ESA BIC Hessen: 26 October 2026 application deadline

ESA BIC Hessen is the European Space Agency business incubation centre in Darmstadt, Germany. It is managed by cesah GmbH. The programme helps founders build a business around an idea with a space connection.

Startups in the programme receive 60,000 euro in funding. They also get technical support and expertise from ESA, business development advice, mentoring and networking with other startups. The centre says it also helps teams meet national and international investors.

You can apply before you found a company. Existing companies must meet the company age rule set out in the Open Call documents. Your product or service must have a space connection, and you need a legal work permit in Germany.

The application has several steps. First you describe your idea through the web intake portal, and the ESA BIC managers contact you to discuss it. Then you download the Open Call documents to check that you are eligible and prepare your application. The team asks you to request feedback at least one week before the deadline. You send the documents to the application email given on the site. If the documents are complete, you pitch to an evaluation board of ESA, cesah and external experts.

The next deadline is 26 October 2026 at 23:59 CET. Pitches for this round take place on 9 and 10 November 2026.