ESA BIC Noordwijk: October 2026 selection round

ESA BIC Noordwijk is the business incubation centre of the European Space Agency in the Netherlands. It takes in early startups that build on space technology or space data. The next selection deadline is October 5, 2026 at 23:59.

Each startup receives up to €60,000 in incentive funding for product development and intellectual property rights. The money does not buy equity. The programme lasts two years and includes up to 80 hours of technical support from ESA or its partners.

Startups also get business development guidance, IP consulting, workshops and training, introductions to investors through the EBAN network, and the right to use the ESA BIC brand. Teams join a community of other space startups and get access to international events.

Applicants must have an innovative and validated idea with a clear link to space. The company must be younger than five years or not yet founded, and must not have a prototype or a market introduction yet. Founders must be citizens of an ESA member state and live in the Netherlands. Citizens of other countries need a work permit or a startup visa.

Applications go through the ESA BIC website. A Tender Evaluation Board reviews them about three weeks after the deadline. The earlier pre incubation track, the Ignition Programme, closed on August 6, 2026.