Astropreneurs
Turning space-related ideas into viable businesses and promoting opportunities for entrepreneurs coming from space and non-space sectors

Challenge

Astropreneurs addressed a challenge currently faced in Europe as a consequence of the diferent national and ESA technology transfer initiatives: even if the number of BICs and incubators supporting space related business is growing, it is urgent to inspire more and more entrepreneurs to turn space-related business ideas into commercial endeavours and to promote opportunities for startups coming from space and non-space sectors. For an entrepreneur it is a tough challenge to move from an initial idea to actually develop a successful and viable startup company.

Solution

Astropreneurs’ strategic objective was to support space entrepreneurs by mentoring them on businesses and technical needs, helping them to access private and public funding opportunities, but also to overcome the financial, administrative and networking barriers that are now preventing them to successful operate in the space and space-related markets. To make this happen, two main actions were implemented:

1. Astropreneurs Space Startup Accelerator: 150 space-related startups are supported with 50 hours average of mentoring/each on business and technical needs, access to private and public funding opportunities, to overcome the financial, administrative and networking barriers that are now preventing them from more success in the commercial phases.

2. Space Economy “Astropreneurs” Network: To amplify and follow-up that support, a network of relevant stakeholders as industry, investors, space institutions and clusters, but also other non-space skilled incubators is involved to ease the innovation barriers and allow faster markets approaches. Up to 500 entrepreneurs will be reached within this network.

Objectives, Activities and Results expected / achieved

Specific objectives, expected results and KPIs are the following:

Specific Objective 1: Identify the space and space-related innovation agents.
Expected and Achieved Results & KPIs:
• Map of the space and space-related innovation agents;
• Number of entrepreneurs, startups, SMEs, investors, and other relevant innovation stakeholders identified: 1743 out of the 500 previewed;
• Number of incubators and other relevant infrastructures identified: 199 out of the 100 previewed;
• Number of acceleration programs and other initiatives to foster innovation and entrepreneurship identified: 175 out of the 100 previewed;

Specific Objective 2: Assist and mentor entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs in overcoming barriers (technical, business, administrative, networking)
Expected and Achieved Results & KPIs:
• Astropreneurs Acceleration calls;
• Open call for applicants: 1 open call published on month - 8 + 6 cut-off dates previewed: 7 cut-off dates and 4 extra cut-off dates defined: 1st - 27/09/2018; 2nd – 24/01/2019; 3rd – 11/04/2019; 4th – 05/09/2019, 5th – 31/10/2019, 6th – 06/02/2020; 7th – 27/05/2020. 2 extra cut-off dates for startups: 24/11/2019, 09/11/2020. 2 extra cut-off dates for mentors: 05/07/2019, 19/08/2020 and final on demand acceptance.
• Experts Network established;
• Experts selected: 160 experts were accepted to join the pool of mentors, out of the 100 previewed;
• Inventory of relevant Networks: 1;
• Tailored technical/business support provided to startups (Astropreneurs Support Program);
• Number of startups assisted at technical/business level: 167 startups were selected to join mentoring programme, out of the 150 previewed (WP2+WP3);
• Hours of expert supporting startups at technical/business level: 5399 hours of mentoring were delivered, out of the 3750 previewed (WP2 + WP3)
• Meetings promoted between stakeholders: 225 were promoted (WP 1+2+3+4), out of the 150 previewed;
• Training in space downstream and space data applications;
• Number of entrepreneurs trained: 628 participants on training events, out of the 200 previewed (WP2);
• Number of technical training events: 12 training events on business and technical areas done, out of the 8 previewed.

Specific Objective 3: Facilitate access to finance and commercial phases.
Expected and Achieved Results & KPIs:
• Awareness and information on funding opportunities;
• Number of training events on space finances and opportunities: 9 training events organized, out of the 8 previewed;
• Tailored financial support provided to startups;
• Number of entrepreneurs trained: 352 participants on training events, out of the 200 previewed;
• Hours of expert supporting startups on funding opportunities: 5399 hours of mentoring were delivered, out of the 3750 previewed (WP2 + WP3);
o Number of startups assisted on funding opportunities: 167 startups were selected to join mentoring programme, out of the 150 previewed (WP2+WP3);
• Promotion of funding applications;
• Applications to funding instruments: 159 applications submitted, out of the 40 previewed (10 to EIC Accelerator + 30 other funding applications);
• Requested capital and/or funding: 37.662.498,62€ out of the 6 million € previewed; amount of funding awarded: 13.743.308,79€; 161 new jobs created; 17 startups incorporated, out of the 25 previewed.

Specific Objective 4: Maximize opportunities for startups and SMEs;
Expected and Achieved Results & KPIs:
• Increase the collaboration between actors of the space economy;
• Number of training events and one-to-one sessions on space/space related support: 10 out of the 8 previewed training events + 17 out of the 16 previewed one-to-one sessions;
• Number of entrepreneurs trained: 191 out of the 150 previwed (100 in training events + 50 in one-to-one sessions);
• Legacy Plan: 1 created;
• White Book on Space Economy Promotion + Regional Policy Recommendations Report: 1 + 8 regional adaptations created;
• SPACE Economy “Astropreneurs” network: 1 created - www.europeanspacenetwork.eu .