•Notícia

ESA BIC Barcelona – the first Business Incubation Centre (BIC) set up by the European Space Agency (ESA) in Spain – focuses on projects that harness space technologies. Hemav IP anywhere, DAPCOM and Born Positiu are the first companies to set up shop at ESA BIC Barcelona, which is managed by Barcelona Activa and housed in the RDIT building of the UPC Research and Innovation Park.

After UPC rector Enric Fossas opened the ceremony and welcomed the attendees, Pedro Mier, chairman of Mier Comunicaciones, talked about the context of the space sector in Catalonia. Other speakers were the mayor of Castelldefels, Manuel Reyes; the ESA’s director of Science and Robotic Exploration, Álvaro Giménez; the general secretary for Industry and SMEs of the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism, Begoña Cristeto; and the mayor of Barcelona, Xavier Trias.

The new incubator joins a network of 10 spaces located in various European countries, including the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium and Italy. It occupies a 1000-m² area in the RDIT building that includes a co-working space with six work points and nine modules ranging from 30 to 100 m² in area.

The new space is aimed at start-ups that have been active for less than five years and whose business is based on using space systems or technologies to develop products, services or applications for other sectors. The business incubator is expected to host around 40 start-ups between now and 2018.

The four projects currently being incubated are related to drones, satellite communication technologies, data compression processes and renewable energies. The projects have led to the creation of 26 direct and indirect jobs, and the start-ups operate in both the local and the international market.

• Hemav: offers solutions based on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) in the civil sphere. The firm designs and develops this technology for sale in the form of products, provides aerial image processing services, and carries out operations with experienced pilots. Hemav’s goal is to integrate its own technology with technology already on the market in the area of unmanned vehicles and systems. The technology developed by the start-up is used to offer concrete, innovative solutions tailored to the needs of each sector.
• IP anywhere: offers IP connectivity over satellite systems and heterogeneous networks for rural and maritime communications. The firm specialises in IP-PBX (private branch exchange; telephone exchanges connected directly to the public telephone network via trunk lines) for corporate environments, as well as tools for managing billing for the use of such lines, which are provided through other distributors.
• DAPCOM: provides custom software solutions for managing large volumes of data and compression under stringent requirements. The start-up has its own high-performance compression technologies, and during the incubation period it will develop a technology plan for improving and diversifying them.
• Born Positiu: focuses on efficient management of renewable energy sources based on technology developed for the SMART-1 space mission. At the incubator, the firm is developing an intelligent control system that can be used to integrate a micro-generator with multiple energy sources, providing maximum power quality in a way that is as sustainable, economical, and convenient for users as possible. The aim is to achieve a new distributed energy system with very high energy efficiency for use in homes and businesses seeking to reduce their energy costs.

At a recent quarterly meeting of the selection committee in Barcelona, proposals were presented for three new business projects. As of now, three more start-ups have been approved and will set up shop at ESA BIC Barcelona before the end of the year.

The incubated companies have access to the scientific and technical knowledge of the ESA team (and members of the ESA centre in Spain) as well as the expertise of the UPC. They can draw on a wide range of space technologies to develop new applications, including satellite navigation technologies (Galileo), Earth observation (Copernicus), and satellite communications. They also benefit from expert business advice provided by Barcelona Activa.

In addition, as they progressively achieve the targets set, start-ups receive a financial incentive of up to €50,000 to develop a product or service. They also have preferential access to private financing from Caixa Capital Risc (the venture capital arm of “la Caixa”) and to business finance services provided by the Business Support Office of the Barcelona City Council.

A specific fund set up by the ESA for companies that use space technologies is another source of financing that incubated companies can take advantage of to meet their growth needs, and they can also take part in investment forums organised at the European level.

Entrepreneurs with projects that use space technologies to develop products, services or applications for industrial or general use may submit applications to set up shop at the incubator in Castelldefels.

The call is aimed at start-ups that have been active in the market for less than five years and applications are accepted year-round. Enquiries may be sent by e-mail to jorge.fuentesatesabicbarcelonactiva.cat. A committee made up of ESA members and representatives of the various sponsors of the Barcelona incubator meets regularly to hear project presentations and select the ones that will be given the green light to operate at ESA BIC Barcelona. Three new business projects were presented at the latest quarterly meeting of the selection committee in Barcelona. As of now, three more start-ups have been approved and will set up shop at ESA BIC Barcelona before the end of the year.