At this week’s Council Meeting at Ministerial Level (CM25) in Bremen, ESA Member States formally approved the new ACCESS programme, ensuring that European businesses will continue to benefit from the growth, innovation and dynamism brought by the commercialisation of space.
As part of the combined budget of €22.1 billion agreed for ESA by the Member States, Associate Members and Cooperating States, a total of €306 million has been agreed for ACCESS. This comprises €169 million subscription to ScaleUp and €137 million subscription to Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS). As the flagship commercialisation programme from ESA, ACCESS will accelerate the commercialisation and competitiveness of the European space sector, in line with ESA’s Strategy 2040.
The context for CM25 is a complex one, set against a volatile backdrop of geopolitical instability, rapid technological change and unprecedented access to space. As ESA Director General outlined earlier this week, “CM25 is more than just another Ministerial, it is a moment of radical decision-making,” and the investment in ACCESS reflects a wider European commitment to space, and recognition of the urgent need for Europe to strengthen its presence in the global space market.
ACCESS will continue to deliver support through the established ScaleUp and BASS elements. It offers enhanced financial, business and technical support for ideation, incubation, acceleration and market deployment of innovative products and services across the space value chain. It connects businesses, investors, suppliers and potential customers in space markets and the wider economy for the benefit of Europe.
New opportunities for European industry
The investment from the Member States this week means that the ScaleUp and BASS elements, as part of ACCESS, will continue to support Europe’s space sector. For ScaleUp this means new and renewed BICs and Phi-Labs, and improved dealflow through Marketplace. For BASS this means new thematic campaigns tuned to the priorities of the Member States, additional and improved funding structures to facilitate innovation and growth, and the expansion of activities across all sectors, including safety and security.