Funding Flash February 2023

Each month, the South Coast Centre of Excellence in Satellite Applications (Space South Central) aims to bring together a curated list of the latest and best in funding opportunities, for businesses working in the space sector across the South East.

The list is not exhaustive – for that see the Satellite Applications Catapult’s Space Enterprise Network.

If you see an opportunity below that could be suitable for your business, do not hesitate to reach out to the team at info@spacesouthcentral.com who will be able to offer advice, expertise, support and connections to help you create successful bids. Since 2019 we have helped regional organisations secure £14.5M.

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Digitising Water Resilience

Fund Name: Digitising Water Resilience - Acting on Water Stress in Basins Deadline: 28th February, 2023

ESA has partnered with the CEO Water Mandate and 30+ members of the Water Resilience Coalition (WRC) to address the global water crisis in its three dimensions: availability, quality, and accessibility. This ‘Call for Proposals’ offers an exciting opportunity for your team to tackle water-related challenges with digital and space technology solutions alongside member companies.

The funder is offering funding and support to companies, both for business case assessment and for the development of new, space-based services. The offer includes:

• Technical & commercial guidance
• Access to our network and partners, including the CEO Water Mandate and members of the Water Resilience Coalition (WRC)
• Use of the ESA brand for your service
• Zero-equity funding

ESA will typically bear up to 50% of the eligible total study costs, but this funding level can be increased up to 80% for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, or research institutions.

Read more here.

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UK National Delegate Support

Fund Name: ‘UK National Delegate’ support for the ESA ARTES Public Partnership Programme (PPP) Deadline: 15th April, 2023

The UK Space Agency is seeking industrial partners for major projects in satellite communications through a competitive call. The phased entry competition will select the most ambitious and innovative proposals from UK industrial partners.

Proposals should demonstrate how companies will:

• Support UK industry to grow its share of the global space market;
• Deliver products and services that meet public needs, and;
• Champion space to inspire people and support a sustainable future.

UK companies can apply for up to 75% matched funding, depending on the size of the company applying.

Read more here.

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Innovate UK Smart Grant

Fund Name: Innovate UK Smart Grant: January 2023 Deadline: 26th April, 2023

£25 million is available from Innovate UK for the best innovative and game changing ideas. Projects must have clear potential to positively impact the UK position within the global economy, with an idea ahead of anything else within the field. Any UK business can apply for the grant.

Projects between 6-18 months duration must have total eligible project costs between £100,000 and £500,000 and can be single or collaborative. Projects between 19-36 months must have total eligible project costs between £100,000 and £2 million and must be collaborative in nature.

Read more here.

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Sustainable Micro-Mobility

Fund Name: Sustainable Micro-Mobility Deadline: 31st March, 2023

This ‘Sustainable Micro-Mobility’ opportunity, opening on February 13th, provides funding to European teams who would like to develop a service related to Micro-Mobility. Funding will be provided by the European Space Agency (ESA) for 6-month projects called ‘Kick-Starts’, which can lead onto larger scale Demonstration Projects and Feasibility Studies. Kick-Starts are funded at 75% by ESA for a maximum of €60K per contract.

Proposed services must use one or more space assets:

• Satellite Communications
• Earth Observation
• Global Navigation Satellite Systems

This call for Kick-Start activities is dedicated to the theme ‘Sustainable Micro-Mobility’, which means that the call is open to companies that intend to develop space-enabled applications and services relating to the micro-mobility.

Read more here.

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Lunar Economy

Fund Name: Lunar Economy Applications Opening Date: 15th February, 2023

For selected business ideas, ESA are intending to offer Enabling Study opportunities for the development and assessment of new end-to-end business concepts and lunar economy applications.

The offer includes:

• Zero-equity funding of up to 200,000 Euro per study
• Personal ESA consultant
• Technical & commercial guidance
• Access to our network of partners
• Credibility of the ESA brand

ESA is looking for entrepreneurs with promising business ideas that would benefit from Moonlight's lunar communications and navigation services and which address the relevant needs of downstream customers/users on the lunar surface and down on Earth.

Read more here.

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Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems Programme

Fund Name: Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems Programme (ARTES) Deadline: Open Until Further Notice

This is an ESA-initiated programme offering up to 100% funding for developing early technologies and innovations.

As part of the application process, companies will need to apply to the UK Space Agency for approval before they submit their application. This is a three-stage application process, in which:

• applicants should complete an Expression of Interest form in the first instance
• successful applicants will be asked to complete the Advanced Technology application form
• successful applicants can apply to ESA

Invitations To Tender (ITT) are listed on the ESA website here.

Read more here.