Space Business Incubator (ESABIC) Ireland

Establishment of an ESA Space Business Incubator in Ireland

2015 - 2020

Expression of Interest Form

Closing Date: 7th January 2015

Please forward to:

Enterprise Ireland

Email:


Expression of Interest

Please complete the template below, addressing all points raised.

Background Details

Organisation Name
Contact Point Details for this application

1  Availability of pre –existing infrastructure and facilities to support ESA BIC function

Size of current incubation facility (m2), of which:
-  incubation units
-  pre-incubation
(‘hot desks’)
-  commercial R&D
Date of commencement of centre operations
(i.e. first incubation unit occupied)

2 Track record in hosting or operating a business incubator

2.1 Current occupancy of incubation units (i.e. not hot desks)

Company Name / Sector / Year established / Centre entry date / Number of Employees
Present occupancy level (i.e. % of incubation space noted in Section 1 that is occupied
2.2 Operational support for the existing facility
Please explain how the host institution has supported the operation of the facility, including
-  Level of administrative resources provided to support the centre manager
-  How any issues arising in relation to the smooth operation of the facility are prioritised and handled
2.3 Strategic support for the centre
Please explain how the host institution has strategically supported the centre, including:
-  Its support for the centre manager
-  Positioning of the centre manager within the institutional governance framework
-  Governance of the centre
-  Prioritisation of company creation within the wider institutional strategy and activities
2.4 Notable achievements to date
Please outline achievements to date including:
-  Number of start ups supported to date
-  Number of companies that have successfully become self sustaining, indicating key growth indicators where possible ( Employment , turnover)
-  Other notable successes
2.5 Activities related to space
Please indicate those incubatees with activities related to space sector technologies or downstream services that utilise space assets:

3 Technical Facilities and Support

3.1 Capacity and approach to providing technical supports to start up companies in the space and downstream services sectors as a matching contribution (in-kind) to ESA technical support. Please indicate domain of technical support and resources available to support it.
Please provide details on your capacity and approach to providing technical support to start up /incubatees, including;
·  Technical facilities available
·  Access to network of technical facilities
·  Relevance of technical facilities to the space and/or downstream services sectors
·  Mechanisms for engaging with ESA BIC incubatees
·  Mechanism for engaging with ESA technical resources and facilities

4 Experience of Working in the Space Domain

4.1 Experience of working in the space domain
·  Please give a brief outline of your experience of and approach to working in the space domain and with the space industry and key institutional actors (ESA, EC, National Agencies).
·  Please indicate access to space specific capabilities including existing space related research activities and facilities.

5 Approach to the provision of ESA Incubation Support.

5.1 approach to establishing and operating the ESA BIC in Ireland
Please give an overview of proposed approach to supporting the ESA / Space business incubation process in Ireland
5.2 Approach to promoting and positioning the ESA BIC in Ireland
Please give a brief outline of proposed approach to promoting the ESA BIC in Ireland
5.3 Approach to identification and selection of ESA BIC Incubatees
Please give a brief outline of proposed approach to identification and selection of the space business incubatees
5.4 Capacity and approach to Providing business support to incubatees
Please provide details on your capacity and approach to providing business support to incubatees, including;
·  Market development
·  Seed financing as part of ESA BIC Offer and in line with the funding model outlined in the guidelines
·  Management of IP
·  Finance, including access to external sources of funding, including VC funds, state supports and other external sources of funding.
·  Operations
·  Mentoring support
Please outline how these interactions are initiated and driven and explain how they have added value to the companies’ performance.
5.5 Number of start up companies / incubatees to be facilitated over the next 5 years.
5.6 No of projected jobs to be created.
5.7 Approach to supporting technology transfer
Please provide details on your proposed approach to supporting technology transfer by incubatees including technology spin in (non space to space) and technology spin out (space to non space).

6 Self Sustainability of the ESA BIC.

6.1 Self sustainability of the ESA BIC
Please provide details on your proposed approach to ensuring the sustainability of the BIC beyond the initial period of operations.

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