As a celebration of 20 years of the European Space Agency’s business incubation network (#20yearsESABIC), the Netherlands Space Office (NSO) sought to get insights from a number of entrepreneurs who have been through the programme. Here, we provide a brief summary of input from some recent alumni of ESA’s Dutch Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC Noordwijk), including Carble, Spherical Systems and smartQare.
The following includes extracts of a news item originally published on the NSO website.
What started in 2004 as an experiment by ESA and the Dutch government, grew into a breeding ground for space entrepreneurs: ESA BIC Noordwijk. The breadth of coverage of innovations developed by startups in the incubator is wide reaching. These days, as we see applications of space technology all around us in society – and space itself becomes more and more commercial – different disciplines are needed to start a successful business.
Have you ever wondered what it takes to turn an innovative idea into a successful (space) company? What talents are needed for this? And which resources are indispensable? Here’s what a few entrepreneurs who graduated in the past 3 years have to say on the subject.
2022 GRADUATE
smartQare
(industry: medical data platforms)
About:
Producing remote patient monitoring devices and working to unlock the power of innovation to address challenges of healthcare systems around the world
Website: smartqare.com
Co-founder & CEO, Ronald Olie:
“Entrepreneurs should interact to develop good ideas. Look for feedback to further develop your idea, to make it better. Seek that feedback from people with a completely different background than yourself, such as those in the ESA BIC.”
Recent news:
Partnership with Philips for Integrated Tech Solution Offering to Healthcare Providers
2023 GRADUATE
Carble
(industry: food & agriculture)
About:
Helping coffee brands reduce their impact on the climate by rewarding farmers for storing carbon
Website: carble.co
Co-founder & CEO, Sander Reuderink:
“Fundraising is important. Five years ago you could still raise money with one impressive PowerPoint presentation. Nowadays, you have to show that you already have turnover and understand what the customer needs. That is why during ESA BIC, we not only put a lot of energy into our technical solutions but also into fundraising and marketing, for example.”
Recent news:
Guide on Why Carbon Removals are Pivotal in Climate Strategies
2024 GRADUATE
Spherical Systems
(industry: space technologies)
About:
Developing high-performance electronic systems for satellites powered by next-generation semiconductors
Website: spherical-systems.com
Co-founder & CEO, Thomas Parry:
“The incubation period played an important role. Our customers put a lot of time and energy into their satellites. So they are not likely to do business with a party they do not know. ESA BIC, the NSO and the Dutch space ecosystem give us a certain credibility. If you complete the ESA BIC programme correctly, it is a quality mark.”
Recent news:
Winner of the OHV Challenge of the InnoSpace Masters Competition 2024
This post includes some extracts of the news item that appears on the NSO website.
NSO is an incubation, technical, community & media partner of SBIC Noordwijk (click for details)
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