We’re seeking visionary companies and entrepreneurs across diverse sectors, eager to innovate and grow. Whether you’re a pioneering startup or an established company, explore our funding opportunities and partnerships. Our goal is to support Belgian businesses driving innovation and growth in various industries.
How can we help?
We provide tailored funding solutions to grow your business, offering strategic guidance and industry expertise to help you unlock ESA funding. Applications are open year-round, and we’re here to guide you every step of the way.
Get free expert matchmaking to connect with key institutional players like ESA and BELSPO in Belgium’s space entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Unlock business opportunities, including up to €750K in equity-free funding, to bring your ideas to life.
Connect with a strong network of like-minded companies thriving in Belgium.
Get expert, personalised support to simplify the application process and maximise your chances of success.
Get free expert matchmaking to connect with key institutional players like ESA and BELSPO in Belgium’s space entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Unlock business opportunities, including up to €750K in equity-free funding, to bring your ideas to life.
Connect with a strong network of like-minded companies thriving in Belgium.
Get expert, personalised support to simplify the application process and maximise your chances of success.
Let’s team up to use space technology and data to take your business to the next level!
About the programme
The Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme is all about boosting the industrial competitiveness of Member States. The programme comprises different programmatic elements, aiming to provide a funding opportunity for businesses, each with their own co-financing rules that cater to your project needs. You can see all the details in our “ESA ARTES 4.0 Programme” figure on the right
The matrix has a simple structure consisting of 3 Strategic Programmatic Lines (SPL) also known as thematic transverse lines, and 3 Generic Programmatic Lines (GPL) acting as toolboxes for the SPLs
Want to learn more about what each ARTES programmatic element can offer?
Look no further! We’ve got a brief description of each one right here, so you can find the perfect fit for your project.
Funding opportunities
Energy
Health
Sustainability
Space Supporting Environmental Claims
This ‘Space supporting Environmental Claims’ opportunity offers funding to European teams interested in developing services that provide support and evidence for environmental claims and labelling. The European Space Agency (ESA) will provide funding for 6-month feasibility studies known as ‘Kick-Starts’, which can lead to larger-scale projects and pilots.
Agriculture
Delivery
Health
Sustainability
Space for Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture
This ‘Space for Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture’ opportunity offers funding to European teams interested in developing services integrating technology solutions to the smart cities and urban agricultural sector. The European Space Agency (ESA) will provide funding for 6-month feasibility studies known as ‘Kick-Starts’, which can lead to larger-scale projects and pilots.
Digitalisation
Energy
Integrated Digital Solutions for the Energy Sector
With a focus on digital transformation, the call encourages innovative solutions that integrate digital tools such as IoT, AI, blockchain, AR/VR, and digital twins. These solutions aim to optimise electricity grid management, enable predictive maintenance, support energy storage, improve construction logistics, and streamline renewable energy management.
Digitalisation
Energy
Sustainability
Space for Sustainable, Connected and Liveable Cities
Successful bidders may have the opportunity to work closely with Space for Smart and Green Cities Task Force members who are supporting this call in the development of the proposed service. Use cases include: sustainable cities (urban sustainability), connected cities (urban infrastructure), and liveable cities (urban environment). Contact us for more info on the topics of relevant and specific sub-cases.
Real-world use cases
Watch our webinar to discover how satellite data, connectivity, and space-based solutions are transforming the energy industry!
This is your chance to present your elevator pitch!
Contact us to receive the APQ and tell us:
What are
you offering?
Why are you
proposing this idea? Who are the target?
How do
you plan to
implement it?
After the APQ, a few more steps separate you from this excellent funding opportunity, but we will guide you throughout the entire process.
How we implement it
Inform
Spread awareness
about the
potential
of space-enabled
technologies
across diverse
sectors
Review
Validate and
support the
development
of your ideas
Fund
Provide you
with the
means to
turn your
concept into
a reality
The team behind
Annekatrien Debien
Ambassador
Thomas Tanghe
Team Member
Amal Touihri
Team Member
Vincenzo Schiavo
Team Member
FAQ
ESA can provide up to 500K EUR equity free to help you turn your idea into reality. For a precise estimate depending on the type and size of your project, contact us at ambassador@space-business.be.
No, ESA covers 50 or 75% of the total activity cost. It depends on the call and type of project, so get in touch with us if you want to discuss your case, at ambassador@space-business.be.
The share of the co-funding not covered by ESA can come from many different sources including own revenues, contribution of a project partner, and other funding programmes.
N.B. Some public / governmental co-funding programmes do not allow their projects to be co-funded by another public / governmental programme. To discuss your case, get in touch with us at ambassador@space-business.be.
There are open and competitive / thematic calls, each focused on a different topic. You can check all the calls here: ESA SPACE SOLUTIONS.
In order to be eligible, you must:
Be a legal entity (a public company, a private company, an association, or a foundation) registered under Belgian law
Have a Belgian entity / office (in the case of companies based in multiple countries)
Be fully compliant with Belgian tax and social security obligations
Whether you are new to the space sector or already have experience with its technologies, you can still be eligible. To qualify, you must meet at least one of the following criteria:
A newcomer entity, whether from the space sector or not, with innovative ideas for using space assets to develop non-space services.
An entity engaged in space activities with a project or idea for a non-space sector.
Yes, we accept applications from academic and research organisations that comply with the legal requirements, however they must have a commercial partner with whom they develop the project.
Get in touch
Any questions? Please don’t hesitate to contact us.
GPL—The Toolbox
The GPLs (Generic Programmatic Lines) are a collection of various tools that can be used to support different types of projects. At different stages of maturity (from R&D to go-to-market), projects can fit within certain GPLs by applying for specific (or open) ESA calls for tenders. The three GPL pillars of the ARTES 4.0 Programme that may be interesting to your company are:
1. Core Competitiveness: The programme supports and develops new or next-generation satellite telecommunication products and technologies up to their first flight opportunity.
2. Business Applications: As a go-to business development service, the Business Applications programme helps companies bring their practical applications and services that leverage space-enabled technologies (e.g., Copernicus and Galileo) to market. These solutions are designed to enhance to improve existing solutions or fill the gaps left by terrestrial ones.
3. Partnership Projects: Partnership Projects with satellite operators and manufacturers provide co-funding and share the risk that comes with investing in new satellite telecommunications systems and equipment.
ARTES 4.0 is committed to providing the necessary expertise and resources to help your project succeed, no matter where you are in your journey, ensuring that you receive the guidance and resources you need to reach your goals.
SPL– The Thematic Transverse Lines
On the other hand, the SPLs (Strategic Programmatic Lines) aim to foster collaboration and synergy between projects within the same thematic transverse line. The SPLs can draw on the tools available in the GPLs to provide support to projects within their area of focus. So, if your idea or project falls within one of the following thematics don’t hesitate to mention it to us when reaching out.
1. Space Systems for Safety and Security (4S): The Programme supports European satellite operators and the manufacturing industry to ensure new levels of security, robustness and resilience, which will become the standard for space communication solutions in the world.
2. Optical Telecoms (i.e., ESA ScyLight): ScyLight supports the research, development and evolution of optical communication – laser – technologies and provides flight opportunities for their in-orbit verification.
3. Satellites for 5G (5G) – Promotes the development and validatation of converged hybrid networks to support the digitalisation of industry and society, in a world where satellites are fully integrated in the connectivity networks.