Launch of world’s first startup programme for space resources

The European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC) Startup Support Programme (SSP) was launched in October by Mathias Link, ESRIC director, in the presence of Luxembourg’s Minister of the Economy, Franz Fayot, and representatives of the European Space Agency (ESA), Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) and the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST). Located in Luxembourg, it is the first programme worldwide dedicated to commercial initiatives in the field of space resources.

Source : Merkur
Publication date : 02/01/2022

The SSP will support the specific needs of early stage ventures/startups to prove their technological value proposals and enable the development of near-term sustainable business models targeting terrestrial/space applications and space resources utilisation. The programme will be run together with ESA and Technoport, the leading technology incubator in Luxembourg. Two application calls will be implemented on a yearly basis. ESRIC, powered by the LSA, LIST, and the ESA as a strategic partner, was established in Luxembourg in August 2020. Besides developing research activities along the value chain of space resources, the centre will support commercial initiatives from established players and startups, enable technology transfer between space and non-space industries, and encourage public-private partnerships and new initiatives in the field of space resources.

The ESRIC SSP is one of the four pillars of ESRIC and will support early-stage startups in the space resources sector to refine their business plan, attract their first customers and secure their first investments.

It will also pave the way to the consolidation of an ecosystem of technical and business players, and contribute to promoting effective collaboration models with early-stage ventures with the aim of investigating the new technology developments that are the most relevant for future space resources applications.