ESA’s Approach to Promote the Commercialization of Space Technology and Bridging the Equity Gap
- Paper number
IAC-08.E6.2.9
- Author
Mrs. Aude de Clercq, European Space Agency (ESA), The Netherlands
- Year
2008
- Abstract
Space systems are increasingly part of our daily lives. Today, there are more than 200 telecommunication satellites in geostationary orbit. Over the last three decades they have revolutionized society, changed the way our economies work and introduced new dimensions to television and entertainment. Satellite observations have provided us with effective methods to monitor climate change and the impact of land use. Space has pioneered methods for generating and exploiting electrical power more efficiently, scientists using bio-imaging for diagnosing disease have benefited greatly from sharing imaging technology with space researches and the demands of space travel have thrown up the need for strong lightweight materials which have quickly found terrestrial applications. Although there is a relatively large amount of very promising start-up and early-stage companies that use space-related technologies or satellite applications, as for all new technology ventures, they lack access to seed and early stage equity. ESA recognizes that innovation is the engine that drives the world economy; billions of euros are spent each year by industry, government agencies, universities and research centers on developing all kinds of technologies. If these are not commercialized, they will never reach their full potential and society could well miss out on the possible benefits. Hence, ESA, as a public body, has an inherent responsibility to arrange and facilitate the spin-off effects that contribute to the non-space economy and technological infrastructure in its Member States. Over the last decade, ESA Technology Transfer Programme has established several initiatives for technologies to be identified and prepared for non-space use that result in commercially viable products and high potential companies, including the set up of dedicated business incubators. ESA has recently decided to go even further by sponsoring and being the catalyst of an early-stage venture capital Fund in view of bridging the so-called “equity-gap” faced by start-ups.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.E6.2.9.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.