Grant name: ESA Call for Proposals 1-10494 for Feasibility Studies and Demonstration Projects
Funding organization: European Space Agency (ESA)
Objective: Develop sustainable space-based services for intermodal transport
Focus: Freight and passenger transportation using satellite data or space technologies
Grant frequency: Recurring call throughout 2025
Supports EU Green Deal and TEN-T infrastructure goals
Addresses urban congestion, pollution, and transport efficiency
Promotes integration of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) with intermodal transport
Eligible organizations: European teams including enterprises, SMEs, startups, research entities
Geographic eligibility: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Hungary, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Lithuania, Slovakia
Greece, Spain, Canada eligible only if proposal relates to 5G or safety/security
Teams must obtain Letters of Authorisation from national delegations before full proposal submission
No explicit consortium requirement
Teams should have business, technical, and financial expertise
Organizational size and maturity not explicitly limited
Sustainable intermodal transport integrating multiple transport modes
Use of satellite positioning, communications, and Earth observation data
Environmental sustainability, efficiency, safety, and flexibility
Applications include advanced tracking, demand-responsive transport, infrastructure assessment
Feasibility studies to define new services
Demonstration projects to implement pre-operational services
Alignment with EU transport and environmental policies
Use of GNSS, satellite communications, Earth observation, AI, blockchain technologies
Compliance with GDPR and privacy regulations
Multidisciplinary teams encouraged
Use of ESA standard templates for proposals and reporting
Quality and risk management implied through ESA milestone reviews
Budget and funding amounts not specified; depend on national delegation authorisations
Financial reporting required as per ESA guidelines
No explicit matching or co-financing requirements stated
Opening date: 17 March 2025
Closing date: 12 September 2025
Regular reporting including monthly progress reports
Milestone meetings such as negotiation, design reviews, acceptance tests, final review
Project planning and progress tracking required
GDPR compliance mandatory
Alignment with EU Green Deal environmental goals
Legal compliance with ESA and national laws
Step 1: Submit Activity Pitch Questionnaire (APQ) via Open Space Innovation Platform
Step 2: If invited, submit Outline Proposal within 2 months
Step 3: If invited, submit Full Proposal via esa-star Tendering within 4 months
Obtain Letters of Authorisation from national delegations before full proposal
Evaluation by ESA and external experts
Consultation with ESA Business Applications Ambassador recommended
Focus on space-based technologies for intermodal transport innovation
Encourages integration of AI, blockchain, and satellite data
Supports decarbonisation and supply chain efficiency
Funding targeted at European space and transport sectors
Emphasis on emerging technologies like 5G, safety, and security
No detailed statistics or case studies provided