Funding & Projects

Identify opportunities for R&D, collaboration and partnership building with the RTO/Catapult Growth Support programme delivered by Innovate UK EDGE. This grant funding allows eligible businesses to claim back 100% of project activities up to a maximum of £15,000.

To find out more and apply contact enquirieseast@innovateukedge.ukri.org

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: UK organisations working in positioning, navigation and timing undertaking technology research and development focused on commercial innovation.

Funding: Varies. 100% funding for developing early technologies and innovations; typically between €200,000 and €800,000 for space-enabled positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) technology solutions and innovations.

Deadline: Open until further notice

Since 2017, the UK has invested €50 million into NavISP to support the UK space PNT sector to innovate the next generation of space-enabled and space-supported navigation products, services and applications.

The UK investment in the programme is available to support UK organisations to undertake technology research and development focused on commercial innovation.

Funding type: Research, innovation and development

Who can apply: UK-based teams successfully selected by ESA for certain student support programmes.

Funding: Up to £5,000

Deadline: Open until further notice

This announcement of opportunity offers up to £5,000 (if available) to support students participating in ESA microgravity programmes.

Funding type: Development and promotion of UK space exploration community

Who can apply: UK individuals and organisations

Funding: Support will be granted to a maximum of £50,000.

Deadline: Open until further notice.

The UK Space Agency will, subject to budget being available in any given financial year, make available funds to support activities such as:

• community building activities
• establishing networking opportunities
• showcases and/or organisation attendance at appropriate conferences

Applicants should detail how the proposed activity benefits the UK space exploration community.

ESA Space Solutions is the go-to place for great business ideas involving space in all areas of society and economy. Our mission is to support entrepreneurs in Europe in the development of business using satellite applications and space technology. Our network includes the ESA Business Applications Ambassadors and the recurring ESA Investor Forum.

ESA Space Solutions and Business Applications are part of ESA’s ARTES (Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems) 4.0 Programme. We provide different types of funding opportunities such as Kick-Starts, Feasibility Studies and Demonstration Projects and support the development of sustainable services utilising space assets.

Space assets like satellite data or spaceflight technologies offer many opportunities and solutions to businesses. Are you an entrepreneur, or are you running a start-up or an established business? Then you might be interested to apply for our different funding opportunities. See the link below for more information.

• OPPORTUNITY Intended Tender
• ACTIVITY Feasibility Study, Demonstration Project
• OPENING DATE 30-06-2023
• CLOSING DATE 01-12-2024

Sub-themes

This funding call consists of 6 sub-themes, each open at a different point in time. Please see the list of currently open or upcoming funding calls and their further specific details below:

1. Sub-theme 1: Air, Land and Sea Transport Infrastructure(open: 30 June 2023 – 28 September 2023).
2. Sub-theme 2: Energy (upcoming)
3. Sub-theme 3: Water Management (upcoming)
4. Sub-theme 4: Digital (upcoming)
5. Sub-theme 5: Sport. Cultural and Educational (upcoming)
6. Sub-theme 6: Health (upcoming)

Infrastructure underpins both national economies and citizens’ quality of life. It consists of the physical infrastructure needed, for example, to power homes and businesses and to supply the water that people need, but it also includes the digital infrastructure required to manage the transport of goods efficiently, to exchange ideas, and to stay in touch with family and friends. Infrastructure networks account for a substantial proportion of both government and private sector investment and, given its scale, it is critical that such investment is deployed effectively.

A properly functioning and accessible infrastructure is vital for the sustainable economic development of each country. The facilities and services reliant on infrastructure need to be available, accessible, inclusive and beneficial to all. For example, providing dependable and accessible low-emission transport on land, air and sea is critical to achieve net-zero targets, and is widely recognised as being a key contributor to improving livelihoods and economic productivity. Water management is important for supporting industrial utilities. Maintaining a secure and adequate energy supply is fundamental for society and the provision of the services essential for production, communication, and exchange.

This opportunity provides funding to European teams who would like to develop a service related to halving waste through the food supply chain. Funding will be provided by the European Space Agency (ESA) for 6-month projects called ‘Kick-Starts’, which can lead to larger scale Demonstration Projects and Feasibility Studies. Kick-Starts are 75% funded by ESA up to a maximum of €60K per contract. Proposed services must use satellite data or space-based technologies. Please see the ‘Authorisation of Funding’ section below to check whether your team is eligible for funding. 

OPENING DATE 25-09-2023 

CLOSING DATE 17-11-2023 

Research, innovation and technology development

Who can apply: A variety of organisations including academia, industry and not for profit organisations. All organisations must be registered in the UK.

Funding: Grant funding per project is expected to range from £150k to £1m per grant.

Deadline: Midday on 17 November 2023.

The Business Applications and Space Solutions Programme (BASS) programme, in partnership between the UK Space Agency and European Space Agency (ESA), is a commercially focused space applications programme that delivers innovative uses of space assets and data. BASS offers funding and support to businesses from any sector who intend to use space (for example, satellite navigation, earth observation, satellite telecommunication, space weather) to develop new commercial services.

Unlocking Space for Business is a new UK Space Agency programme supporting companies to deliver operational, customer and environmental benefits through the use of innovative satellite data and services.

The UK Space Agency invites funding proposals from suitably qualified organisations to undertake high impact investment focused activities and interventions.

Here is the latest opportunity New Anglia LEP secured from Innovate UK for Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, working in partnership with Greater Lincolnshire LEP and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to secure the £7.5m

This provides opportunities right across the agri-food chain. There are significant opportunities for the space sector to tie in downstream application projects to support key topics such as sustainability and biodiversity net gain; and boosting productivity across horticulture, livestock and aquaculture. Other key themes of the Launchpad include:

• protecting, maintaining or enhancing animal welfare
• nutritional composition, food manufacturing and processing
• minimising negative effects such as pollution, food loss and waste
• resilience and responsiveness in the agri-food supply chain, mitigating risks, interruptions or disruptions (includes logistics)

ESA Business Applications’ Call for proposals (Direct Negotiation) is always open. Businesses from any sector can apply throughout the year, and the amount of funding may vary according to the project. The goal of this activity is for the business to develop a new commercial service that utilises one or more space asset (such as Satellite Communications, Earth Observation, Satellite Navigation, Human Spaceflight technologies and other space assets).

The Commercial Applications enabled by Space Environments (CASE) Open Call for Proposals supports the development of commercial services that benefit from microgravity and space environments.

ESA open call “Space4Rail Downstream Applications in ARTES 4.0” aims to support the exploitation of space-based assets (satellite navigation, satellite communications and/or Earth observation) in innovative and sustainable applications/services:

1. Related to future control, command and signalling applications of the European Rail system;
2. Improving the performance and attractiveness of the railway, both for railway undertakings and end users.

Applications can be submitted anytime.

The Thematic Call for proposals aims at supporting new space-based services for the digital transformation and sustainability of the sport sector, specifically in the organisation, management, and further exploitation of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It primarily targets the next Games in Europe – Paris 2024 and Milano Cortina 2026, with the ambition of providing services for the future Games as well, ensuring continuity of the sustainability model.