Thessaloniki, 6th October 2023 – ESA Business Applications offers funding and support to businesses from any sector who intend to use space (satellite navigation, earth observation, satellite telecommunication, space weather, space technologies) to develop new commercial services. Applications are open all year. Businesses can submit a proposal at any time through the Call for Proposals for Downstream Applications, or can apply to a Competitive Tender or a non-competitive Thematic Call for Proposals.
On October 4th, 2023, ESA held a briefing webinar for a Tender Opportunity “Space for Climate Adaptation”.
The Intended Tender consist in a feasibility study, tentative dates so far are Opening on October 24th, 2023 and Closing on December 12th, 2023.
The briefing slide deck is available here.
Description of the opportunity: this intended Invitation to Tender (ITT) for Feasibility Studies aims to promote the operational and commercial roll-out of services to improve the resilience of society and economies against climate-related natural disasters. The services will target the mitigation, preparedness and response phases of the disaster risk management cycle, reducing vulnerability to the impact of disasters and tackling either the readiness for or the immediate action after a disaster.
The following 4 relevant topics were identified for this Invitation to Tender:
Early Warning Services: considered the top priority for climate change adaptation, as inexpensive and effective means of protecting people and assets from hazards in terms of investment and return.
Anticipatory Action: aim to reduce the impacts of a forecast hazard before it occurs or before its most acute impacts are felt.
Financial Climate Risks : natural disasters massively impact all communities, posing a risk to the life of the people and destroying their houses, as well as causing all kind of economic losses. For this reason, institutions and companies need to understand risks coming from climate sources.
Urban Resilience: even if the importance of adaptation is increasingly recognised across the globe, multiple reports still highlight the lack of preparedness of cities.
The Value of Space is determined by how well services that support society’s adaptation to climate change can leverage the combined use of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), Satellite Telecommunications (SatCom), and Satellite Earth Observation (SatEO) data sets.
The ESA Business Applications offer includes Zero-equity funding, Technical and commercial guidance, Access to ESA’s network and partners, ESA brand credibility. ESA will co-fund 80% of the acceptable cost, up to €200K, per awarded study.
The application process consists in 4 steps:
- Register your company on ESA-Star Registration.
- Download the official tender documentation (Invitation to Tender) via ESA star Publication ‘11991’ from the opening date (tentatively October 24th, 2023).
- Prepare your proposal using the official tender documents. Reach out to your national Delegation to obtain a Letter of Authorisation.
- Submit your proposal by the deadline (tentatively December 12th, 2023).
