ESINET 2008 Road Show for entrepreneurs and SMEs

The road show will visit ESINET participating organisations in Auch and Caen in France; Sofia in Bulgaria; Stevenage in the UK; and Legnano in Italy. It is designed to promote and support entrepreneurs and SMEs in their application of space systems and technology to non-space sectors of industry, and will also cover the question of how to obtain funding and financial support.

A further objective is to allow ESA's Technology Transfer Programme Office (TTPO) to present the various support mechanisms that are available to help small businesses and entrepreneurs, and to illustrate, through case studies of a number of success stories, the benefits to be had from the innovative use of space technology in more down-to-earth business ventures.

Participants will also have an opportunity to arrange meetings with ESA representatives to obtain more detailed and specific information on the many advantages of using space technology in non-space projects and the opportunities it offers to enter new markets.

Calendar of Road Shows

	11 March	Auch, France hosted by CEEI Gers Gascogne
	13–15 May	Caen, France hosted by Synergia
	5 June	Sofia, Bulgaria hosted by the Space Research Institute Bulgaria
	16-18 September	Stevenage, UK hosted by Hertfordshire BIC (UK)
	12 November	Legnano, Italy hosted by Euroimpresa Legnano

First stop: Auch, France

In collaboration with ESA, on 11 March at the the Geomatics Teleparc CEEI Gers Gascony is organising a seminar for entrepreneurs, start-ups and small companies that develop and/or use innovative products and services from satellite applications and/or transfer of space technology.

The morning will be devoted to the presentation of the different mechanisms available from ESA's Technology Transfer Programme (TTP) and European projects, including NAVOBS, that assist entrepreneurs and SMEs, and facilitate SMEs' access to financial support.

In the afternoon, individual appointments will be set-up between participants and representatives from ESINET and ESA's TTP office, to address specifically how best entrepreneurs and SMEs can be supported.

Early registration is recommended as the number of participants is limited. To register please contact: François Bedoussac, email: fbedoussac@ceei-gers.org, tel. +33 0562606861.

For more information about the road show and ESINET, please visit the ESINET website www.esinet.eu or contact:
	Vera Barracho, EBN	email: vba@ebn.be tel. +32 27611081
	Bruno Naulais, ESA	email: bruno.naulais@esa.int tel. +31 715654711

ESA's Technology Transfer Programme Office (TTPO)

The main mission of the ESA TTPO is to facilitate the use of space technology and space systems for non-space applications and to further demonstrate the benefit of the European space programme to European citizens. The TTPO is responsible for defining the overall approach and strategy for the transfer of space technologies including the incubation of start-up companies. For more information, please contact:

Technology Transfer Programme
European Space Agency - ESTEC
Keplerlaan 1, P.O. BOX 299, 2200 AG, Noordwijk
The Netherlands
Office: +31 (0) 71 565 3910
Fax: +31 (0) 71 565 6635
Email: ttp @ esa.int