Galileo satellite system

CeBIT 2008, the world’s largest information technology trade fair, is taking place this week in Hanover, Germany. One of the many exhibition halls is dedicated to satellite navigation where several start-up companies, members of ESA’s business incubation programme, will present innovative products and solutions that will benefit from Galileo, the European SatNav project.

Even though Europe will have to wait until 2013 to make use of Galileo’s detailed and reliable navigation data, many European firms – including start-up companies – are already working on novel services and products that will exploit the full potential that Galileo will offer in the future. With their activities, they are tapping into a market that is expected to soar in the coming years. Experts estimate a market volume of €400 billion by 2025.

This is why ESA’s Technology Transfer Programme Office (TTPO), which is responsible for coordinating the business incubation programme, is fostering entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas that make use of SatNav and space technologies. The start-up companies are being supported while they set up their activities, in one of ESA’s three business incubators: one at ESTEC in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, one at ESOC in Darmstadt, Germany, and one at ESRIN in Frascati, Italy.

Altogether 12 start-up companies from the Business Incubation programme, including one from the European Space Incubators Network (ESINET) have grabbed at the chance to present their products and services to industry at CeBIT 2008. They can be found at the trade fair on stand D24 in Hall 15 from 4 to 9 March.

The companies are:

ESOC Business Incubator in Germany

• samango GmbH
• Verimatic GmbH
• etamax space GmbH
• punchbyte
• ANLU Navigation GmbH

ESTEC Business Incubator in the Netherlands

• emxys NL
• Mobzili
• Sport-track B.V.
• Estrella Sat B.V.

ESRIN Business Incubator in Italy

• BCAA S.r.l.
• NAUTISAT SRL

ESINET:

• Qnet S.r.l. (located in Italy)

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