, storage, network, applications, and IaaS, PaaS and SaaS platforms. Examples of digital infrastructure include telecom networks, cloud computing and data centres.

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.