In 2016, ESA BIC Bavaria welcomed 12 new pioneering startups to its four locations together with its first-class technical partners German Aerospace Center (DLR), Airbus Defence and Space, Fraunhofer IIS and the WFG BGL. This leads to 119 companies in total that which have created more than 1,600 jobs since 2009, now generating a total turnover of more than EUR 140 million each year – making ESA BIC Bavaria one of Europe’s most successful space incubators.
“In our incubator, we foster startups and innovation in the commercial use of space technologies. This might sound a bit like rocket science, but actually what we do is quite “down to Earth” – with a huge number of products and applications for example in key segments such as digitalisation.” explains Thorsten Rudolph, CEO of AZO. “For example, many new smart mobility solutions are based on digital business models. The most interesting and promising ones are often provided by young, innovative startups – and this field is still full of potential.”
Space meets AI, construction, entertainment, health, sensors and sports
Space technology and infrastructures have tremendous transfer potential for commercial products in various sectors. Discover a selection of thrilling space applications developed by some of the companies that joined ESA BIC Bavaria in 2016:
Efficient Video-on-Demand via Broadcast Channels
Cadami provides a solution to massively scale video transmission and to overcome the peak congestion problem.
World’s first mobile running coach working with Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Evalu is developing a virtual personal running coach, an app called evalu.run, used in combination with an ergonomic sensor.
Evolving the way builders rent construction equipment
klarx is an online platform for renting construction equipment, calculating via geo-data which machine from which rental station is the closest available to get the best deal on rental, insurance and delivery costs.
Taking plug & play technology into space
SPiN is developing a Multipurpose Adapter Generic Interface Connector, connecting any subsystem to any satellite platform.
Plasma care – the innovation for the treatment of wounds
terraplasma medical‘s vision is to develop, sell and distribute devices for the professional treatment of chronic and acute wounds and skin diseases. The cold atmospheric device plasma care is the perfect solution to reach this goal.
Small, robust 3D ultrasound sensor for gesture control and people/object detection
Toposens is developing its real-time 3D ultrasound sensor technology and thus enables machines and robots to better perceive their surroundings without the disadvantages inherent to optical systems.
Since 2009, AZO is managing the Bavarian space incubator with financial support from the Bavarian Ministry of Economics. ESA BIC Bavaria is part of the Europe-wide ESA BIC network, which is coordinated by the European Space Agency (ESA). At its four Bavarian locations – Oberpfaffenhofen, Ottobrunn, Nürnberg and Berchtesgadener Land, startups have direct access to expert advice and technical facilities from first-class local partners. The incubation programme provides pioneering space entrepreneurs with a comprehensive support programme from financing to research & development all the way to market entry.
ESA BIC Bavaria has four selection rounds each year. The next application deadline for the incubation programme is 1 March 2017. Apply now for ESA BIC Bavaria
