Last Thursday 19 of September, our partner Expertise France represented by Clément Lafargue attended the event Industry Space Days (ISD) celebrated in Noordwijk, Netherlands.
Hosted by the European Space Agency (ESA), the ISD offers opportunities for networking, B2B meetings, and showcasing products through an exhibition. Attendees can connect with ESA, industry leaders, and investors through one-on-one meetings and hear presentations on space industry trends and opportunities. The event is geared towards businesses and investors from ESA Member, Associate, and Cooperating States.
During the event, Clément participated in a specialized meeting organized by Copernicus LAC project managers from Novaspace. It primarily involved start-ups and business support organizations linked to Earth Observation (EO) technologies within Copernicus projects. Clément had the chance to meet companies from Latin America and Europe, including CloudFerro, SPACE SUR, ITACA, Procalculo, Orbital Space tech, WORLD from space, Airvantis, and ALYA SPACE. The session included one-minute pitches, followed by 10-minute B2B networking, and lunch to continue discussions. Key industry figures likeEARSC – The European Association of Remote Sensing Companies, and ALSO Space Consulting were present.
Moreover, additional meetings took place with local ESA representatives. Dijana Janevska from ESABIC (Austria) presented the ESA Business Incubation Centers (BIC), which foster European space start-ups through a network of country-specific incubators. There were also discussions on the ESA MATCH PROGRAM, an open innovation platform for collaborative problem-solving. This session explored potential challenges and opportunities for innovation in the space sector facilitated by ESA’s network.
Participating in the Industry Space Days (ISD) 2024 offered significant benefits for the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator. It provided a unique opportunity for the participants, start-ups and businesses to get to know what this programme has to offer, particularly those involved in Earth Observation (EO) technologies linked to Copernicus projects. Clément could explain the opportunities the accelerator brings, in particular the possibility to connect with corporates in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean and generate new business partnerships. Engaging with ESA’s innovation platforms, like the ESA Match Program and ESABIC, can further enhance opportunities for growth and partnerships.
