Lectures, workshops and mentoring are now available!
The EU Space Academy Learning Platform offers enthusiastic entrepreneurs a free and customisable online development programme tailored to their unique goals.
Motivated to shake up your industry by employing the latest knowledge in space data? You’ve come to the right place.
Our academy brings you:
curriculum
Space Economy
Explore the following modules:
- The Space Economy
- Access to Space for Founders
- EU Space Market Insights
- New Space & Start-up Insights
Applications
Explore the following modules:
- Secure Satellite Communication
- Space Situational Awareness
- Earth Observation
- GNSS
- Enabling Technologies
Hardware
This course is coming soon!
with EO Data
Explore the following modules:
- Copernicus Programme
- Copernicus for Developers
- Deep Dive on Remote Sensing Data Use Cases
with GNSS Data
Explore the following modules:
- Galileo Programme & EGNOS
- Galileo for Developers
- Deep Dive on GNSS Use Cases
Space Business
Explore the following modules:
- Business Strategy
- Business Model
- Building a Team
- Minimum Viable Product
- Concept and Design
- Marketing
- Sales
Capital
Explore the following modules:
- Opportunities under CASSINI
- Public & Private Funding
- Investor Pitching (Coming Soon)
Europe
Explore the following modules:
- EU Space Policy
- European Government Procurement (Coming Soon)
- Regulatory Guidelines
Global Markets
This course is coming soon!
Space for Security
Explore the following modules:
- Foundational Context
- Governance and Institutional Cooperation in Space Security
- Cybersecurity and Digital Resilience in Space Security
Space for Security
Explore the following modules:
- Strategic and Industrial Dimensions of Space Security
- Operational Applications of EU Space for Security
- Frontier Technologies in Space Security
Our partners offer further learning opportunities across key areas of the space sector, from entrepreneurship and technology to policy and regulation. Explore their resources to continue your learning journey.
ESA Academy helps university students build space expertise through hands-on projects, technical training, and learning opportunities across space science, engineering, mission design, and business.
Frank de Jong is a tech enthusiast with over 30 years of experience as a hard- and software developer, and project manager. Frank has been a Business Innovation consultant at Orange for several years, leading the Smart Industry practice. He is now working as a Tech Evangelist and Program Director of Edge Computing in the CTO office of Orange.
Vera Pinto Gomes is Policy and Equality Coordinator at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space. With more than 17 years’ experience, she leads policy development on EU space, equality and environmental sustainability, including initiatives supporting sustainable space activities and wider use of EU space data and services.
Philip Lüghausen is an expert in data and data protection law. Dr Lüghausen places particular emphasis on scientific and commercial research and development, in particular, clinical and non-clinical research projects on pharmaceuticals and medical devices. His other areas of practice include IT law, e-commerce law, competition law and intellectual and industrial property law. He works for both, SMEs and multinational companies
Simona Ciuciuc is a tech enthusiast who spent 8 years in the tech industry with Orange. Simona worked in several areas as a functional architect for mobile money services at Orange and as a cloud architect for their public cloud solution. She is a senior Data&AI architect, and her main activities are to contribute to and support the Orange B2B Data AI transformation.
Mikko Punnala is CEO of SharpNav and Space Air Technologies, developing resilient low-Earth-orbit navigation technologies. A retired Finnish Air Force Colonel with 30 years of operational leadership, he combines defence, space-economy and business-strategy expertise to advance secure positioning, navigation and timing services.
Raúl González Muñoz is a Lecturer in Space Economy and Policy at the University of Leicester and an Associate Fellow in the Geopolitics of Outer Space at the Academy of International Affairs NRW. His work examines European space policy, security, defence and strategic autonomy, informed by experience at the European External Action Service and Airbus.
Thea Flem Dethlefsen is a Space Policy Officer at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space. Her work spans secure connectivity, space surveillance and EU space-policy development. Trained in air and space law, she brings legal and policy expertise to advancing safe, sustainable and equitable access to space.
Luca Rossettini is Founder and CEO of D-Orbit, a space logistics company providing in-orbit transportation and space-debris mitigation services. An aerospace engineer with a PhD in advanced space propulsion, he combines entrepreneurship, sustainability and technical expertise to support the responsible expansion of space activities.
Kristina Nikolaus is Co-Founder and CEO of OKAPI:Orbits, which develops software for collision avoidance and space traffic management. Since co-founding the company in 2018, she has led its growth in orbital analytics and sustainable space operations, combining industrial engineering and business administration expertise with startup-scaling experience.
Thomas Sinn is Founder and CEO of DCUBED, a NewSpace company developing release actuators and deployable systems for small satellites. He holds a PhD in deployable space structures and previously led deployable-sail programmes at HPS, with earlier engineering experience at ESA/ESTEC and Airbus Defence and Space.
Senior Process and Quality Consultant @ ISDEFE
Defence and technology professional with over 15 years of experience in quality management, regulatory compliance and operational improvement. She leads quality systems for multinational defence programmes and previously advised the Ministry of Defence on process, quality and cost management. She also coaches EUDIS participants and mentors EUSPA start-ups and SMEs.
She helps space and dual-use founders translate technical capability into commercial traction and mission-ready execution. With over 12 years’ experience, she has supported more than 600 teams across Europe and the United States. Her expertise includes commercialisation, founder readiness and decision-making under uncertainty, informed by applied neuroscience research.
Head of Innovation Management @ Airbus Defence and Space
Passionate about aerospace, adaptable and creative programme and team manager. Entrepreneur, startup mentor and astronaut candidate (ESA 2008 and 2021). Experience within Airbus, DGA (French MoD) and Thales - customer qualification, flight and integration tests, design and innovation.
Executive Advisor & Associate Professor in Space Economy, Policy & Law
Former COO at Euroconsult, where he led global consulting missions on space and satellite strategy, including market, policy, and programme financing. He holds degrees in international law from McGill University and La Sorbonne and has over 50 publications. Since 2025, he has been Associate Professor of Space Economy, Law & Policy at Université Paris-Saclay.
Venture Partner @ Wefunder
Cleantech and deep-tech investment advisor with over 10 years of experience across Silicon Valley and Europe. She has supported more than 100 early-stage companies that collectively raised over €1 billion. Her work focuses on helping climate, defence and space ventures scale through strategy, partnerships, governance and fundraising.
CEO & Founder @ MeridianVertex
Senior advisor with 30+ years of experience across space, aerospace, automotive, AI, and deep-tech. He worked at ESA/ESTEC on major missions including EarthCARE, CryoSat, Aeolus, GOCE, and ExoMars, later led autonomous driving programmes at Volvo Cars, and worked in deep-tech investment at Volvo Cars Tech Fund. He now advises startups on strategy, commercialisation, and scaling space and dual-use technologies.
Partner @ Alpha2 Consulting
Co-founder of a satellite imaging and analytics company (Earth-i) which launched an experimental high-resolution EO satellite in 2018 and secured substantial private investment for the business, while leading the activities relating to procurement, licensing, launch and satellite operations. Also led the development of EO analytics products for the mining and commodities sectors.
Associate @ Corallia Ventures
Entrepreneurship and space-ecosystem adviser with experience supporting more than 300 startups and teams. He coordinates programmes at ESA BIC Greece, supports investment due diligence at Corallia Ventures, and advises founders through incubation and acceleration. His background also includes research engineering, systems architecture and European innovation-project coordination.
CEO @ WindHackers
Entrepreneur and start-up mentor with over 20 years of experience in IT, business-process improvement and customer experience. He has guided more than 200 early-stage teams on business models, MVP development and investor readiness. A certified Design Sprint instructor and experienced pitch trainer, he has also founded several start-ups and co-founded WindHackers.
Venture ecosystem builder @ Verhaert
Venture ecosystem builder supporting space, fusion and deep-tech start-ups through mentoring, incubation and technology transfer. He leads CASSINI Hackathons and works as a technology broker for ESA and fusion initiatives. A four-time founder, he co-founded Mindesk, a VR software company acquired by an ASX-listed group in 2020.
Any individual of legal age established in the Member States of European Economic Area, EU candidate countries and Horizon Europe associated countries.
Register anytime during the academy by clicking at the courses on our website.
No, not at all. We encourage anyone with a passion for entrepreneurship and EU space data and signals to participate in the academy. You can learn about the opportunities of the downstream sector and business practices to create a successful start-up.
Yes, there is no requirement as such for participation in the EU Space Academy Learning Platform. Although the course is aimed at entrepreneurs within the space sector, the lessons are designed so any interested person regardless of their background can find modules of interest.
No, you can register to the online programme anytime! Once you registered, you will gain access to all the available courses that you can watch at your own convenience.
Each member of your team can individually join and benefit from the academy.
No, you can watch the lessons in your preferred order.
Yes, you will get a certificate after completing the academy. Additionally, after the completion of each course, you can download a completion badge and share it with your network.
Yes, feel free to join all the courses you like.
You can book up to 4 mentoring sessions in any 365-day period, either with the same mentor or different ones. Note that places are limited and mentor availability cannot be guaranteed