ESA’s Business Incubation signs partnership with Italy’s 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 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.
Since 1990, BIC Lazio has created and managed a number of specialised business incubation centres in the Italian Lazio region. BIC Lazio is coordinated by the public company Sviluppo Lazio SpA, and is part of a network of regional development offices.
ESA’s Business Incubation at ESRIN plans during 2009 to select up to ten start-up companies in Italy.
ESA Business Incubation (Italy)
For more information, please contact the TTPO office at ESTEC or for more specific information related to EBI Italy please contact:
Mr. Roberto Giuliani, EBI-Italy Project Manager
BIC Lazio SpA, Incubatore ITech
Via Giacomo Peroni 444
I-00131 Roma
Italy
e-mail: ebi-italy@biclazio.it or ebi-italy@esa.int
ESA's Technology Transfer Programme Office (TTPO)
The main mission of the TTPO is to facilitate the use of space technology and space systems for non-space applications and to demonstrate the benefit of the European space programme to European citizens. The office is responsible for defining the overall approach and strategy for the transfer of space technologies including the incubation of start-up companies and their funding. For more information, please contact:
ESA’s Technology Transfer Programme Office
European Space Agency ESA
Keplerlaan 1, 2200 AG, Noordwijk ZH
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 (0) 71 565 6208
Email: ttp @ esa.int
Website: http://www.esa.int/ttp
