The Ignition Programme offers pre-incubation training over a core 5-day programme. It is specially designed to improve your ESA BIC application, resulting in a higher chance of acceptance. It will be of interest to entrepreneurs wishing to develop an insight-driven and validated business plan. The 2024 edition is over & the next edition will be in summer 2025. Sign up for news to receive updates. (TIP: click the relevant check box to be sure to receive the occasional mailings.)
If you have a validated space business idea, you can apply to ESA BIC. Join the next info session to find out more!
2024 Schedule:
Core programme: 7 June, 14 June, 21 June, 26/28 June & 3/5 July
Additional dates: 30 May, 12 June, 26/28 June, 27 June, 12 July
For who?
Let’s say you have a great idea but you didn’t do the basic research to make it a real business yet. Then, it’s time to take that idea to the next level by signing up for our dedicated pre-incubation training. You will join us for the core programme of 5 days (spread over 5 weeks) and additional compulsory onboarding and checkpoint sessions, concluding with the final presentations (a full day of activities, with an exciting off-site expedition thrown in for the first time ever in 2024). We created this programme for the following groups of people:
- People who want to join the ESA BIC incubation programme with a more mature application (researching the space link of their company, checking technical feasibility and analysing market opportunities);
- People who want to start a company related to space – and who want to validate their business idea;
- Entrepreneurs with a space related startup (<3 years) who want to refine their business model.
Participants need to be EU citizens and be permanent residents in the Netherlands; or non-EU citizens with a permanent working permit in the Netherlands. To check if you are eligible to apply, click here to download the application form and accompanying files.
Take steps to success
These successful startups all took part in the Ignition Programme before joining ESA BIC:
2C Degrees | Ceres Space | Mapture | Revolv | Shore Systems | Soilspect | Spherical
What’s in the programme?
Space Connection – 1-on-1 expert session
Define exactly how your business is related to the space industry.
Value Proposition – workshop
Find out if there’s a need for your business and who your customer
really is.
Entrepreneurship Journey Canvas – workshop
Plan for your startup journey and learn methods to fine tune your business plan and more.
Technical Feasibility – 1-on-1 expert session
Find out if your product or service can be built and, if so, how long it will take.
IP Strategy – workshop
Develop a strategy for patents and your intellectual property.
Financial Focus – 1-on-1 expert session
Check your business makes sense financially: cost structure, revenue models and projections.
What participants say
The Ignition Programme provided us with the perfect launchpad to lift off our business.
The Ignition Programme gave us the support we needed. We had the opportunity to learn and think along brilliant people who helped us mature our idea into a promising business plan.
I joined the Ignition Programme because I wanted to improve my business model so my company would have a better fit to the space industry. I also learned how to better execute my business ideas through validation. Next to that, with the help from mentors in the programme, I successfully changed my pricing strategy.
Location
The Ignition Programme is held at SBIC Noordwijk. Here, you will find ESA BIC startups and members of the space business community. You will be at SBIC for all the (compulsory) dates of the programme, as well an optional (and highly recommended) date.
Ok, now what?
Although the programme is designed to fit the needs of most founders, its main purpose is to be a pre-incubation programme to ESA BIC Noordwijk. This means a space connection is advised before applying to the Ignition Programme.
Please note: the ESA BIC programme works with an open call, so the Ignition Programme is not obligatory. However, to increase your changes of a successful application round, we highly recommend it! Even if you missed out on the summer Ignition Programme, you can still apply for ESA BIC.
The programme will be in English.
If you have questions, be sure to plan a meeting with us:
ESA BIC is open for applications
Create a strong start for your space related business