Volker Liebig, Director of ESA’s Earth Observation and Head of ESRIN, and Enrico D'Agostino, President of BIC Lazio

On 3 March, ESA and BIC Lazio signed a support contract formalising a new collaboration agreement which enables the Italian branch of ESA’s Business Incubation initiative to host, at BIC Lazio's Business Incubator, entrepreneurs and start-up companies that use space technology and systems in non-space sectors.

"With this agreement between ESA and BIC Lazio, we now have the operational tool to support start-up companies with our space technology and expertise," says Luigi Fusco, responsible for ESA's Business Incubation at ESRIN for Italy (EBI Italy), Frascati, Italy, which is part of ESA's Technology Transfer Programme Office.

”The innovative aspect of this agreement is that on the one hand, the companies can get business support from BIC Lazio, and on the other, benefit from ESA’s technical expertise.”

BIC Lazio’s ITech Business Incubator near Rome
 

BIC Lazio's iTech Business Incubator near Rome will host the start-up companies and help them develop business plans, identify partners, execute market promotion and provide access to their economical and financial know-how.

"This follows ESA’s common approach to business incubation already in place at our two other Business Incubation centres in the Netherlands and Germany, where ESA's international expertise is combined with local business support," says Frank M. Salzgeber, Head of ESA Technology Transfer Programme Office.

ESA's international expertise encompasses a vast network of business contacts in the space and non-space industry, as well as know-how from experienced ESA engineers and access to ESA laboratories and test facilities.

"ESA's Business Incubation at ITech in Rome will provide technology start-ups in Italy with an ideal launch pad for their businesses. The presence of other start-up companies will provide an ideal setting for cross-fertilisation of ideas and business opportunities," emphasizes Mr Salzgeber.