When people think of space, they usually picture it with the Moon, satellites, rockets or astronauts and companies that specialize in these technologies. In fact, the European Space Agency (ESA) collaborates with companies from a wide range of sectors. Whether it’s artificial intelligence, robotics, sensor technology, materials science or digitalization: many innovations emerging on Earth today may also be of interest to the space sector. This opens up an exciting market for innovative companies — provided they know the rules of the game.
In the coming weeks, our ESA blog series will walk through what it takes to work with ESA successfully: the opportunities and programs on offer and how you can get involved.
For today, though, our focus is on making that first step easier - walking you through what you need to know to get started working with ESA.
The path into an ESA project typically leads through calls for tenders for research, development and innovation projects. Unlike many national funding programs, companies do not submit a traditional funding application to ESA for their own project idea. Instead, you apply for a specific development contract to an ESA call for proposals. Those who understand this process and prepare well significantly improve their chances.
The first step takes you to the esa-star portal
Before companies can submit proposals, they must register in the esa-star procurement system. ESA publishes all Invitations to Tender (ITTs), as well as planned procurements and the related documentation via the portal.
It’s worth checking the portal regularly. In addition to open tenders, it also features advance notices that can help companies prepare early for upcoming projects or find suitable partners. The advance notices include a brief description of the planned call for proposals and are marked as “intended”.
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+++ 🚀 ESA-Star – the central platform for collaboration with ESA +++
The “ESA System for Tendering and Registration” (esa-star) is the European Space Agency’s (ESA) central digital procurement platform. Companies use it to register, find tenders and submit bids.
esa-star comprises several sections:
- esa-star Registration – Register your company and maintain your data.
- esa-star Publication – Publication of open and intended invitations to tender as well as related procurement information.
- esa-star Tendering – Electronic module to prepare and submit your proposal.
- esa-star Partnering (esa-match) – Search for industry partners and consortia for joint projects.
- esa-p – ESA's supplier portal for managing the financial and contractual side of an ongoing project.
Important to know: Participation in ESA tenders is generally not possible without registration in the esa-star system. Companies should therefore create their profile early on and keep it up to date.
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Invitations to tender follow a clear process
Contracts are awarded according to a fixed procedure. Tenders are announced and published in esa-star Publication. You can view a short summary of each tender publicly; however, to access all tender documents, you must log in.
Once logged in, all tender documents will be available to you. These include, for example, the Letter of Invitation (LoI), the Statement of Work (SoW), the Draft Contract, and the Special Conditions of Tender (SCT). These documents form the basis for preparing a proposal.
Interested companies can prepare their proposals based on these documents and submit them before the deadline. ESA evaluates all submitted proposals based on technical, economic and formal criteria before awarding the contract.
For companies, the takeaway is simple: good ideas alone are not enough. Just as important is to thoroughly understand the tender's requirements of the request for proposals and to clearly outline how the project will be implemented.
Diligence determines success
Winning a contract rarely hinges on the technical solution - a complete, well elaborated proposal that meets all formal requirements matters just as much. That is why ESA recommends carefully reviewing the tender documents, submitting any questions early to the responsible Contracts Officer and allowing sufficient time for preparing the proposal.
Companies should also avoid taking any technical risks. ESA advises uploading proposals to the portal on a test basis before the deadline expires. This allows potential problems to be identified in a timely manner. Once the deadline has passed, changes or supplementary submissions are no longer possible.
There are particularly opportunities for SMEs
Many companies assume that ESA projects are addressing exclusively large space companies. In fact, ESA explicitly targets small and medium-sized enterprises. According to its own figures, between 2019 and 2023, approximately 30% of industrial contracts were awarded to SMEs from ESA member states.
In addition, ESA offers training sessions, informational events and networking opportunities such as the Industry Space Days. If you are new to working with ESA these are the places to identify initial points of contact and potential project partners.
Working together towards a successful project
Many ESA projects are not carried out by a single company. Instead, multiple partners collaborate in consortia, each contributing their respective expertise. For companies, it can therefore be beneficial to start looking for suitable partners early on. ESA provides its own platform for this purpose: esa-match. EurA is also happy to assist you in finding suitable project partners.
Good preparation pays off
If you want to collaborate successfully with ESA, you shouldn’t wait until an interesting call for proposals is published to take action. Often, the groundwork laid beforehand determines future success: Does your technology align with the call for proposals? Are there suitable partners? Do you have the personnel resources to carry out a challenging project?
The sooner these questions are addressed, the more compelling your proposal will be.
Why is it worth getting involved?
A partnership with ESA offers far more than just financial support for individual projects.
For many companies, collaboration with ESA is much more than a single research project. It opens the door to an international innovation network where companies, research institutions and public agencies work together on future technologies that often reach well beyond individual industries.
Furthermore, companies can further develop their technologies under challenging conditions. Solutions that prove themselves in the space sector often have strong potential for industrial applications on Earth. At the same time, participation in international research and development projects strengthens a company’s own innovative capacity and visibility.
EurA makes getting started easier
Especially with your first ESA project, plenty of questions arise: Which tender fits your technology? Is it worth applying? What documents are required? This is exactly where EurA can help. Our experts support companies from selecting suitable tenders all the way through to preparing a compelling proposal.
Conclusion: Innovation needs the right opportunities
Collaboration with the ESA is no longer the exclusive domain of traditional space companies. Today many technologies from other industries are being used in European space projects. Getting familiar with tenders on time and understanding the award process create the best conditions for a successful application. Getting started may seem complex at first — but with good preparation, it’s much easier than many companies expect.
Text: Bärbel Deisting
Image: AI-generated
This content was created with AI support and has been editorially reviewed.
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