ESA Spark Funding Austria

The analysis should address the SDGs that are impacted by the product/service. The level of detail will depend on the project’s ability to align with Goals, Targets and Indicators. The ideal application would include all of these elements:

• Goals addressed
• Targets addressed
• Indicators to measure the impact (referring as much as possible to the official ones)
• Expected impact (e.g., the product will contribute to reducing CO2 emissions by X in the next 5 years)

The official list of Goals, Targets and Indicators can be found here.

ESA Spark Funding Austria provides funding of EUR 55,000.00, with a 64.7% funding rate. This means that the project total costs should amount to EUR 85,000.00.

No. ESA Spark Funding Austria is a zero-equity tool.

The full application documentation can be found here. Please carefully read through all the documents. Here below you may find a summary of the documents to be submitted:

• Application Template (including Executive Summary, Business Case and Technical Proposal, Activity Proposal, Management Proposal)
• Business Model Canvas
• Letter(s) of support, if any
• Any other relevant information about the activity or the Applicant, as necessary

The evaluation procedure is carried out in two stages:

First Stage: The Tender Opening Board (TOB) takes place after the submission deadline is closed and it assesses if all formal requirements have been met. This is a crucial step to staying in the application process.

Second stage: The Tender Evaluation Board (TEB) meeting takes place after the TOB to evaluate the submitted documents and the company’ proposal at a pitch (10 to 15 minutes) and Q&A session (up to 30 minutes). The TEB evaluates each of the applicants against the evaluation criteria and takes a decision whether or not the company will be offered funding under the call. The TEB is managed by Science Park Graz and ESA together with the Aeronautics and Space Agency (ALR/FFG), with the participation of space technology experts. The TEB meeting takes place a few weeks after the submission deadline. The company will get to know the results of the TEB meeting shortly after it takes place!

The first instalment (50% of the total amount) will be paid upon signature of the ESA Spark Funding Austria Contract by both parties. The second instalment (remaining 50% of the total amount) will be paid upon a successful Final Review, acceptance by ESA SSC Austria of all deliverables due under the Contract and fulfilment of all contractual obligations by the Applicant under the Contract.

ESA Spark Funding shall be spent in Austria unless the product/service is not available or in the event of an international collaboration (e.g. Product Developer is located in Austria but the Space Technology Provider is located elsewhere). In any case, the amount of ESA Spark Funding Austria spent outside of Austria shall not exceed 50%.

No, the ESA Spark Funding financial incentive is not De Minimis relevant.