The six companies that will be part of the ESA BIC Barcelona programme have been selected as the most innovative among 17 space tech projects presented in this first call. On 10 October, these companies were presented at an event in the RDIT building on the UPC's Baix Llobregat Campus in Castelldefels within the Mediterranean Technology Park (PMT), where the ESA BIC Barcelona incubation centre is located.

The selected companies, which have up to two years of incubation from now, are the following:

Circe. Smart Navigation Solutions: a company focused on developing security solutions for geolocation systems. Commercial satellite navigation signals are not secure, and this makes GNSS receivers vulnerable. The company has developed innovative software capable of detecting radio frequency interference signals with the aim to improve systems using GNSS receivers. Commercial satellite navigation signals are not secure, and this makes GNSS receivers vulnerable.[CA1]  Most modern devices and systems using GNSS are not protected. In fact, there are few solutions on the market, and most of them are intended for the defence sector. A machine learning algorithm is at the core of Circe’s software that is trained to accurately detect and classify attacks on GNSS receivers in real time.
EMC Barcelona: a technology-based company focused on high-added value projects in the field of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). The project aims to develop agile technologies for multi-domain assessment of electromagnetic interferences for space application. These technologies intend to overcome complex EMC issues and meet demanding standards and mission requirements, to provide the aerospace industry with the ability to assess EMC issues at all stages of product development in an agile, affordable and reliable manner, and to deliver solutions for EMC testing aimed at SMEs in the space ecosystem.
Geoskop: an online climate intelligence boutique providing unique climate prediction insights to guide industry’s climate change decision making. Their platform, Sustax, offers accurate climate predictions based on scientific evidence and algorithms developed by the company using massive data obtained from global climate change models, satellite images and local weather stations. It provides flexible and friendly service tailored to customers’ needs.
Kreios Space: the first Spanish start-up developing a new electric propulsion system for satellites operating at low orbits. They have created a solution—ABEP, air-breathing electric propulsion—using helicon plasma thrusters (HTP) that is sustainable and fully electric, does not generate space debris and requires no fossil fuel.
It allows satellites to orbit closer to Earth without using fuel. This offers substantial benefits to space operators, such as higher-resolution images obtained from satellites and significant optimisation of telecommunications systems.

SLIMOp Space: an innovative technology company based in Barcelona, with a mission to revolutionise Earth observation technology through the development of super-lightweight, high-resolution orbital telescopes. The main goal of SLIMOp Space (Super LIghtweight Materials for Optics) is to provide a disruptive solution that drastically reduces the weight and manufacturing time of space telescopes while maintaining high-quality optical performance at a much lower cost. This new generation of telescopes can be rapidly deployed and scaled to meet the increasing demand for small and nano-satellite Earth-observing constellations.
Xiroi Aerospace: a company that develops and markets micro-propulsion systems for small satellites, solid wind turbines and material treatment systems. It aims to develop a micro-propellant based on electrospray technology that will improve the flexibility and efficiency of current propulsion systems while maintaining or even reducing the manufacturing cost.

Acceleration stage
These companies—most of which have been created by UPC alumni—will receive 50,000 euros to develop their product or service, to obtain technical support and technical, commercial or legal advice, and to apply for patents. In addition, the incubatees will be connected to the UPC’s innovation ecosystem, to the NewSpace community of the Digital Catalonia Alliance (DCA-NewSpace) and to the ESA BIC network, which already has 29 business incubation centres in Europe.

The ESA BIC Barcelona incubation programme aims to support the creation of innovative start-ups that create products or services by using space technologies or data, or that develop space solutions, for the purpose of boosting Catalonia’s aerospace industry.

It will allow 18 companies to be incubated from this year until 2025. It has a budget of 1.8 million euros—a third of which (600,000 euros) will be provided by the Government of Catalonia as part of the NewSpace Strategy for Catalonia—and is supported by the economic development agency of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) and the Barcelona City Council (via Barcelona Activa).