With an agenda featuring the highest number of oral communications and posters submitted to date, Terra em Foco 2026 presented a programme rich in knowledge sharing, practical sessions, and opportunities for creating synergies at the Department of Civil Engineering of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the University of Coimbra (FCTUC).

Coming just a few weeks after successive storms left a trail of destruction in many areas of the country’s central region, the use of space technologies for monitoring emergencies and extreme phenomena gained particular relevance at Terra em Foco.

The Secretary of State for Science and Technology, Helena Canhão, reinforced this idea in a video message addressed to the conference participants, pointing to “the role of Earth Observation technologies in increasing the resilience of regions and the country”. “Terra em Foco takes place at a particularly demanding time for the management of the territory, different types of infrastructure, and natural resources, and at a time when we must all be prepared to respond to climate change,” noted Helena Canhão.

The event’s agenda also pointed to other dimensions, such as the development of space infrastructure and constellations or the convergence between Artificial Intelligence and high-performance computing. There was also room for sessions focused on the use of satellite data to meet the challenges of the Portuguese territory, with sessions dedicated to land use, forests and forestry, agriculture, and biodiversity, but also to the marine environment and sustainability.

For Ricardo Conde, president of the Portuguese Space Agency, the variety of sessions at TEF also demonstrates a “great capacity of the national community, whose solutions are part of the response to the concrete challenges and needs of the present”.

During the event, 58 oral communications were presented, divided into 11 thematic sessions, and 35 posters, with three invited keynote speakers. “Throughout these three editions, we have observed a growing interest from researchers, companies, and public administration in showcasing their work at Terra em Foco. This expressive response proves the national relevance of the event and its importance to this community, but also the growth and robustness of the sector,” points out Carolina Sá, Earth Observation programme manager at the Portuguese Space Agency.

Following the 2024 edition, the Portuguese Space Agency once again presented the Terra em Foco Career Award. This year, the distinction was given to Mário Caetano, principal researcher at the Directorate-General for Territory (DGT) and professor at the NOVA Information Management School, in recognition of his contribution over the years to the adoption of Earth Observation techniques in Portugal, within the public sector, academia, and international representation. At the DGT, he has promoted the use of satellite data in the Land Use Monitoring System (SMOS). He has also contributed to training and inspiring new generations of professionals. Nationally, he has defended Portuguese positions and participation within the context of international Earth Observation programmes.

Carlos Álvaro, from the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, won the Award for Best Communication presented by a student with the work “Municipal Carbon Monitoring System: Quantification and Inventory through proxies obtained by Remote Sensing”. The high quality and diversity of themes also led to honourable mentions for the presentations made by Nissrine Maad, from the University of Porto and CEiiA, and Pedro Marques, from the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD).

Beyond the auditoriums

TEF 2026 featured, for the first time, an area reserved for bilateral meetings in a space promoted by AED Cluster Portugal. Carolina Sá considers that this partnership was a “successful experience”, with the potential to be improved and continued in future editions. On the other hand, the presence of nearly a dozen exhibitors “demonstrates the interest that companies and institutions have in being present at Terra em Foco”, not limited to the auditoriums where the plenary sessions take place. “Bringing these moments of knowledge sharing together in an area where we also have posters on display creates a great dynamic and enriches the event”, as do the workshops held at the end of the conference, “which are always in high demand and very useful for participants to gain practical experience or delve deeper into their topics of interest,” she concludes.

The conference ended with a round table centred on the integration of space solutions in non-space sectors, with the participation of the Intermunicipal Community of the Coimbra Region, GEOSAT, EDP, and Spotlite, moderated by Vieira d’Almeida and AED.

In the closing session of Terra em Foco 2026, Ricardo Conde announced the creation of a competition aimed at Higher Education institutions interested in hosting the 2028 edition of the conference at their facilities, with details to be announced shortly.

Terra em Foco is an initiative of the Portuguese Space Agency, which in 2026 was organised in collaboration with FCTUC, the Centre of Competence for Geospatial Information of the Intermunicipal Community of the Coimbra Region, Instituto Pedro Nunes, and AED Cluster Portugal. It also had the support of Development Seed and Geosat.

O conteúdo Terra em Foco 2026 brings together almost 300 participants in Coimbra for its biggest edition ever aparece primeiro em Portuguese Space Agency.

The 2026 figures represent a significant increase over last year (217 more applications) and surpass the 2023 edition, which, until now, is the most popular, with 634 registrations. Regarding gender, the balance was near-perfect: 380 girls and 382 boys. As for age, the majority of candidates are between 15 and 16 years old.

In geographical terms, the initiative once again had wide coverage across mainland Portugal and the islands. Most candidates reside in the districts of Lisbon (168), Porto (99), and Braga (83). From the Autonomous Region of the Azores, 40 students applied, while 8 applications came from Madeira. Districts such as Aveiro, Coimbra, Faro, Santarém, and Setúbal also continue to have strong representation in the first phase of the competition.

“Naturally, the largest districts have the highest number of candidates, but it is very positive to see the growing interest from young people in the Azores and Madeira over the years. This is also the result of a great effort by the Astronaut for a Day ambassadors, who promote the initiative within their communities, motivating young people to want to experience this adventure,” points out Marta Gonçalves, responsible for Education and Science programmes at the Portuguese Space Agency.

Now that the recruitment and application phase has ended, a period of evaluation of the presentation videos submitted by the candidates follows, with the assessment being carried out by the Portuguese Space Agency team. Similar to previous years, the selection process comprises several stages. For the second phase, 200 candidates will be selected, who will have to put their Memory, Speed, and Spatial Reasoning skills to the test. This will be followed by physical tests, with 75 candidates selected. Finally, 40 young students will be chosen for the final interview, which will determine the names of the 20 finalists of Astronaut for a Day 2026. This year’s parabolic flight is scheduled for 20 September, departing from the island of Santa Maria, in the Azores.

O conteúdo Over 750 students apply to be Astronauts for a Day aparece primeiro em Portuguese Space Agency.

The 2026 edition features the collaboration of FCTUC, the Centre of Competence for Geospatial Information (CGEO) of the Intermunicipal Community of the Coimbra Region, the Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN), and AED Cluster Portugal, with sponsorship from Development Seed. Sessions will be held in the Laginha Serafim Auditorium, in the Civil Engineering Building of FCTUC.

At a time when recent episodes of flooding in the centre of the country have once again highlighted the need for rapid and reliable information to support risk management and decision-making, Terra em Foco 2026 brings together sessions dedicated to land monitoring, resource management, and the ability to transform data into action, bringing science, technology, and end users closer together.

The programme highlights new space infrastructure and capabilities, which are rendering EO increasingly useful in an operational context, namely through increased revisit frequency and the availability of data to support decision-making.

On the first day, the conference opens with a presentation by Craig Donlon, Head of the Earth Observation Systems Architecture Office at the European Space Agency (ESA), on new missions and future trends of space in Europe. It will be followed by a session dedicated to space constellations and infrastructure, moderated by Nuno Miranda, the Portuguese official responsible for managing the Sentinel-1 mission of the Copernicus programme, who will also provide an update on the procurement plan and expected developments for the next generation of Sentinel-1 satellites.

The programme includes contributions from Portuguese experts in international organisations and leading entities, including Pedro Maciel (ECMWF), Nuno César de Sá (WWF Germany), and Joana Simões (Open Geospatial Data), in sessions on climate, data integration, and interoperability.

On the second day, Isabel Trigo, from IPMA, will address the role of EO satellites in meteorology and climate science, framing sessions dedicated to the atmosphere, climate, and climate change, and the complementary infrastructure and technologies that support applications and services.

The adoption of EO data and technology is, in fact, a central axis of the entire conference and is highlighted in a session dedicated to accelerating its adoption, which includes the presentation of Vieira d’Almeida’s Space EO Guide, a practical guide that aims to support organisations and end users in navigating the market, technical, and regulatory opportunities and challenges associated with Earth Observation.

In parallel with the sessions, Terra em Foco includes a component of bilateral meetings, in a dedicated space, promoted in collaboration with AED Cluster Portugal. Registration, open to conference participants, is done through the b2match platform, where you can create a profile and propose meetings with potential partners.

O conteúdo Terra em Foco 2026 aims to accelerate the adoption of OT data aparece primeiro em Portuguese Space Agency.

The reprogramming of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) marked the semester. The increase in funding for the New Space Portugal Mobilising Agenda from €137 to €417 million contributed to this momentum, helping to create conditions to accelerate technological, industrial, and satellite-based service capabilities, with a multiplier effect on the ecosystem.  

Alongside this, Portugal consolidated its position within the European Space Agency (ESA) at the 2025 Ministerial Council (CM25), with its largest-ever contribution, allocating €204.8 million for 2026-2030 (+51% compared with 2022). This effort reflects coordination across the government departments of Science, Defence, Economy, Infrastructure, and Environment, with contributions from the Regional Government of the Azores. During the meeting, the European Space Agency’s largest-ever budget, worth €22.3 billion, was approved.   

As for national participation in programmes and the associated funding volume, at the end of 2025, contracts signed by Portuguese entities in ESA programmes totalled €23.4 million (data consolidated up to the third quarter), with projects such as the LISA mission and ARRAKIHS, an ESA mission to study galaxy halos and dark matter through extremely low brightness observations. Furthermore, €10.3 million has been invested in European Union initiatives. 

The semester was also marked by advances in regulation and infrastructure, including the licensing of infrastructure for the first national spaceport in Malbusca, on the island of Santa Maria, and new steps in technical and scientific training, such as the UN-Portugal Outer Space Fellowship and EuroC. Also noteworthy was the operational launch of the ESA biobank at the GIMM facilities in Lisbon, as well as new licences and missions with national participation.   

For further information, please also refer to the presentation on the Portuguese Space Ecosystem in the second semester (

O conteúdo PRR and ESA Ministerial boost space sector in the second semester of 2025 aparece primeiro em Portuguese Space Agency.

Applications for the first stage are open until 1 March and must be submitted via the programme’s official website, where the regulations and application form are available.

Astronaut for a Day maintains a selection process inspired by astronaut recruitment, designed to recognise a broad range of skills rather than academic results alone. “Astronaut for a Day is an investment in space literacy and in the future of young people across the country, challenging them to develop skills such as communication, resilience and teamwork,” said Hugo André Costa, Executive Director of the Portuguese Space Agency.

The selection process is organised into successive knockout stages. Following the assessment of the motivation videos submitted in the first stage, up to 200 candidates will be shortlisted for the next round, which includes tests of Memory, Speed and Spatial Reasoning. Up to 75 candidates will progress to a Physical Aptitude test. A final group of 35 candidates will be invited to interview, with 20 finalists selected to participate in the flight, subject to passing medical examinations.

Eligible applicants are students enrolled in lower or upper secondary education in the 2025/2026 school year up to Year 11, aged 14 to 18 on the date of the flight. Applications require completion of the online form and submission of a 45-second motivation video.

“Astronaut for a Day helps show that space is not distant or unattainable. It is a field driven by curiosity and the desire to learn — and Portugal already offers real opportunities to take the first step,” said Marta Gonçalves, Education and Science Programmes Manager at the Portuguese Space Agency.

The parabolic flight is scheduled for 20 September and will once again take place from Santa Maria Island, in the Azores, aboard the A310 ZERO-G aircraft operated by the French company Novespace. The aircraft is used in parabolic flight campaigns, including training for European Space Agency (ESA) astronauts ahead of space missions.

O conteúdo Applications open for the 5th edition of Astronaut for a Day aparece primeiro em Portuguese Space Agency.

The Winter Schools are part of the national-level work carried out by the Portuguese Space Agency to boost the space sector in higher education and strengthen the link between academia and industry. Focusing on key topics in the field of space, it provides intensive training in specific areas, strengthening skills and bringing students closer to the challenges and contexts of the sector, with an emphasis on cooperation and teamwork, in line with initiatives such as EuRoC – European Rocketry Challenge and CubeSat Portugal.

“The aim is for Winter Schools to attract young people to the sector and become an important moment in the training of future professionals. The approved training proposals are quite different among themselves, focusing on diverse topics, which reflects not only the broad scope of space as an area of knowledge, but also the curricular diversity that exists in Portugal,” points out Marta Gonçalves, Education and Science Programme Manager at the Portuguese Space Agency.

The 2025 edition integrates four schools with programmes that combine concentrated curricular units, project-based learning methodologies, workshops, and interactive activities, including hackathons, bringing training closer to concrete challenges in the space sector. “These are short, intensive courses designed to enable students to quickly acquire knowledge in a specific area. At the same time, they help to clarify interests and career paths, supporting decision-making about academic and professional futures,” adds Hugo André Costa, Executive Director of the Portuguese Space Agency.

Among the approved applications is, for example, the Space Medicine Winter School, developed by the University of Minho in partnership with the Centre for Aerospace Medicine Studies (CEMA-FMUL) and the Abel Salazar School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS UP). The initiative begins with an online phase dedicated to the transmission of fundamental knowledge, followed by an in-person phase between February 23^rd and 27^th, grounded in project-based learning and focused on human health challenges in space environments, with an emphasis on the future permanent presence on the Moon.

On February 2^nd, the Space SML Winter School – Space Safety, Space Weather, and Space Debris, organised by the University of Coimbra node of the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA), starts. The initiative aims to provide introductory training in space safety, space weather, and space debris, areas of particular relevance to the Portuguese Space Strategy – Portugal Space 2030.

Shortly afterwards, on February 9^th, the Portuguese Space Resources Academy begins, organised by the Mining Department of the Instituto Superior Técnico, with sessions running until February 11^th. The programme combines technical lectures with roundtables, workshops, and interactive activities, with the goal of informing and motivating students to pursue careers related to the exploration and use of space resources, including in situ resources.

Lastly, the NewSpace Winter School, organised by the Espaço ao Cubo Association, comprises five curricular units over the first three days and culminates in a hackathon, reinforcing a practical approach geared towards applying the knowledge acquired.

O conteúdo Winter Schools dedicated to Space start in February aparece primeiro em Portuguese Space Agency.

The Portuguese Space Agency will launch the 2026 edition of PROSSE (PROdex for Science in Space Exploration) in February. The competition, dedicated to scientific research in the field of space exploration, has already supported several projects developed in Portugal. This year, the programme has a budget of €600,000. Each project can receive up to €300,000.

Created as part of Portugal’s participation in the European Space Agency’s (ESA) PRODEX programme, PROSSE supports the development of scientific projects relevant to space exploration and other sectors of the economy and society, enabling research to be carried out on different types of infrastructure and platforms, including terrestrial and suborbital environments, microgravity platforms and orbital missions, among other possibilities.

Between 2023 and 2025, the programme supported six projects with a total funding of €420,000. The 2025 edition selected two microgravity research projects, NEURONAUT and U-SANS, with total funding of €100,000, following an evaluation process that included a jury of international experts and a technical and financial feasibility verification stage by ESA’s PRODEX team. This experience should serve as a reference for the new edition, in a cycle that aims to broaden the scope of the programme and consolidate national participation in research opportunities associated with space exploration.

The public launch of the competition will be marked by a webinar on 5 February, with a preliminary programme that includes an opening session and presentation of the 2025 results, followed by presentations dedicated to the NEURONAUT and U-SANS projects. There will also be a presentation on ESA’s Space Exploration Programme, as well as a section dedicated to commercial solution providers for experimentation and access to platforms, including contributions from Yuri, SAS/ICE Cubes, Kayser Italia/Kubik and iSpace Europe, in addition to question and answer sessions. The programme also includes a brief presentation on ESA’s Biobank, before the final framework for the 2026 competition and another Q&A session. Check the agenda here.

O conteúdo PROSSE 2026 allocates €600,000 to support research aparece primeiro em Portuguese Space Agency.

Registration is now open for Terra em Foco 2026. Participation in the third edition of the national Earth Observation (EO) conference, created by the Portuguese Space Agency and co-organised with local partners, is free of charge but subject to the capacity of the facilities at the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra.

With 81 applications submitted for oral presentations and posters, 35 more than in 2024, this year’s edition of the conference will be the most popular ever, a clear indicator of the event’s growth and the dynamism of the national EO community. Created in 2022, Terra em Foco is a biennial event that has already been held in Évora and Braga, establishing itself as the main meeting point for the national EO community.

‘The growth of Terra em Foco accompanies the growing interest in space technologies and, specifically, in scientific production in the field of Earth Observation,’ says Carolina Sá. The manager of the Earth Observation programmes at the Portuguese Space Agency highlights the ‘significant increase’ in the number of papers submitted by students. “Presenting research work at this conference is a great opportunity for those who are still studying. Here, they can not only interact with their peers from academia, but also get to know national companies and other entities that may have a practical interest in their research, and even find recruitment opportunities,” she points out.

The best oral presentations and the best student posters will be awarded prizes by the event organisers, in categories and according to conditions to be announced in due course. As in 2024, the Career Award will also be presented, recognising individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of EO in Portugal. The 2024 edition honoured Ana Fonseca, former director of the Applied Geodesy Unit at the National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC). The recipient of the 2026 Career Award will be announced during the conference.

In addition to promoting knowledge sharing in plenary sessions, Terra em Foco includes practical sessions and workshops. The conference also offers free stands for companies and institutions that want to promote their products and services to a specialised audience. The organisation has so far received around a dozen expressions of interest in using the exhibition space. However, it is still possible to accommodate new expressions of interest up to the available capacity limit.

AED joins Terra em Foco

The 2026 edition of Terra em Foco includes, for the first time, a structured networking component aimed at strengthening interaction between participants and creating business opportunities. To this end, after registering for the conference, participants can sign up for the Space Technologies Community, created on the b2match platform as part of a partnership between the Portuguese Space Agency and AED Cluster Portugal. This digital space allows participants to propose and schedule bilateral meetings throughout Terra em Foco, facilitating the identification of potential partners and relevant connections, tailored to each profile.

During the event, there will be an area reserved and dedicated to these dynamics, with the organisation and management of the networking meeting area under the responsibility of AED Cluster Portugal, which is partnering with Terra em Foco for the first time.

According to the Director-General of AED, ‘the Terra em Foco conference plays a decisive role in the development and consolidation of the downstream segment in Portugal, particularly in the strategic sector of Earth Observation.’ ‘Its contribution is clear: to transform data into decisions and decisions into concrete solutions for the territory, sustainability and the economy, bringing science, technology and the market closer together,’ says Rui Santos. The Director-General of AED also stresses that “the partnership between the Portuguese Space Agency and AED Cluster Portugal reflects a common priority: to mobilise industry and the national ecosystem to accelerate the adoption of Earth Observation applications, create scale and strengthen Portuguese participation in value chains and European programmes. It is through cooperation and ambition that we continue to consolidate a more competitive, innovative and international ecosystem.”

The 2026 edition of Terra em Foco is organised in collaboration with the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra (FCTUC), the Geospatial Information Competence Centre (CGEO) of the Intermunicipal Community of the Coimbra Region, the Pedro Nunes Institute (IPN) and AED Cluster Portugal. It is also sponsored by Development Seed.

Participation in the event is free of charge, but subject to the capacity of the FCTUC facilities. General registration closes on 2 March. The preliminary agenda for the event is now available for consultation here.

O conteúdo Registration is now open for the <br/> Terra em Foco 2026 conference aparece primeiro em Portuguese Space Agency.

Established in 2020 by eight original signatories, including Australia, Canada, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the Artemis Accords aim to reinforce participating countries’ commitment to the principles of the Outer Space Treaty, the Registration Convention, and the Agreement on the Rescue and Return of Astronauts, and to promote best practices and principles of responsible behaviour for the exploration and civil use of space. Portugal is now the 60th signatory to these agreements.

The country’s accession to the Artemis Accords signifies more than a formal act, explains Hugo André Costa, executive director of the Portuguese Space Agency: “This signature reflects a shared commitment to peaceful, sustainable, and responsible space exploration, based on international cooperation, multilateralism, transparency, and the creation of benefits with a broad impact.” In recent years, Portugal has strengthened its participation in international space governance and space activity development, notably by deepening its involvement with UNOOSA, which led to the co-organisation of the “Management and Sustainability of Outer Space Activities” conference in Lisbon in 2024.

“Today, Portugal joins a cadre of nations that are building the framework for safe, transparent and prosperous activities in space. This is our generation’s golden age of exploration. Together, we are advancing innovation, driving international collaboration and discovering the secrets of the universe,” said Jared Isaacman, NASA administrator.

Jared Isaacman recalls that “Portugal is an active participant in international space initiatives and a leader in small satellite technologies” and emphasises that NASA is proud to collaborate with Portugal on Earth observation projects and, as a member of ESA, to contribute to NASA’s Artemis programme, which will be launched in the coming years and will take humans back to the Moon for the first time since Apollo.

The US Ambassador to Portugal, John J. Arrigo, who attended the meeting in Lisbon, said that “shared principles such as those in the Artemis Accords are essential to ensuring that space remains a domain of stability, security, and opportunity for all nations.”

“The principles upheld in the Artemis Accords—transparency, interoperability, responsible use of resources, among others—reflect what Portugal has been advocating at the United Nations and in the international community, notably through the Lisbon Declaration on Outer Space, with a strong contribution from the US as well. These principles build trust, reduce uncertainty, and promote a safe and accessible outer space for all,” concludes Hugo André Costa.

O conteúdo Portugal signs Artemis Accords aparece primeiro em Portuguese Space Agency.

The parallel implementation of two contracts, delivered by the two institutions, strengthens the national programme, which is part of ESA’s ACCESS Programme and focuses on commercialisation in the space sector. During 2014-2024, the Portuguese programme was coordinated by IPN with a network of incubators across the country. During this period, ESA BIC Portugal supported more than 60 companies.

As ESA’s national delegation, the Portuguese Space Agency set the high-level objectives for ESA BIC in Portugal and authorised the funding required for the procurement process. ESA selected the two consortia. “Implementing ESA BIC Portugal through two consortia in parallel strengthens national incubation capacity and supports a more distributed approach, engaging additional incubation centres and regional partners,” said Ricardo Conde, President of the Portuguese Space Agency. “Governance through an Advisory Board and the existence of selection panels ensure coherence with national priorities and with the ambition to strengthen Portugal’s competitiveness in ESA value chains.”

Within ESA BIC Tagus+, ADIST – Associação para o Desenvolvimento do Instituto Superior Técnico will lead the consortium, working with the Taguspark Incubator and the Técnico Venture Lab, both based in Oeiras, as well as the Azores Sea School Incubator in Horta (Azores). Implementation will also involve partners such as the Municipality of Oeiras, CEiiA and Vieira de Almeida & Associados, strengthening the programme’s capacity to provide technical support, market connectivity and legal guidance to the incubated start-ups.

Joana Mendonça, Vice President of Instituto Superior Técnico for the Oeiras Campus, underlined the strategic relevance of the new centre for the institution and for Portugal’s positioning in the space sector: “The creation of ESA BIC Tagus+ marks a strategic step by Instituto Superior Técnico in strengthening Portugal’s role in the space sector. By bringing together scientific excellence, entrepreneurship and a strong network of national and international partners, we are creating the conditions to turn knowledge into economic and societal impact, positioning Oeiras and Técnico as a leading hub in Europe’s new space economy”.

Under ESA BIC Centro+, Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) will lead the consortium, bringing together IPN (Coimbra), the Pampilhosa da Serra Business Center and Incuba+ Santa Maria (Santa Maria, Azores) as incubation partners. The consortium also includes the  Municipality of Coimbra, CIM Região de Coimbra and CCDRC, ensuring alignment with regional priorities and strong territorial coverage.

With ESA BIC Centro+, Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) highlighted the consolidation of the space sector as a priority within the Centre Region’s smart specialisation strategy, underpinned by scientific knowledge generation, technology development and the training of highly qualified talent. “Beyond funding, it will provide start-ups with specialised technical support grounded in more than 30 years of incubation experience, strengthened through access to laboratories and a dedicated network of incubators in the Centre Region, as well as national and international partners, creating the conditions to accelerate entrepreneurs’ talent in developing solutions based on space technology and data”, states Jorge Pimenta, Innovation Director at IPN.

“After more than ten years of ESA BIC activity, the initiative continues to leverage Portugal’s growing efforts in space through entrepreneurship, building ventures that address pressing challenges in the space domain and in our daily lives. With two ESA BICs now operating in parallel, we are not only reinforcing a sustained growth path for new startups – supporting their acceleration, internationalisation, and integration into ESA value streams –but also reaffirming Portugal’s increasing role within Europe’s space innovation ecosystem,” said Cornelis Eldering, Head of the Entrepreneurship and Business Incubation Office at ESA.

Each contract provides for the selection and funding of up to six start-ups per year, funded through Portugal’s ESA subscription and by local partners: the Coimbra and Oeiras City Halls, CIM Coimbra Region, and the Portuguese Space Agency. A budget envelope of around €2.8 million is foreseen, primarily allocated to direct financial incentives for start-ups, to accelerate technology maturity, access specialised mentoring, and consolidate business models.

The first start-up selection calls for ESA BIC Centro+ and ESA BIC Tagus+ are expected to open in the first half of 2026.

O conteúdo IPN and Técnico selected by ESA to run the new ESA BIC centres in Portugal aparece primeiro em Portuguese Space Agency.