The Deputy Minister for Industrial Promotion of the Basque Government, Andoitz Korta, and the Director of Entrepreneurship and Internationalization, Ane de Ariño, took part in the official event designating Euskadi as a host location for the Business Incubation Centres of the European Space Agency (ESA-BIC). This designation places Euskadi among the key regions for the development of Europe’s space-tech entrepreneurship ecosystem and strengthens ties between the scientific and industrial communities and emerging technological opportunities.
This step advances the goals of the Plan de Industria Euskadi 2030, which focuses on fostering new innovative industries linked to critical technologies, priority sectors, and strategic value chains, with the aim of creating more and better industry, increasing strategic autonomy, and generating high-quality employment.
The decision by the Ministry of Science Innovation and Universities of Spain was made in early March and was officially announced today at an event held at the Villafranca Satellite Tracking Station, located in Villanueva de la Cañada—one of the most important stations in the global network of the European Space Agency.
This new hub will support the incubation of up to four new space-sector startups over the next three years, offering growth, specialization, and international networking opportunities under the ESA brand, along with a minimum funding package of €60,000. Half of this funding will be provided by the Ministry, with at least another €30,000 contributed by the Basque Government and the provincial councils.
ESA-BICs are specialized centers dedicated to transforming business ideas based on space technology into innovative startups with commercial potential beyond the space sector. They provide technical, business, and financial support to emerging companies, helping entrepreneurs turn concepts related to satellite technologies, data, or space applications into solutions applicable across scientific, commercial, and technological industries.
They are part of a broad European network of incubators that have supported hundreds of startups in recent years, enabling space-derived technologies to impact sectors such as precision agriculture, mobility, communications, and healthcare, among others. To date, more than 400 startups have benefited from the initiative in countries such as Germany, France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Alongside Euskadi, Castilla-La Mancha and the Region of Murcia have also been selected. These three centers will join the national ESA-BIC network, which already includes locations in Andalusia, Catalonia, Castile and León, the Community of Madrid, and the Valencian Community. These centers are co-funded and coordinated by the Ministry, through the Spanish Space Agency, and the European Space Agency.