In the fall of 2022, the National Centre for Nuclear Research signed a partnership agreement with ESA BIC Poland. From now on, as one of a dozen entities in the country, it is to strengthen the development of space technologies in Polish companies. Why is this so important?

It's no secret that there is a real struggle for space industry technologies. But the goal of this competition is not at all just to fly into space and be the first to conquer this or that planet. It is also a competition for access to solutions that can be used on Earth and make real money here. Many of the technologies that are present in our lives were developed precisely with space in mind. These include, for example, wireless communication devices, fireproof materials or freeze-dried food. Space has tested them, but it is our planet that has become a very profitable market for them. The European Union is well aware of this and - wanting to be a major player in this market - is developing special forms of support for space business. One of them is the ESA BIC initiative.

What is ESA BIC Poland and what is its purpose?

ESA BIC (Business Incubation Center of European Space Agency) is a network of business incubators established by the European Space Agency in EU member states. Their goal is to support technology startups whose solutions, products or services may be applicable to the space industry. The support is both incubative, by providing knowledge support to startups, and financial, by covering part of the costs associated with research and development and the purchase of the infrastructure necessary to develop a given technology.

Startups incubated under the ESA BIC will be able to benefit from the following forms of support over a two-year period:

• Up to €50,000 in non-refundable financing for product development costs and intellectual property rights
• Expert advice, including: up to 80 hours of expert advice in technical areas, up to 50 hours of business advice and up to 10 hours of legal advice
• Administrative support for office space
• Access to ESA BIC's international community, including ESA tenders
• Opportunity to use the ESA BIC brand

What will be the role of NCBJ?

In Poland, two consortia have joined the ESA BIC. NCBJ has entered one of them - the Mazovian one, which aims to incubate five entities per year. Such entities will be supported here in a number of ways. The most important will be the opportunity to benefit from research and technologies offered by NCBJ, including information technology, measurement technology and materials research. Such startups will be supported by specialists and experts working and cooperating with NCBJ, and will be able to use the office and laboratory facilities here. Specialists of the Science and Technology Park Świerk, operating at the NCBJ, will additionally assist space companies in applying for additional funding from national and international projects and in promoting their offerings in other Big Science centers.

Who can apply and when?

The first calls are expected to start early this year. Information will be published both on the NCBJ website and on the website of ESA leader BIC Poland - the Industrial Development Agency S.A. We invite both startups - young technology companies that have been on the market for no more than five years - and people with ideas who have not yet established their own businesses to participate. Everyone whose products, services and processes are innovative or can be used in an innovative way in the broader space industry.

We invite all interested parties to contact us today. We will examine your idea and together look for the best methods to incubate it.