The European Space Agency’s new Business Incubation Centre in Andalusia, southern Spain, has opened its first call for proposals, offering up to €60,000 to space startups in the region.
Launched in 2003, the ESA Business Incubation Centres initiative is part of the agency’s efforts to commercialise national investments in its space programmes. The initiative targets newly formed companies as well as startups that have been in business for no longer than five years, providing both financial support and access to expert ESA personnel. There are currently more than 30 BICs across Europe, which have supported approximately 1,500 startups.
Prior to the launch of ESA BIC Andalusia, Spain already hosted four centres in Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid, and Castilla y León, all in the north of the country. The Andalusia location opened in 2025 and is the first in the country’s south, situated a stone’s throw from the headquarters of the Spanish Space Agency, which was inaugurated in early 2023.
On 14 August, ESA BIC Andalusia issued its first call for proposals from companies developing products or services with a “connection to the space sector.” This may involve the direct use of space infrastructure or data, or the development of derivative applications.
“We seek to attract and support startups that integrate space technology into innovative solutions, fostering the creation of high-skilled jobs and promoting collaboration between companies, universities, and research institutions,” said ESA BIC Andalusia head Gracia Catalina Piñero when she was appointed in September 2024. “Our goal is to create an environment that not only provides financial and technical support, but also fosters a collaborative and dynamic ecosystem where ideas can develop into successful projects.”
The companies selected will receive a two-year incubation period that includes €60,000 in direct, non-repayable funding, half provided by ESA and half by the Regional Government of Andalusia. They will also receive 80 hours of specialised advice, access to ESA BIC Andalusia facilities and infrastructure, and support in securing private funding. The deadline for proposals closes on 31 October 2025.
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€60,000 is roughly the gross salary of one employee in the sector for just over a year. One might wonder what the actual purpose of such government subsidies is.