Other Funding Resources

The list below provides you with some of the main funding sources that are accessible in Europe for Research and Development in EU Space. Information is listed in alphabetical order.

  • COST is a unique means for European researchers, engineers and scholars to jointly develop their own  ideas and new initiatives across all fields of science and technology through trans-European networking of nationally funded research activities.
  • EU grants, delivered within the framework of multiannual funding programmes managed by the European Commission to support transnational projects. Main characteristics of these projects are the innovation of state of the art, the non-profit rule and the presence of a partnership between actors from several EU Member States. Given the multiple uses of GNSS, different EC directorates might publish call of proposals in which GNSS might play a role
  • European Angels Fund (EAF) The European Angels Fund (EAF) is an initiative advised by the EIF, which provides equity to Business Angels and other non-institutional investors for the financing of innovative companies in the form of co-investments.
  • European Innovation Council (EIC): The European Innovation Council (EIC) is Europe’s flagship innovation programme to identify, develop and scale up breakthrough technologies. It is part of Horizon Europe, the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation, and is closely coordinated with the Cassini programme.  The EIC supports game-changing innovations throughout the lifecycle from early stage research, to proof of concept, technology transfer, and the financing and scale up of start-ups and SMEs.

The presentations from the “EIC Opportunities for Space SMEs” workshop that took place on 27 April 2022 can be found here.

  • Eurostars is a European Joint Programme dedicated to the R&D performing SMEs. It is co-funded by the European Communities and 33 EUREKA member countries. Eurostars aims to stimulate research-performing SMEs to lead international collaborative research and innovation projects by easing access to support and funding. It is fine-tuned to focus on the needs of SMEs, and specifically targets the development of new products, processes and services and the access to transnational and international markets.
  • Loans from the European Investment Bank, delivered to investments of high European interest in several areas. Various finance facilities are available for SMEs, especially for R&D, risk capitals, guarantees. Most of the funds are accessible through local intermediary banks appointed by the EIB.
  • Tenders (public procurement), finalised to the signature of public contracts for pecuniary interest between economic operators and contracting authorities in order to obtain the supply of movable or immovable assets, the execution of works or the provision of services. All calls for tenders (EU institutions and Member States administrations) are published daily on the TED portal.
  • The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) supports trans-European networks and infrastructures in the sectors of transport, telecommunications and energy.

 

EUSPA is leading a series of initiatives to boost the opportunities for space start-ups to succeed thanks to technical and business support, and to accelerate their growth and scale-up by attracting more private investors.

 

European Platforms

Updated: May 03, 2022