Project Funding from the European Space Agency - ESA - for any sector!

I attended a fascinating event on Monday 4th December in which The Rail Innovation Group , Network Rail, the Department for Transport and the European Space Agency - ESA discussed how opportunities for funding and commercial advice from ESA were enabling companies in the rail sector to take their projects towards commercialisation. Hosted by PwC, the view of Tower Bridge was a welcome bonus from the event!

A big takeaway from the event is that if you have a project that is technology-proven, and approaching acceptance from prospective customers, then if the project benefits from and is optimised by the implementation therein of space technologies, such as GPS, global mapping or satellite communications, then zero-equity funding from ESA or the UK Space Agency could be available! Typically it may be matched funding, and it would be approvable on the merits of the project, rather than through a competitive process.

Two recipients of funding that demonstrate the higher end levels of funding that can be achieved from the ESA are Airbus UK, who has been awarded nearly £95 million, and Teledyne e2v, who has been awarded £9 million. Both awards were signed at COP28 in Dubai.  Airbus will be undertaking satellite design and development, whereas Teledyne e2v are developing a sensor, called the Hyperspectral Imaging Spectrometer Detection System, and both are part of the delivery of the TRUTHS mission, with the intention of understanding changes in the Earth's climate.  Another recipient who was present at the event was Tended. They have developed fantastic geofencing products for keeping trackside workers on our railways safe from hazardous situations, including oncoming trains, automatically alerting the workers in the event that they move beyond pre-assigned safe working zones.

If you are working on such a suitable project, be it in rail, automotive, or even agritech and other sectors, then perhaps this kind of funding could be something for you to apply for. More information on this is provided by the ESA website below, or from the UK Government here. 

#space #Rail #Transport #Agritech #Innovation #Patents #Designs #technology #COP28