Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology
SpaceUp aims at contributing to securing and further developinging a competitive space industry in Europe.
SpaceUp – Assisting European space start-ups in scaling up
SpaceUp builds on the activities of the ESA Technology Transfer Programme Office (TTPO) and the ESA Business Incubation Centres (ESA BICs). It fosters the adoption of space data and services by non-space industrial and service companies for further commercial applications. SpaceUp thus strengthens ESA's spin-off efforts by enhancing connection and networking activities with experts in non-space technologies, e.g. in the fields of shipping, logistics, land use and security. It also supports spin-in activities from these areas into the space sector.
Space Academies
SpaceUp fosters technology transfer, networking and matchmaking with business angels, crowdfunding financers and management and human resources experts. Contact with strategic corporate investors has been strengthened by actively involving relevant high-tech industries such as automotive and robotics. Through this support, Europe's innovative start-ups in the space sector were given the opportunity to develop into world-leading companies.
During the project, six Space Academies were held in different European cities and online. They brought aspiring entrepreneurs in the space technology sector together with potential partners from finance and business, as well as space clusters and science parks, thus integrating the start-ups into the European space ecosystem. At each academy, selected companies were offered tailored services to support them on their path to success.
Business model development of 60 start-ups
Using the Space Academies as a platform, SpaceUp partners offered tailored coaching services, customised solution modules, networking and matchmaking activities to the 60 most promising start-ups. The 60 candidates had previously been selected by the SpaceUp evaluation committee.
In this context, Fraunhofer IPK supported a total of 60 start-ups from the space sector in business model development. Business model development in SpaceUp aimed at capturing the start-ups' existing business model, assessing it for strengths and weaknesses and providing the start-ups with feasibility studies for further development.
The partners
- AVIASpace Bremen
- EBAN - The European Trade Association for Business Angels, Seed Funds and Early Stage Market Players
- Fraunhofer IPK
- Gi Group
- Hypatia
- IASP - International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation
- IBS Consulting
- Lazio Innova
- SME4SPACE
- 200 - Two Hundred