The space connection is a very important requirement in order to join the ESA BIC. There are two categories: Downstream and Upstream. Upstream includes Spin-in. For Downstream and Upstream, use the Space Connection Assessment template or contact ESA BIC Norway. For Spin-In please contact ESA BIC Norway to discuss opportunities. In Spin-In we are looking for technologies or solutions that can be used by the space industry

The incentive money (ESA part) can in general be used for any purpose directly linked with achieving the activitites and deliverables described in the applicants Incubation proposal. The spending of the incentive must also meet the objectives of the ESA BIC Incubation Programme defined in the contractual baseline between ESA BIC Norway and ESA.

In general ESA BIC Norway encourage the applicants to set up tasks and related expenditure plan i such a way that the spending of the incentives helps the applicant to reach it's targeted goals, outputs and deliverables.

Examples of eligible costs:

Research and development (R&D), hardware, IP protection, legal advice, third-party consultancy, software development, salaries to employees (only non-shareholders), travel expenditure and market research.

The incentives cannot be used to pay for

• shareholders own salaries (internal employees without shares are accepted)
• office rental costs
• incubator service fees
• return on capital, interests, losses, debts or similar.

Please note that these funds are restricted for use within Norway.

If services or hardware are not available with Norwegian suppliers, exceptions (to a certain limit) can be considered given to suppliers within ESA Member States, ESA Associated Members and ESA European Cooperating States. Please consult ESA BIC HQ.

Please also note that:

Expenditures must follow what has been specified in the expenditure plan provided in the incubation proposal and subsequently agreed upon with the Incubator, and the Deliverables are provided to the Incubator as described in the Incubation Contract.

Kjeller Innovation pays the Incubatees in NOK. The exchange rates used (from EUR to NOK) to pay the Incubatees are based on the average amount of the received incentives from ESA to Kjeller Innovasjon (paid yearly by ESA). The exchange rate will be updated in Q1, and will differ from publicly available exchange rates. The exchange rate for the incentives is currently 11,7907 (Updated February 2026).

Give us a call or send us an e-mail to make contact before you apply. After you have applied, you will within a few days get notified if your application meets the basic requirements. If obvious or crucial information is missing, you will get an opportunity to correct this within 48 hours. If you pass, you will get an invitation to give a presentation to the Selection Board (SB) which will be held around 3-4 weeks after the application deadline. The results of the SB will be given to you one to two weeks after the SB. If you are selected you will receive an invitation for contract negotiations for the ESA BIC Norway programme.

You can find all of the evaluation criteria in the Open call document.

You will get a high quality review of your application, including your busineess plan and incubation proposal. The Board consist of professionals within a range of areas. Use the feedback wisely both if you are accepted into the program or considering re-applying.

In our vision, an incubator is more than just a place to work. It is also a place to meet other incubatees and partners, to share knowledge and attend events. So while we will not force you, we do strongly encourage you and your team to be present at either Kjeller/Lillestrøm, Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Bodø or Tromsø at least a few days per week.

The incubation lasts minimum 12 months and maximum 24 months. (Up to 36 months of awarded Incubation BOOST). Usually, incubatees choose 12, 18 or 24 months. It can be defined by you in the application itself.

No, you don't need to have already founded a company to apply. You can join the incubation program without a registered company. However, you must officially establish your company by the midterm review of the incubation period

Yes, of course! You are very welcome to apply again. In the Cover letter requirements lists here are spesific instructions, please be aware you need to show in an own attachment how feedback have been in-corporated and major changes/improvements when re-applying.

No, ESA BIC Norway operates as a zero-equity incubation programme, which means neither the Incubators nor ESA takes equity in the incubated company.

If you consider applying other ESA funded opportunties within the incubation period (ESA In-Cubed, ESA Phi-lab, ESA Kick-starter or other opportunities), be aware of the risk of double financing. ESA consider the full described Incubation Proposal as a delivery under the ESA BIC Contract and are strict on potential double financed project activities. Similar and parallell activities especially on technical development are usually not accepted. Tasks, activity and output need to be fully seperate or timewise after eachother. Hence, if you consider other ESA opportunties, be spesific on what you want to develop and achieve in the ESA BIC Incubation Proposal. Use of broad descriptions are not recommended. Usually, we recommend to do 1 project at the time.

If you consider applying other ESA opportunities within incubation, please consult ESA BIC HQ as soon as possible.

ESA Business Incubation Centres (ESA BICs) form Europe's largest network of incubators for space-related startups. Their goal is to help entrepreneurs develop space-based business ideas and launch their companies, while also boosting space clusters across Europe. Managed by local experts, each ESA BIC connects with local industry, universities, research organizations, and investors, providing startups with valuable regional and national links. ESA BICs seek entrepreneurs who leverage space-based systems, apply space technologies in other sectors, or innovate within the space industry. Annually, they support the creation of over 200 startups, with around 1600 companies launched to date, significantly contributing to the space economy.