FAQ

Find answers to the most common questions about the programme.

What is the goal of ESA BICs

ESA Business Incubation Centres (ESA BICs) form Europe’s largest network of incubators dedicated to space-related startups. Their mission is to help entrepreneurs transform innovative ideas based on space technologies or space data into successful businesses. Through funding, technical expertise, business support and access to an extensive European network, ESA BICs support startups developing applications using space assets, transferring space technologies to non-space sectors, or creating products and services for the space industry itself. Today, ESA BICs support more than 200 new startups every year across Europe, contributing to the growth of one of the world’s most dynamic space innovation ecosystems.

ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha was created to transform the region’s existing scientific and industrial capabilities into new opportunities within the space economy. Unlike traditional single-site incubators, ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha operates through a distributed regional model, connecting startups with universities, research centres, specialised infrastructures and industrial partners across the entire region. The programme aims to accelerate the application of space technologies and satellite data across a broad range of sectors and markets, building on Castilla-La Mancha’s existing capabilities in areas such as aerospace, advanced manufacturing, energy, water, agriculture, mobility and digital technologies, while welcoming innovative projects from any sector with a clear connection to space.

ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha is operated by the Castilla-La Mancha Science and Technology Park (PCTCLM), which manages and coordinates the programme across the region. The incubator is supported by a network of strategic partners including the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), the Foundation for Research, Development and Application of Composite Materials (FIDAMC), Arribes Enlightenment and Bufete Mas y Calvet, as well as research centres, public institutions, industrial partners and the wider European ESA BIC community. Together, they provide startups with access to funding, expertise, infrastructures and business opportunities throughout their incubation journey.

ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha follows a distributed multi-site incubation model across the region. The programme is coordinated from the Castilla-La Mancha Science and Technology Park in Albacete and provides access to facilities and support services in several locations, including Albacete, Toledo, Ciudad Real and Illescas, through the participation of partners such as UCLM and FIDAMC. Rather than concentrating all services in a single building, startups are connected with the infrastructure, expertise and industrial capabilities that best match the needs of their project.

ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha provides a comprehensive incubation package combining funding, expertise, infrastructure and access to one of Europe’s largest space entrepreneurship networks. 

Incubated startups benefit from: 

  • Up to €60,000 of non-dilutive funding to support the development of their technology and business; 
  • Business support and coaching, helping teams validate their business model, identify customers and investors, and prepare for growth; 
  • Technical support from specialists, researchers and industrial partners with expertise in both space and non-space sectors; 
  • Legal and intellectual property advice to support company growth and technology protection; 
  • Access to office space, laboratories and specialised infrastructures distributed across Castilla-La Mancha through our multi-site incubation model; 
  • Access to ESA’s European network, including investors, industrial partners, alumni and other ESA BICs; 
  • Participation in events, networking activities and opportunities for collaboration within both the regional and European innovation ecosystems; 
  • The right to use the ESA BIC brand as part of the European Space Agency incubation network. 

ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha has a broad network of partners who support the initiative. These are partners at the ESA Space Alliance, the ESA Investor Network, and the Local Supporters. More specific: 

  • The ESA Space Alliance offers significant perks to startups from Airbus, AWS, IBM, OVHcloud, etc. This Partnership is expanding. 
  • The ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha Local Supporters provide a variety of benefits, such as business coaching, technical support, mentoring, IPR/legal advice, and various perks. Supporters from the local Industry include Airbus, Airbus Helicopters, AERTH Space Solutions, CADE Engineered Technologies, Indra Space, Eiffage Energía Sistemas, Rheinmetall Expal Munitions, Globalcaja, Hexcel Fibers, INAER Babcock, Industrias Delta Illescas, ITP Aero, PLD Space, RES Energy Global Services, StartupCLM, Tecnove Group, Thales, TRAGSA Group, Trescal MCI Laboratory, Ubótica Tecnologías Spain, Castilla-La Mancha Aeronautics and Space Cluster, Oesía Group, ATS Aviation, among others. Supporters from the local Academic and Research ecosystem include UCLM, University of Alcalá, CNH2, IRIAF, ITECAM, etc. 

ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha will support up to 12 startups during its first five years of operation, helping entrepreneurs transform innovative ideas into successful businesses within the European space ecosystem.

Each startup receives incubation support for a period ranging from 12 to 24 months, depending on the needs, maturity and objectives of the project. The duration of the incubation is proposed during the application process and agreed with the ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha team during the contracting phase. Rather than following a fixed programme, each startup benefits from a tailored incubation journey combining funding, technical support, business coaching and legal advice, structured around specific technical and commercial milestones agreed with the company. Progress is monitored through regular review meetings and milestone assessments to ensure that startups receive the support and expertise they need at each stage of their development.

What types of projects are eligible?

ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha supports innovative projects with a clear and demonstrable connection to the space sector, whether through the use of satellite data and services such as Earth Observation, Navigation or Communications, the development of technologies, products or services for the space industry, or the transfer of technologies and know-how between the space and non-space domains. In all cases, the space component must represent a core element of the business proposition and provide a clear source of innovation and competitive advantage. If you are unsure whether your project fits within the programme, we encourage you to contact the ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha team before applying.

ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha is open to startups, entrepreneurs and future companies developing innovative products or services with a clear and demonstrable connection to the space sector. Applicants must comply with the eligibility criteria established by the programme, including SME status and a company age of less than five years at the time of application. Teams that have not yet incorporated their company may also apply, provided that the legal entity is established before signing the incubation contract. Companies from outside Castilla-La Mancha are welcome to apply provided they can demonstrate a significant benefit for the regional innovation ecosystem. A complete list of eligibility requirements is available in the Open Call documentation and the Cover Letter and Requirements Checklist.

Yes. You can apply before incorporating your company. You must indicate the intended legal structure and shareholding in your application. If selected, the company must be legally incorporated before signing the Incubation Contract, with the applicant(s) holding more than 50% of the shares.

Applications to ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha must be submitted using the official programme templates. Applicants are required to complete and submit the Cover Letter and Requirements Checklist, the Business Plan and the Incubation Proposal using the corresponding templates provided as part of the Open Call documentation. These documents include guidance on the expected content and methodology to support applicants throughout the preparation process. We also strongly encourage prospective applicants to contact the ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha team before applying in order to discuss the project’s fit with the programme and identify potential space connections. All application documents and further information are available in the Open Call section of our website.

Applicants must submit their proposal using the official ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha application templates and comply with all eligibility and formal requirements established in the Open Call documentation. Applications must include a completed Cover Letter and Requirements Checklist, Business Plan and Incubation Proposal, together with any additional documentation requested in the call. Only applications fulfilling all formal and eligibility requirements will proceed to the evaluation stage. Applicants are also encouraged to review the draft incubation contract available within the Open Call documentation before submitting their proposal.

Applications submitted to ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha are evaluated following the procedures and standards of the ESA BIC programme. After each submission deadline, applications first undergo an eligibility and compliance review by the Tender Opening Board (TOB) to verify that all formal and documentary requirements have been met. Where minor issues are identified, applicants may be asked to provide additional information or corrections. Eligible applications are then evaluated by the Tender Evaluation Board (TEB), composed of representatives from ESA, the Spanish Space Agency (AEE), and ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha, with external experts participating where appropriate. Applicants may also be invited to present their project and take part in a Q&A session. Applications are assessed against the programme evaluation criteria, and successful applicants proceed to the contracting and incubation phase. Unsuccessful applicants may request an individual feedback session.

The Tender Opening Board (TOB) and Tender Evaluation Board (TEB) are the two committees involved in the selection process of ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha applications. The TOB is responsible for verifying that applications comply with the formal and eligibility requirements of the programme, while the TEB carries out the technical and business evaluation of eligible proposals. The TEB is composed of representatives from ESA, ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha, the Spanish Space Agency and independent experts from the space and innovation ecosystem. As part of the evaluation process, applicants are invited to present their project and answer questions from the panel before the final selection decision is made. Following the evaluation, applicants are informed individually of the outcome within a few weeks.

Applications are evaluated against a common set of criteria used throughout the ESA BIC network, covering both the business and technical aspects of the project. These include the team’s background and experience, the innovation and feasibility of the technology or service, the value proposition and market opportunity, the business model and associated risks, and the quality and relevance of the proposed incubation activities. The evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: Background and Experience (25%), Technology/Service (20%), Value Proposition and Market (20%), Business Modelling and Risk (15%) and Activity Proposal (20%). In addition, applications must comply with the formal eligibility requirements established in the Open Call documentation. To be recommended for contract negotiations, proposals must achieve a minimum overall weighted score of 60 points and obtain at least 40 points in each individual evaluation criterion. Further details on the evaluation methodology are available in the Open Call documentation.

Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha team before submitting an application. We are happy to discuss the project’s potential fit within the programme, clarify eligibility requirements and help identify possible space connections where appropriate. To ensure a fair and transparent evaluation process, any guidance provided prior to submission will be limited to formal eligibility aspects and the assessment of the project’s space connection, without addressing the future evaluation of the proposal itself.

If you are unsure whether your project falls within the scope of ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha, please contact our team before submitting your application. We will be happy to discuss your idea and help assess its potential fit with the programme and its space connection requirements. You can contact us at esabicclm@pctclm.com.

ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha operates through a permanent Open Call with periodic submission deadlines and evaluation cycles throughout the programme. Applications can be prepared continuously and submitted before the corresponding cut-off date for each evaluation round. Details of upcoming deadlines are published in the Open Call section of our website.

The evaluation and selection process typically takes a few weeks following the application deadline. Successful applicants are normally able to start the incubation programme within approximately two to three months after the corresponding cut-off date, depending on the completion of the evaluation, contracting and administrative processes.

Yes. Applicants whose proposals are not selected may submit an improved application in future calls. In many cases, the feedback received during the evaluation process helps teams strengthen their business proposition, technology or market approach before reapplying. ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha encourages promising projects to reapply once they have further developed their technology, business model or space connection.

Yes. ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha treats all application materials, business plans and technical information as strictly confidential. Access to application documents is limited to the members of the Tender Opening Board (TOB), the Tender Evaluation Board (TEB) and authorised experts involved in the evaluation process, all of whom are subject to confidentiality and conflict-of-interest obligations.

Yes. University spin-offs and research-based companies are welcome to apply to ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha, provided they meet the general eligibility requirements of the programme and the founding team retains majority ownership and control of the company, in accordance with ESA BIC rules.

No. ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha does not impose a minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) requirement for applicants. Projects are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, taking into account their technical maturity, feasibility and business potential. While many successful applications typically start at intermediate stages of development, the programme is open to projects at different maturity levels provided they can demonstrate a realistic pathway towards market readiness during incubation.

How is the incentive paid?

The €60,000 incentive is paid in three instalments of up to €20,000 each, linked to the successful completion of key incubation milestones. The first payment is released following the successful completion of the initial progress review and onboarding activities, the second after the Mid-Term Review, and the final payment after the successful completion of the Final Review and all contractual obligations. Payments are subject to the acceptance of the corresponding technical and financial documentation and to the successful achievement of the agreed milestones and deliverables. As the incentive is based on eligible project costs actually incurred by the startup, the final contribution may be adjusted if the total eligible expenditure is lower than the maximum incentive amount.

No. ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha does not take any equity or ownership stake in incubated startups. The financial support provided through the programme is entirely non-dilutive, allowing founders to retain full ownership and control of their company.

The incentive funding must be used to support activities directly related to the objectives of the incubation project and the execution of the approved Incubation Proposal. Eligible expenses may include product development activities, prototyping, testing and validation, external technical services, specialised equipment, intellectual property protection, market validation activities and, where permitted under the incubation agreement, personnel costs directly linked to the project. The use of the incentive must remain consistent with the agreed incubation activities and expenditure plan. Significant changes to the approved scope or budget may require prior approval from ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha through the corresponding contractual procedures. The incentive constitutes non-dilutive funding and does not need to be repaid, provided that all contractual obligations are fulfilled.

The incentive funding can be used for direct labour costs directly related to the development of the prototype. The Incentive can be used only to cover salaries for personnel hired by the start-up and not for entrepreneurs (applicants/founders) own wages.

No, the incentive funding shall be spent by the startup in Spain, unless the product/service is not available in the territory or is only available at a significantly higher price. Even in this case, prior approval by ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha is required

Who owns the intellectual property?

All intellectual property rights generated before or during the application, evaluation and incubation processes remain the property of the startup. Neither ESA nor ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha acquires ownership rights over the technologies, products, software, know-how or other intellectual property developed by the company. The programme may, however, require the delivery of demonstrators, software samples or promotional material for verification and communication purposes, without affecting the ownership of the underlying intellectual property. Further details are set out in the incubation agreement.

No. Beneficiary companies are not required to be permanently based at ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha premises. However, they must have a work centre or operational establishment in Castilla-La Mancha for the incubated project and actively participate in the programme. They may also use the facilities and services provided by ESA BIC Castilla-La Mancha

No. Startups are invited to propose the incubation period that best fits the needs and objectives of their project, typically ranging from 12 to 24 months. In exceptional cases, and where justified by the nature or complexity of the project, an extension of up to an additional 12 months may be considered, subject to ESA approval and programme requirements.

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