Be there when the future of technology starts. The ESA Investment Forum.

The space programmes have invested the past 40 years in raising technologies to new levels of performance and capability, and transferring these technologies back to applications on Earth generates countless business opportunities. An example is satellite based services being one of the most promising sectors of future business profit, guaranteed by the introduction of the next generation satellite positioning and navigation systems.

ESA Investment Forum supports the funding and growth of such opportunities by bringing start-up companies using space technology, applications or services in a non-space environment together with finance and investment communities, and highlights the commercial benefits of satellite and space technology in applications on Earth.

Organised by ESA’s Technology Transfer Programme Office (TTPO) in collaboration with EC-projects FinanceSpace and INVESaT, the first ESA Investment Forum took place on 24 April 2007 at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands. The event attracted more than 100 participants from all over Europe, including representatives from the finance and investment communities, the European Special Applications Fund and presenting start-up companies.

20 start-up companies presented their business plans to demonstrate the investment potential in spinning satellite and space technology back into Earth applications.
The cases presented covered a broad spectrum of technologies originating from space - sensors, optoelectronics, navigation data, remote operations, satellite communication and imaging technology – and their application in diverse industrial sectors such as automotive, medical, navigation, offshore, security, energy, environment, healthcare, wireless services, multimedia, gaming, sports, communications and transport.

The feedback from the participants was entirely positive; the Forum gave a good overview of the potential commercial benefits emerging from the space sector, the selected business cases were impressive and the start-ups established valuable contacts in the investment communities.

In view of the success of the ESA Investment Forum 2007, ESA’s Technology Transfer Programme Office is already planning next year’s event.

Please register if you wish to receive an invitation for the ESA Investment Forum 2008.

ESA and its Technology Transfer Programme Office are looking forward to welcoming you to the ESA Investment Forum at ESTEC the 14 – 15 April 2008.

ESA Investment Forum
European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) of ESA
2200 AG Noordwijk ZH
The Netherlands
14 - 15 April 2008