ESA BIC Estonia

Space Tech: From Space exploration to your Couch 🚀 Did you know that everyday items like your smartphone and power tools are inspired by space technology? This year, we had the incredible opportunity to design a little house for the City of Tartu Christmas Village, themed around astronomy. We saw it as a chance to showcase how space innovation has transformed our lives in unexpected ways. From durable materials and efficient power systems to advanced optics and comfortable cushioning, space tech has enriched our daily experiences. Let's explore a few examples: 🚀 Ski Goggles: Inspired by astronaut helmets, they offer superior clarity and protection. 🚀 Cordless Power Tools: Benefiting from spacecraft power systems, they're powerful and long-lasting. 🚀 Studless Winter Tires: Modeled after spacecraft landing gear, they provide exceptional grip on icy roads. 🚀 Smartphones: Packed with components originally developed for space missions. 🚀 Memory Foam Pillows: Originally designed for astronauts, they offer unparalleled comfort. Every time you use these products, you're tapping into the awesomeness of space exploration. If you're in Tartu, be sure to check out our space-themed house at the Christmas Village! Did those examples get your wheels turning? 🛰️ Think you have an innovative idea leveraging space tech and developing new products or services? ESA BIC Estonia could be your launchpad! 🚀 Our next application deadline is May 8, 2025. Don't miss this opportunity to get up to €60,000 in funding, mentorship, and access to a global network. ... And it really isn't rocket science 😉

A proud moment! 🥳 KappaZeta won 3rd place in the European Space Agency - ESA CommEO Award competition with our 3D-SAR mission and associated carbon stock and stem volume measurement services. Another quality mark and proof that we are developing a high impact mission for the world. Excellent work, Martin Jüssi & co! 👏 #startup #award #spacetech #space #earthobservation #remotesensing #commercialisation #business #carbon #carbonstock #climate #forestry

Spaceit is thrilled to announce the signing of an agreement with the European Space Agency - ESA to develop Estonia’s first commercial satellite in collaboration with C3S Electronics Development LLC, and Golbriak Space OÜ. The OPS-SAT ORIOLE mission, planned for launch in 2026, will feature a thermal camera and an optical communication terminal to demonstrate full-duplex optical communication and faster Earth observation data downloads while advancing quantum communications for secure connectivity. Spaceit will be responsible for the operations, leveraging on automation, low latency, high data rates, and robust security of the company's mission operations software platform. 👉 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dxMDVXTG #SpaceNews #ESA #EuropeanSpaceAgency #SatelliteInnovation #SatelliteOperations #OpticalCommunication #EstonianSpace #RemoteSensing #Scylight SpaceWatch.Global Gyula Horváth, Alexandra Széll, Nicola Garzaniti, Simone Briatore, Silver Lodi, ESA BIC Estonia

Female founders in ESA BIC (Pt I) 🚀 From pushing the boundaries of aerodynamics to redefining stratospheric exploration, more and more women entrepreneurs and their teams are making waves in the space industry. As part of the ESA Business Incubation Centres (ESA BICs) 20 years anniversary, stories of female founders are highlighted to showcase examples of the innovations shaping the upstream sector. In the first part of our series, we spotlight Liina Freivald, founder of VAAL Airships (Estonia), who is taking observability to new heights—literally. Her vision of providing satellite-like services using airships above Earth offers a sustainable alternative that avoids adding to space debris. We also dive into the story of Katharina Kreitz, co-founder of Vectoflow (Germany), who turned her frustration with conventional measurement systems into a thriving business. By leveraging 3D printing and collaborating with a Formula 1 team, Katharina’s innovative approach is transforming aerodynamics testing. 👉 Discover how these two trailblazers are overcoming challenges, breaking biases, and leading the charge in the upstream sector: https://lnkd.in/esSsN9P3 #20yearsESABIC #FemaleFounders #WomenInSpace #UpstreamInnovation #NewSpace #Entrepreneurship

The European Space Agency - ESA 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬 (𝐄𝐒𝐀 𝐁𝐈𝐂𝐬), with over 30 centres supporting more than 1,450 start-ups, have played a pivotal role in nurturing companies that leverage space technology for the benefit of the whole European ecosystem. ⁣ ⁣ Today, we are proud to present a selection of success stories from the incubation programme. ⁣ ⁣ Caius - 𝐄𝐒𝐀 𝐁𝐈𝐂 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐧𝐮𝐬 ⁣ ⁣Founded by Georgios Michas, George Mendrinos, Petros Efstathopoulos, and Stathis Efstathopoulos, Caius is revolutionising the way we explore and protect our natural environments. Their AI-driven technology leverages satellite imagery and geomorphological data to map forest roads and trails, aiding in ecotourism and emergency planning. ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ scoutlabs - 𝐄𝐒𝐀 𝐁𝐈𝐂 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐀𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐧𝐮𝐬 ⁣ With a mission to transform precision agriculture, Donát Posta 🌾🌎🧑🌾 and Jimmy Fong 🌾🌎👩🌾 have developed the world's most affordable and dense digital trap network. Their IoT devices, combined with satellite data, provide farmers with precise pest pressure alerts, significantly reducing the need for pesticides and promoting sustainable farming. ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ 10LINES - 𝐄𝐒𝐀 𝐁𝐈𝐂 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐀𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐧𝐮𝐬 ⁣ ⁣Founded by Janno Paas and Tarmo Prints, 10Lines is automating pavement marking with their innovative robots. Using satellite positioning, their robots can stripe a parking lot seven times faster than traditional methods, contributing to significant CO2 savings. ⁣ ⁣ 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 about these inspiring companies and their journeys here: https://lnkd.in/dZfjehEU #SpaceTechnology #SpaceInnovation #AI #SatelliteData #GreenTechnology #AgTech #IoT

Seven years ago today, after becoming a full member state of the European Space Agency - ESA only two years prior, we launched ESA BIC Estonia, led by Sparkup Tartu Science Park, as the 17th incubator in the ESA BIC network. Today, there are already 32 incubators in the network, with the latest, ESA BIC Latvia, officially launching next week. Over these seven years, we’ve experienced ups and downs. Deal flow has always been a challenge, as Estonia lacks the historic space industry of our western neighbors. But that hasn’t stopped us—it simply means we need to be creative. With support from Tartu Observatory and the Estonian Student Satellite Foundation, we’ve discovered brilliant minds and startups in our early years, demonstrating that Estonia has a place in the space industry. Today, we are thriving and increasingly recognised as Estonia’s leading supporters of space tech business. 🚀 Currently, we have 31 novel space tech companies in our portfolio, employing over 200 high-value professionals, and they have raised nearly €50 million in external capital, with just over €10 million coming from venture capital. Each of these startups is unique; while some may not be pure space tech companies, their technology extends into biotech, pharma, health tech, and even the automotive and marine industries. Nonetheless, their shared interest in space is what unites them. 🚀 🎉 Happy Birthday, ESA BIC Estonia! 🎉 📷 Photo below made during ESA Network Meeting in Tartu. Glad to be part of the network!