The Department of Economy and Finance, through the Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla and León (ICECYL), has approved the call for incentives aimed at projects included in the ESA BIC Castilla and León Aerospace Incubation Programme, with the aim of strengthening the innovation ecosystem and supporting the development of startups linked to the space sector. The application deadline is 14 August 2026.
The call is aimed at early-stage companies with less than five years of activity that develop projects with a demonstrable connection to the space sector or that use space technologies in other fields. It also requires companies to have their registered office and workplace in Castilla and León before formalising their participation in the incubation programme.
With a total budget of €480,000, this incentive programme offers grants of up to €60,000 per project, intended for product development and the protection of intellectual property rights, key elements for consolidating innovative initiatives in early stages.
The ESA BIC Castilla and León programme is a strategic tool to attract talent, support the creation of technology companies, and position the region as a benchmark in the aerospace field. Through this initiative, selected startups gain access to funding, specialised advisory services, technical support, and opportunities for collaboration with key players in the sector.
Currently, the ESA BIC Castilla and León ecosystem already includes four incubated companies developing innovative solutions in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and space-related technologies. These are Invicsa Airtech, Astraspec, Ada-AI Solutions Consulting & Training, and Instrumentos Robóticos e Inteligencia Artificial S.L. The consolidation of these early companies reflects the programme’s potential as an innovation driver and its ability to boost technology projects with international reach.
European Space Agency Incubator in Castilla and León
The ESA space project incubator is a regional initiative based at the León Technology Park and also operating in the Boecillo Technology Park, leveraging momentum from aerospace-related initiatives and synergies with other organisations. Depending on the projects involved, other locations may also be designated by entrepreneurs.
Castilla and León has a significant value chain in the aerospace and aeronautics sector, with 55 relevant companies and entities in the field, including four public universities, a network of technology centres, and key institutions such as the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), the National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE), the CLPU Pulsed Laser Centre, and the SCAYLE Supercomputing Centre, among others. The region is also home to major aerospace companies such as Altran, Ecosat, Deimos, Aciturri, Safran, Telefónica, Indra, and GMV.
Since 2003, the European Space Agency has been promoting this type of incubator across Europe to inspire and work with entrepreneurs, turning space-related business ideas into new commercial companies. The Department of Economy and Finance, through ICECYL, signed an agreement with ESA in 2020 for the development of technologies and the launch of the vertical aerospace accelerator ESA BIC.
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