Call for Space Technology Transfer Demonstrators
– Space tech for down-to-earth business
Do you have an idea how space technology could be applied in non-space business, but you are still uncertain about the technical feasibility of your idea? The European Space Agency has launched a call for technology transfer demonstrators in Finland for this purpose. The call is open for Finnish organizations and individuals. In this call one proposal will be selected to receive 40 000 euros for technical development.
ESA Technology Transfer Demonstrator projects are considered to fund developments at an earlier and higher stage of technical risk. Moreover, demonstrators are meant to reduce the risk of tech transfer, thus projects that have not already proved the potential use in the proposed non-space application, are prioritized. The funding is not suitable for building prototypes, i.e. working models of new products.
Evaluation criteria
The proposal shall be evaluated against the criteria and weighting factors, below:
- Current Development Status –Has the space technology been developed sufficiently for a technology transfer to a non-space application? It is necessary to look both in the TRL in space and the approximate for non-space. High TRL level in space is expected. (15%)
- Attractiveness of the Non-Space Market – An estimate of the size of the technology’s final application/market and its potential value in commercial or societal terms. Credibility of the potential access to market will be assessed. (20%)
- Novelty and Intellectual Property –The novelty of the technology in its non-space application and the consequent competitive advantage. The current status of the IPRs and the potential protection of the results. (15%)
- Project Feasibility –An estimate of the likelihood of the Technical Demonstrator achieving its technical objectives with the stated budget and a successful transfer in a reasonable time-frame. Degree of compliance with the time frame proposed in the call. (20%)
- The need for a Technical Demonstrator –The likelihood and expected timing for the technical demonstrator to lead to the engagement of customers with the expected timing and the need of financial support by the Agency. (20%)
- Degree of compliance – Requiring the commitment of a receiver and the donor working together. (10%)
Evaluation process
First all proposals will be checked by a Tender Opening Board to verify that formal requirements are met. When compliant, the Tender Evaluation Board (ESA, Turku Science Park, stakeholders and experts) will evaluate the proposals against the selection criteria. The Board will inform the applicant about the outcome of the evaluation in writing. The proposal with the highest mark will be selected for negotiation, provided that its evaluation score exceeds a minimum threshold.
Deadline
The call is open till 31.5.2019. Proposals submitted after this date are not accepted.
Call documents
Terms of participation and proposal template can be found here.