Grant name: ESA Kick-Start Activity
Funding organization: European Space Agency (ESA)
Duration: Six months per Kick-Start
Funding amount: Up to 75,000 euros per contract, covering 75% of eligible costs
Objective: Feasibility study to assess technical feasibility, commercial viability, and user demand for space-enabled services
Use of space assets mandatory (satellite communications, Earth observation, navigation)
Part of ESA’s BASS ARTES 4.0 program
Open call with multiple submission deadlines in 2025
Recurring funding opportunity
Eligible organizations: Businesses from any sector
Geographic eligibility: Teams based in specified ESA Member States (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland)
No consortium required
No explicit size, maturity, or certification requirements
Feasibility studies involving at least one space asset
Open to all business sectors
Deliverables include customer engagement, technical feasibility, and economic viability analyses
Expected outcomes: service requirements, system architecture, comprehensive business plan
Project scale: pilot feasibility study
Design of technical service architecture based on user requirements
Market, competitive, risk, and financial analyses required
Mock-up or prototype development optional
Risk management included in economic viability task
Maximum total project cost: 100,000 euros
ESA funds 75% of eligible costs (up to 75,000 euros)
Applicant must provide 25% co-financing
Submission deadlines in 2025: 31 January, 28 March, 27 May, 29 August, 31 October
Project duration: six months
Three ESA meetings: Kick-Off, Mid-Term Review, Final Review
ESA evaluates applications within one month after deadlines
Letter of Authorisation from National Delegation required
Teams must comply with ESA tendering conditions
Funding limited to eligible ESA Member States
Register company on ESA’s esa-star Registration system
Download tender documents from esa-star
Write proposal using provided templates
Contact National Delegation for Letter of Authorisation
Submit application via esa-star Tendering platform
Open to any business sector but must use space assets
Funding only for teams based in specific ESA Member States
Focus on commercialization and market viability of space-enabled services
Typical funding size up to 75,000 euros
Recurring funding with multiple deadlines
No detailed data on past recipients or success rates provided