The ESA BIC Liftoff Challenge opens the way for young innovators to enter the space sector.

A total of 100,000 CZK and a presentation to investors are at stake

ESA BIC Czech Republic, the space business incubator operated by CzechInvest, is launching the first edition of the ESA BIC Liftoff Challenge. The aim is to support the development of innovative projects with a space overlap and to appeal in particular to students, who represent a key group with high innovation potential.

The space sector is no longer the unattainable domain of space agencies and new space companies alone. The aim of this competition is to motivate the younger generation to explore the possibilities of using space technology and satellite data.

The competition is open to individuals or teams of up to five members. Participation is subject to age between 18 and 35 years inclusive. The key evaluation criterion is the so-called space connection – i.e. the connection of the project with the space sector, in the broadest sense of the word.

“A space project doesn’t have to be just something that goes into orbit. A large number of ideas use space technology here on Earth, and it is through space technology that innovative solutions are created that often give startups a competitive advantage. In the ESA BIC Liftoff Challenge, we want to give young people in the Czech Republic the opportunity to discover the potential of space technology and satellite data for their own ideas and turn them into real projects with impact. We have tried to design everything so that the actual participation in the competition is beneficial for the participants and helps them to start thinking about problems in a more business-like way,” says Michal Kuneš, Programme Manager of ESA BIC Czech Republic.

The competition takes place in three phases. In the first round, participants submit a brief description of the project in the form of a lean canvas. The most promising ideas will proceed to the second round, where teams will develop them into a business plan with the support of expert mentors. The best proposals will then compete in the final round in front of an expert jury in the form of a presentation.

The authors of the three winning projects will receive a financial reward to further develop their business plans. The winner will be given the opportunity to present their idea to investors at the ESA BIC Launchpad 2025 event, which is part of the largest space festival in the Czech Republic –Czech Space Week 2025. In addition, they will be able to work with the ESA BIC Czech Republic team after the end of the competition and further develop their idea so that they can apply for incubation in this incubation programme in the future and turn their idea into a working company.

Prizes for the winners:

• 1st place: 60 000 CZK
• 2nd place: 30 000 CZK
• 3rd place: 10 000 CZK

“The Czech space ecosystem is dynamically developing and opening up space for new generations of creators – not only engineers and scientists, but also entrepreneurs, visionaries and students. Our goal is to create an environment where young people can find the courage to think in space dimensions and be part of what the Czech footprint in space will look like in the coming decades,” adds Tereza Kubicová, Deputy for Technology Development at CzechInvest.

Applications for the competition can be submitted until 30 June 2025 ZDE. An innovative idea and submission of a lean canvas is sufficient at this stage.

ESA BIC Czech Republic is looking for startups and projects that use existing space technologies and seek to apply them here on Earth or develop technologies that will work in space. The incubator was established in 2016 with the support of the CzechInvest Agency for Enterprise and Investment Promotion, the South Moravian Innovation Centre, the European Space Agency, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the City of Prague and the South Moravian Region. 

Since its inception, ESA BIC Czech Republic has supported more than 50 startups that have taken their technologies to market, established international partnerships or received additional investment. Many of them are now active internationally and contribute to the reputation of the Czech space sector in Europe and beyond. Examples of startups that have successfully built on their incubation include Dronetag, Zaitra, Festka and Spacemanic.

Media contact:
Petr Mild
Marketing Manager ESA BIC Czech Republic
petr.mild@czechinvest.gov.cz
+420 601 585 739