Deadline Date: August 28, 2026
The Kick-starts are six-month feasibility studies designed to assess the technical feasibility, commercial viability, and market demand of innovative services that make use of space assets.
The focus areas of this programme include evaluating whether a proposed service is technically feasible and commercially viable, determining user demand, and ensuring the integration of at least one space asset such as satellite communications, satellite Earth observation data, or satellite navigation, alongside activities such as designing the technical service architecture, engaging with potential customers, improving the business plan, and defining next steps for service development.
The Kick-start activity is implemented over a period of six months, during which selected projects explore and validate early-stage service concepts that rely on space-based technologies. The work typically involves building and refining the overall service architecture to ensure it can function effectively and meet identified needs.
A key part of the process is direct engagement with potential customers in order to validate demand and gather feedback that can inform service design and positioning in the market. This interaction helps ensure that the proposed solution is aligned with real-world requirements.
Participants are also expected to strengthen and refine their business plan throughout the Kick-start period, incorporating technical findings, market insights, and customer feedback into a more robust commercial strategy.
Finally, the programme supports defining clear next steps for further development of the service beyond the feasibility stage, helping participants understand the pathway toward implementation and scaling.
Funding under the Kick-start programme covers 75% of eligible costs, with ESA contributing up to €75,000 per contract. The maximum total cost of a Kick-start activity is €100,000.
For more information, visit ESA.
