ESA bic Centro

🛰️Following the official launch of ESA BIC Centro, a delegation of the European Space Agency - ESA, led by Niels Eldering, Head of Entrepreneurship & Business Incubation Section, visited Pampilhosa da Serra to explore the territory's potential as a hub for space innovation.

🌌 The visit brought together representatives from ESA, Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) - represented by João Carreira, ESA BIC Centro Operations Manager, and Joaquim Macedo Sousa, Head of the Territorial-Based Entrepreneurship Unit - Portugal Space, Instituto de Telecomunicações, and the Ministry of National Defence, a reflection of the strategic alignment between the institutions supporting this territory.

✨ On the agenda: the incubation facilities at Pampilhosa Business Center (PBC) and the Space Observatory of Pampilhosa da Serra (PASO), where exceptional sky conditions, testing grounds for new technologies, and proximity to scientific infrastructure create a unique environment for space-enabled startups.

🔗 https://space.ipn.pt/

ESA BIC Centro Launch Event! 🚀✨

We are officially launching a new era of space incubation! Join us for an evening dedicated to the Portuguese space ecosystem.

📅 June 16, 2026, 17:30
📍 Space Incubator (Building C), IPN – Coimbra

Come meet our partners, explore the Space Incubator, and network with the founders shaping the future.

🔗 Register here: https://forms.office.com/e/ZyUzUcPjb0

🇪🇸 João Carreira, Operations Manager and José Ricardo Aguilar, Contracts Officer, represented ESA BIC Centro and Instituto Pedro Nunes at the ESA Commercialisation Network Meeting 2026, in Seville, from May 19 to 21.

🌍 This event brought together ESA BICs, Phi-Labs, and Technology Brokers from across Europe to strengthen operational alignment, share methodologies, and build a more cohesive commercialisation network.

The core focus was clear:
🎯 Supporting space startup growth & market access.
🤝 Connecting founders with industry leaders.
💰 Improving investment readiness and funding.
⚡ Scaling disruptive technologies.

🛰️ With valuable insights from European peers, we return to Coimbra with fresh synergies and advanced strategies to fuel our regional space ecosystem!

⏳ 1 DAY TO GO! The doors to the European Space Agency’s network in Portugal are closing.

📍 Cut-off: May 24, 23:59.
📩 Submission: [email protected]
🚀 Finish your application today: https://space.ipn.pt/apply/