First scale-up accelerator for space travel in Germany

A strong boost for German space travel! ESA and UnternehmerTUM launch the first business accelerator for scale-ups in space.

Munich, December 11, 2024 - The European Space Agency (ESA) and UnternehmerTUM, Europe's leading innovation and business incubator, have jointly launched a new program for German space companies. The ESA Business Accelerator Germany is aimed specifically at scale-ups from the space sector - i.e. companies that are already in a growth phase. The aim of the program is to strengthen the competitiveness of the German space industry.

Tailor-made support for space companies

The program offers participating companies targeted support in three key areas: Business model development, market penetration and financing. The aim is to facilitate access to new markets and capital for innovative companies in particular. The offer includes:

• Tailored advice: a three-stage program tailored to the specific needs of scale-ups.
• Access to networks: Connections to investors, industry partners and public stakeholders.
• Community building: Building a network of leading space companies.

The Accelerator is implemented by UnternehmerTUM in cooperation with the TUM Venture Lab Aerospace and the innovation partner acitoflux.

A unique program in Europe

The ESA Business Accelerator Germany is the first program of its kind in Europe. It builds on the existing ESA Business Incubator, which focuses on start-ups in the early stages of development. The focus of the new program is on companies that have already grown and want to expand their position on the market.

"With the ESA Business Accelerator Germany, we are offering space start-ups a unique platform to scale their business models and assert themselves in a globally competitive environment," said an ESA spokesperson.

Launch in Munich and other locations

The program is coordinated from Munich and is available to participating companies both on-site and remotely. Additional locations are Stuttgart and Hamburg.

Presentation at the ESA Investor Forum

The Accelerator was presented yesterday at the ESA Investor Forum 2024 in Frankfurt am Main. There, the initiators presented the goals and process of the program to an expert audience and industry representatives. Interested scale-ups from the space industry can now register for the program.

With this accelerator, ESA aims to support German space companies in successfully establishing their technologies and services on the market and continuing to grow.