Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Astropreneurs (Turning space-related ideas into viable businesses and promoting opportunities for entrepreneurs coming from space and non-space sectors.)
Período documentado: 2019-05-01 hasta 2020-12-31
Astropreneurs addresses a challenge currently faced in Europe as a consequence of the different national and ESA technology transfer initiatives: even if the number of BICs and incubators supporting space related business is growing, with the huge Europe’s potential, it is urgent to inspire more and more entrepreneurs to turn space-related business ideas into commercial endeavours and to promote opportunities for startups coming from space and non-space sectors. For an entrepreneur it is a tough challenge to move from an initial idea to actually develop a successful and viable startup company.
Astropreneurs is an acceleration programme boosted by a network of networks, leveraged by the support of ESA’s Technology Transfer Programme and its networks: the ESA’s BIC and the Technology Transfer network - all Astropreneurs’ members belong to at least one of these networks: IPN, STFC, Aerospace Valley, CESAH and CzechInvest all manage their corresponding National ESA BICs; Verhaert, Brimatech, KIMBCN, but also IPN, STFC, and CESAH belong to ESA Brokers’ Network, and have worked with more than 200 space-related technologies in downstream applications and markets.
Astropreneurs Space Startup Accelerator objective is to support entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs, coming from space and non-space sectors, to create viable business cases and have faster markets approaches by mentoring them on businesses and technical needs, helping them to access private and public funding, overcoming the financial, administrative and networking barriers, that are now preventing them from more success in the commercial phases.
Another objective is to ensure the mapping, connection and the matching of all space players with the creation of the European Space Network, an online platform with a list of all players, from startups to corporates to investors to other stakeholders across Europe to showcase technologies and services to stimulate new business, including the most relevant funding schemes and programmes at EU and national levels, the events, the acceleration programmes and allowing digital match between space2space and space2terrestrial applications.
Astropreneurs is an acceleration programme boosted by a network of networks, leveraged by the support of ESA’s Technology Transfer Programme and its networks: the ESA’s BIC and the Technology Transfer network - all Astropreneurs’ members belong to at least one of these networks: IPN, STFC, Aerospace Valley, CESAH and CzechInvest all manage their corresponding National ESA BICs; Verhaert, Brimatech, KIMBCN, but also IPN, STFC, and CESAH belong to ESA Brokers’ Network, and have worked with more than 200 space-related technologies in downstream applications and markets.
Astropreneurs Space Startup Accelerator objective is to support entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs, coming from space and non-space sectors, to create viable business cases and have faster markets approaches by mentoring them on businesses and technical needs, helping them to access private and public funding, overcoming the financial, administrative and networking barriers, that are now preventing them from more success in the commercial phases.
Another objective is to ensure the mapping, connection and the matching of all space players with the creation of the European Space Network, an online platform with a list of all players, from startups to corporates to investors to other stakeholders across Europe to showcase technologies and services to stimulate new business, including the most relevant funding schemes and programmes at EU and national levels, the events, the acceleration programmes and allowing digital match between space2space and space2terrestrial applications.
WP1:
BRI established the criteria to scout the information for the database and its requirements; along with KIM the database was implemented on the Astropreneurs website, using HubSpot and generating a map, that covers 27 EU countries and has a total of 2456 contacts: entrepreneurs, startups, SMEs, investors, R&D organizations, universities, and other stakeholders; incubators, acceleration programmes, and events; funding instruments.
Total contacts mapped:
WP2:
The call for startups, call for mentors and mentoring implementation processes were defined by STFC, along with all the necessary documentation and eligibility and selection criteria defined. A complementary training plan was defined and implemented.
160 experts accepted in the pool of mentors
167 startups selected to the mentoring programme
5399 hours of mentoring delivered - 32 hours/startup/average
225 meetings between space/space-related connections
628 participants on 12 training events
WP3:
AV coordinated the mapping of funding opportunities listing 339 funding instruments covering 30 European countries or Associated countries and European funds. A training plan was also defined and implemented.
9 training events on funding organized, with 396 participants
37.662.498,62€ of funding requested and 13.743.308,79€ awarded
151 new jobs created and 17 startups incorporated
WP4:
VH identified the relevant space and non-space network relevant to the space economy/ecosystem and established the action plan to mobilised, cluster and connect them. To ensure the connection and the matching of all space players was created a digital mapping, networking and matchmaking on line platform - the European Space Network. To outreach to other non-space skilled business centres and incubators, a training plan was implemented:10 events with 90 attended, along with 17 one-to-one session to non-space skilled organizations and 1 dedicated webinar with 27 participants from 15 countries.
WP5:
KIM defined and implemented the communication and dissemination plans. Communication tools included: brand identity image, communication kit, website, social media presence in Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. In Feb2020, KIM organized the New Space Economy event in Barcelona; in Dec2020, there were the final events: AstroMatchaton and Astropreneurs Touchdown. 18 newsletters sent reaching 1160 persons; 4 press released sent; 13 success stories recorded; participation in 126 external events and 44 presentations made.
WP6:
IPN ensured the partners' coordination, quality and risk management of the project, along with the administrative, legal and financial coordination, creating the condition and implementing the tools to ensure it, with the partners collaboration and inputs.
All deliverables were submitted and accepted, except D5.4 which is under revision to be re-submitted
Until 31/12/2020 partners reported to have spent 92.6% of the project total budget, that is: 1.851.676,62€ and applied 99.27% of the project total effort, that is: 247.63 PM
BRI established the criteria to scout the information for the database and its requirements; along with KIM the database was implemented on the Astropreneurs website, using HubSpot and generating a map, that covers 27 EU countries and has a total of 2456 contacts: entrepreneurs, startups, SMEs, investors, R&D organizations, universities, and other stakeholders; incubators, acceleration programmes, and events; funding instruments.
Total contacts mapped:
WP2:
The call for startups, call for mentors and mentoring implementation processes were defined by STFC, along with all the necessary documentation and eligibility and selection criteria defined. A complementary training plan was defined and implemented.
160 experts accepted in the pool of mentors
167 startups selected to the mentoring programme
5399 hours of mentoring delivered - 32 hours/startup/average
225 meetings between space/space-related connections
628 participants on 12 training events
WP3:
AV coordinated the mapping of funding opportunities listing 339 funding instruments covering 30 European countries or Associated countries and European funds. A training plan was also defined and implemented.
9 training events on funding organized, with 396 participants
37.662.498,62€ of funding requested and 13.743.308,79€ awarded
151 new jobs created and 17 startups incorporated
WP4:
VH identified the relevant space and non-space network relevant to the space economy/ecosystem and established the action plan to mobilised, cluster and connect them. To ensure the connection and the matching of all space players was created a digital mapping, networking and matchmaking on line platform - the European Space Network. To outreach to other non-space skilled business centres and incubators, a training plan was implemented:10 events with 90 attended, along with 17 one-to-one session to non-space skilled organizations and 1 dedicated webinar with 27 participants from 15 countries.
WP5:
KIM defined and implemented the communication and dissemination plans. Communication tools included: brand identity image, communication kit, website, social media presence in Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. In Feb2020, KIM organized the New Space Economy event in Barcelona; in Dec2020, there were the final events: AstroMatchaton and Astropreneurs Touchdown. 18 newsletters sent reaching 1160 persons; 4 press released sent; 13 success stories recorded; participation in 126 external events and 44 presentations made.
WP6:
IPN ensured the partners' coordination, quality and risk management of the project, along with the administrative, legal and financial coordination, creating the condition and implementing the tools to ensure it, with the partners collaboration and inputs.
All deliverables were submitted and accepted, except D5.4 which is under revision to be re-submitted
Until 31/12/2020 partners reported to have spent 92.6% of the project total budget, that is: 1.851.676,62€ and applied 99.27% of the project total effort, that is: 247.63 PM
Astropreneurs Space Startup Accelerator supported mostly early-stage entrepreneurs and startups, but also some SMEs, working on a diversity of sectors in the downstream applications and also in the new space.
167 space-related startups were supported with 32 hours of mentoring/each (in average), according to their pre-assessed needs, provided by mentors coming from a pool of 160 experts from 17 EU countries, with experience in business, tech and funding.
Nearly 5400 hours of mentoring were delivered and one of most relevant impacts of this work is related with funding, which is a critical factor to the startup success:
65 startups submitted 159 application for several types of private and public funding schemes, requesting nearly 38M€
40 startups got 97 applications approved securing 13.743.308,79€ of funding
43 applications were rejected and 22 are still under evaluation
Two other figures that show the mentoring impact is the number of incorporation and of jobs created:
17 new companies created
161 new jobs created
In complement to the mentoring, a training plan was implemented offering 33 opportunities for developing competences and networking; 1141 persons took part in these training events.
24 webinars
5 videos
4 workshops
1 podcast
1 mentoring bootcamp
The Astropreneurs Mentoring Bootcamp was a training event organized to give a boost of innovation on the mentoring activities and also as a response to the COVID-19 impact. Aiming at outreach a new generation of Astropreneurs, it had 157 registrants. More than 30 hours of high-quality expert-talks and training provided by 35 invited speakers. 22 recorded lessons are now available. The bootcamp was concluded by an exclusive Investor Pitching Event: 80 EU investors invited and 11 Astropreneurs startups pitching their business idea.
The European Space Network - www.europeanspacenetwork.eu is a network of networks, a digital platform for mapping, networking and matchmaking, the industries, research institutions, startups, incubators, accelerators, events, funding schemes, investors, mentors and entrepreneurs, putting then together to foster innovation and collaborative work at the space ecosystem, feeding both space and non-space markets.
167 space-related startups were supported with 32 hours of mentoring/each (in average), according to their pre-assessed needs, provided by mentors coming from a pool of 160 experts from 17 EU countries, with experience in business, tech and funding.
Nearly 5400 hours of mentoring were delivered and one of most relevant impacts of this work is related with funding, which is a critical factor to the startup success:
65 startups submitted 159 application for several types of private and public funding schemes, requesting nearly 38M€
40 startups got 97 applications approved securing 13.743.308,79€ of funding
43 applications were rejected and 22 are still under evaluation
Two other figures that show the mentoring impact is the number of incorporation and of jobs created:
17 new companies created
161 new jobs created
In complement to the mentoring, a training plan was implemented offering 33 opportunities for developing competences and networking; 1141 persons took part in these training events.
24 webinars
5 videos
4 workshops
1 podcast
1 mentoring bootcamp
The Astropreneurs Mentoring Bootcamp was a training event organized to give a boost of innovation on the mentoring activities and also as a response to the COVID-19 impact. Aiming at outreach a new generation of Astropreneurs, it had 157 registrants. More than 30 hours of high-quality expert-talks and training provided by 35 invited speakers. 22 recorded lessons are now available. The bootcamp was concluded by an exclusive Investor Pitching Event: 80 EU investors invited and 11 Astropreneurs startups pitching their business idea.
The European Space Network - www.europeanspacenetwork.eu is a network of networks, a digital platform for mapping, networking and matchmaking, the industries, research institutions, startups, incubators, accelerators, events, funding schemes, investors, mentors and entrepreneurs, putting then together to foster innovation and collaborative work at the space ecosystem, feeding both space and non-space markets.