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

Last Mile Delivery

Call for Proposals (Competitive)      Opening date: 07 February 2024      Closing date: 21 March 2024

Last mile delivery is the final stage of the delivery process, bringing goods from distribution centres to the customer’s doorstep. It accounts for over half of the total cost of shipping. The global last mile delivery market was valued at $131.5 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $288.9 billion by 2031.

Waste to Energy

     Opening date: 18 March 2024      Closing date: 03 May 2024

Blue Capital

Call for Proposals (Competitive)      Opening date: 06 May 2024      Closing date: 14 June 2024

Direct Negotiation - Kick-Starts

          Closing date: 31 December 2025

ESA’s OPEN CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR 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

Blue Capital

Call for Proposals (Competitive)      Opening date: 06-05-2024      Closing date: 14-06-2024

Dark side of the Earth

Call for Proposals (Competitive)      Opening date: 11-03-2024      Closing date: 31-05-2024

ICT Electronic Devices Sustainability

Open Competition      Opening date: 22-02-2024      Closing date: 18-04-2024

Last Mile Delivery

Call for Proposals (Competitive)      Opening date: 07-02-2024      Closing date: 21-03-2024

Last mile delivery is the final stage of the delivery process, bringing goods from distribution centres to the customer’s doorstep. It accounts for over half of the total cost of shipping. The global last mile delivery market was valued at $131.5 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $288.9 billion by 2031.

Non-Competitive Thematic Calls for Proposals

Space and Digital Transformation for Green Energy Utilities

Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)

The Thematic Call for proposals targets the development of space-based services for supporting the digital transformation of the energy utilities sector and enabling the just transition to green energy across business sectors and society. This can help to support interoperability within the sector and the sector’s connectivity with other sectors, especially where critical infrastructure may be used or developed.

Space for Sport, Culture and Education Infrastructure

Call for Proposals (Non-Competitive)

The third thematic area under the “Space for Infrastructure” thematic call for proposals is sport, culture and educational infrastructure. This refers to the physical and organisational structures where sport, learning and culture are consumed, produced, experienced, participated in, displayed, exhibited, or sold.

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. 

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.