Empowering innovation intermediaries to generate sustainable initiatives to incentivise and accelerate the commercialisation of space innovation

Project Information

InnORBIT

Grant agreement ID: 101004212

DOI

10.3030/101004212

Project closed

EC signature date 26 October 2020

Start date 1 January 2021

End date 31 July 2023

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Space

Total cost

€ 999 937,50

EU contribution

€ 999 937,50

Coordinated by

Q-PLAN INTERNATIONAL ADVISORS PC
Greece

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - InnORBIT (Empowering innovation intermediaries to generate sustainable initiatives to incentivise and accelerate the commercialisation of space innovation)

Reporting period: 2022-04-01 to 2023-07-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The EU space market is amongst the largest and most competitive markets globally, supported by intense investment in EU’s flagship programmes (Copernicus, Galileo, EGNOS, SSA) under the umbrella of the EU Space programme (EUSPA). The potential for application of space technology in other commercial sectors is constantly expanding, creating opportunities for new products, services, and applications to improve the quality of EU citizens’ lives, create new jobs and address modern challenges. EU space sector sustains 1300 businesses and employs 231,000 professionals.

Even though EU has heavily invested in space, much effort is needed to reach the front-runners such as US and China. On top of systemic factors such as the relatively conservative and risk-averse entrepreneurial and banking system in the EU, there is a gap between Eastern and Western Europe in terms of space activity, also reflected in the presence of innovators and enabling actors such as innovation intermediaries (e.g. such as aerospace clusters). Thus, the tremendous potential of people and the emerging technological industry in Eastern Europe is not fully exploited.

Space clusters, hubs and other innovation intermediaries can play a vital role in supporting local space entrepreneurship through capacity building, networking and connection to the market for their members. InnORBIT aimed to exploit this untapped resource, through sustainable local space innovation initiatives run by innovation intermediaries (clusters, hubs, industry associations etc.) in Eastern European countries with vibrant tech ecosystems. These initiatives strive to support start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs to start/grow their commercial space activity.

InnORBIT deployed a Capacity Building Programme to train innovation intermediaries on space and setting up local space initiatives such as incubators, accelerators, hackathons etc. as well as a Business Support Programme for space innovators that includes trainings, mentoring, networking, support to access finance and funding. InnORBIT services were made easily accessible through the InnORBIT Digital Toolbox and deployed in two successive pilot rounds, engaging a total of 26 innovation intermediaries and over 1000 start-ups, scale-ups, and SMEs.

The lessons learnt and final methodology were included into a replication guide for other innovation intermediaries to apply them and recommendations to support policymakers in becoming more supportive of space innovation.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The work performed in the frame of InnORBIT project is summarised as follows:

Setting the stage - Studies and co-creation:
- A study about the latest trends of New Space entrepreneurship landscape in Eastern Europe complemented by an in-depth analysis of the Greek, Romanian, Croatian and Slovenian ecosystems.
- A study that assesses the knowledge, skills and training needs of innovation intermediaries and innovators to engage in space entrepreneurship, using a novel skills framework.
- A preliminary design of InnORBIT’s support programmes, services and training topics stemming from a co-creation workshop with 25 market actors in Eastern Europe.

Design and initial development of InnORBIT programmes, services and digital toolbox:
- Capacity Building Programme (CBP) for innovation intermediaries that guides the design and operation of local space initiatives, using 5 concepts including space incubators, accelerators, hackathons, coffees, and sprints.
- Business Support Programme (BSP) for space entrepreneurs that includes training topics and services for start-ups, scale-ups, SMEs, entrepreneurs and students willing to develop commercial space products/services and grow their business. The BSP is offered by innovation intermediaries and the InnORBIT Digital Toolbox.
- The InnORBIT Digital Toolbox was developed to support the delivery of the InnORBIT programmes, comprising 8 online tools, including the e-learning platform hosting the training content.

Pilot activities and validation
- 1st pilot round: Corallia (GR), Algebra University College (HR) and ROMSPACE (RO) were the first intermediaries to receive training and deploy “Space Coffee" initiatives in their region, that continue beyond the end of the project.
- 2nd pilot round: 26 innovation intermediaries (22 external) received training and initiated 28 initiatives in 13 countries. Initiatives, such as hackathons, coffees, space challenges, and more, reached out to more than 2000 innovators in Eastern Europe.
- InnORBIT Space Tracks: 18 promising companies were introduced and pitched their business to high-profile investors during 2 pitching events.
- Validation and improvement of InnORBIT’s services: InnORBIT’s programmes and services were updated twice, after each pilot round based on feedback and validation from end-users and market experts.

Awareness raising, exploitation and commercialisation:
- InnORBIT’s dissemination strategy supported the development of engaged communities and international collaboration through a mix of promotional and awareness campaigns, publications and synergies that culminated in InnORBIT’s Final Conference in the frame of PODIM 2023.
- The InnORBIT Replication Guide supports innovation intermediaries to follow InnORBIT’s approach and set up local space entrepreneurship initiatives.
- InnORBIT’s Policy Recommendations transpose the consortium experience into policy insights for the development of conducive ecosystems that support space entrepreneurship in the EU.
- InnORBIT’s Key Exploitable Results are open to the whole consortium and the public for further advancement of InnORBIT concepts and further spread its impact.
- Business plans were developed for the sustainable commercialisation of the Greek, Romanian and Croatian “Space Coffee” initiatives by their creators, as well as for the InnORBIT Digital Toolbox.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

InnORBIT’s support programmes and digital toolbox were deployed in real-life settings engaging more than 26 innovation intermediaries in 13 countries to generate 28 local initiatives and support start-up space innovation across diverse actual business settings and contexts. InnORBIT has created notable impact in early-stage ecosystem development, considering that the space sector in Eastern Europe lacks maturity.

InnORBIT’s initiatives (such as hackathons, competitions, challenges among others) have been conducive to awareness raising, networking with related activities reaching out to 8000+ actors, including around 2300 entrepreneurs, as well as ideation, by fostering the development of 50+ service-oriented solutions making use of space technology and data. Several new business concepts were awarded in international competitions (e.g. CASSINI Hackathons) and progressed further to receive funding or grants. The launch of 31 space start-ups is directly associated to InnORBIT-supported initiatives. Also, InnORBIT’s space tracks offered a direct path for 18 promising enterprises to access funding and connect with investors. Innovators directly or indirectly engaged with InnORBIT raised more than €20M in funding, experienced growth in their revenue, improved financial sustainability and created more than 80 jobs.

InnORBIT’s full impact has still yet to manifest, considering that innovation intermediaries expressed serious intent to organize at least 80 initiative concepts, of which less than 25% being implemented during the InnORBIT lifetime, due to lack of preparedness or resources.

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