ESA BIC UK

A European Space Agency business incubator run in the UK by the Science and Technology Facilities Council, helping start-ups use space technology from sites in Harwell, Daresbury, Edinburgh and Leicester.

About ESA BIC UK

ESA BIC UK is the UK's business incubation centre for the European Space Agency. It helps entrepreneurs and young companies turn ideas into products and services that use space technology, or develop technology for use in space. The Science and Technology Facilities Council manages it on behalf of the European Space Agency. According to its own pages, the support includes a cash incentive of more than £50,000 for design, prototyping, protecting ideas and market studies, access to the council's test facilities and laboratories, expert technical help, business advice and fully equipped office space.

The first Harwell centre was launched in December 2010 and was the fifth in ESA's network, which began in 2003 to help turn space technology into products outside the space sector. A 2010 article says it aimed to support ten start-ups a year, and the centre says now it has supported 132 companies with an 86% survival rate. Its purpose, in the words of the early announcement, is to commercialise space technology and satellite systems for markets beyond space, and to encourage joint research. Paul Vernon of STFC Innovations explained the focus on spin-offs and on downstream business.

The incubator now operates from four UK sites: the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, Sci-Tech Daresbury in the North West, the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh and Space Park Leicester, run by the University of Leicester. Each is a different regional space cluster, so start-ups benefit from nearby science facilities. A 2010 article said the Harwell campus had more than 4,500 researchers and engineers from more than 150 organisations, though that figure is old. Companies from the programme include BioOrbit and Frontier Space.

Culture details are limited: the about page names no staff, and says businesses work alongside council scientists and engineers. The programme's character is that of a support team. Its staff include business advisers and technical experts, and the start-ups in its care are small, fast-moving teams. We have not described a working style because none was published.

People who work for programmes like this include business incubation managers who select and coach companies, technical mentors who are scientists and engineers, and administrative and finance staff. The start-ups themselves are another route into the space sector, since each one hires engineers, scientists and business people. If you like the idea of helping many young companies rather than building one product, the incubator model is worth exploring. STFC advertises its roles on its own website.

What they do

• {'desc': 'A cash incentive, mentoring and business advice for space-related start-ups.', 'title': 'Start-up funding and support'}
• {'desc': 'Test facilities, laboratories and expert hours at STFC sites.', 'title': 'Technical access'}
• {'desc': 'Offices and community at Harwell, Daresbury, Edinburgh and Leicester.', 'title': 'Regional space clusters'}

Key facts

• Harwell centre launched in December 2010, the fifth in the ESA network
• Managed by the Science and Technology Facilities Council for ESA
• Four sites: Harwell, Sci-Tech Daresbury, Royal Observatory Edinburgh, Space Park Leicester
• Reports 132 companies supported and an 86% survival rate (programme claim)

Website: esa-bic.org.uk