For over a decade, the European Space Agency’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) programme has served as a launchpad for commercial space innovation across Europe. Since 2010, BASS has helped companies deliver space-based services and products through more than 1,000 studies and 750 projects . With a total investment of €500 million in more than 1,200 businesses, the programme has established itself as a cornerstone of Europe’s space commercialisation strategy . Now, as an element of the new ACCESS programme approved at the November 2025 ESA Council Meeting at Ministerial Level in Bremen, BASS is expanding its reach with enhanced funding structures, new thematic campaigns, and streamlined application processes .
What Is BASS?
BASS is ESA’s flagship programme for transforming innovative ideas into commercially successful space-based services and applications that deliver measurable socio-economic impacts. The programme supports businesses across all sectors—from transportation and healthcare to energy, agriculture, and finance—helping them leverage space technologies such as satellite communications, Earth observation data, and satellite navigation to solve real-world challenges.
The core aim of BASS is to accelerate the transformation of innovative ideas into viable market-ready services. It achieves this by de-risking both technical and commercial challenges and shortening the path from concept to market. Crucially, BASS positions space as a driver for innovation, competitiveness, and lasting value for society, with many projects contributing to priorities such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Europe’s green transition.
The New ACCESS Programme
At the CM25 Ministerial in Bremen, ESA Member States formally approved ACCESS—a combined budget of €306 million dedicated to accelerating commercialisation and competitiveness in the European space sector. This comprises €169 million for ScaleUp and €137 million for BASS. Implemented from 27 November 2025, ACCESS builds on the sound foundations of ESA’s existing BASS and ScaleUp programmes, offering enhanced financial, business, and technical support for ideation, incubation, acceleration, and market deployment of innovative products and services across the space value chain.
For BASS specifically, ACCESS has delivered:
- New thematic campaigns tuned to the priorities of ESA Member States
- Additional and improved funding structures to facilitate innovation and growth
- Expansion of activities across all sectors, including safety and security
- Streamlined application processes with new frameworks
What Does BASS Offer?
BASS offers a comprehensive support package designed to create optimal conditions for commercial success:
Zero-Equity Funding – Financial backing ranging from approximately €60,000 to over €3 million per activity, without diluting ownership. UK applicants should note that the UK Space Agency limits co-funding to 50% for both Proof-of-Concept and Pilot Project activities.
Technical and Business Expertise – Personalised support from ESA team members who provide technical and commercial guidance throughout the project lifecycle. ESA expert insights have proven essential in transforming early-stage ideas into viable, market-ready solutions.
ESA Branding – The credibility and recognition of the ESA brand, which opens doors with customers, investors, and partners.
Powerful Commercialisation Networks – Connections with customers, investors, and partners through ESA’s extensive ecosystem, enabling businesses to overcome market barriers and secure sustainable growth.
Funding Activities: Tailored to Your Stage of Development
BASS support is delivered through funding activities tailored to the company’s development stage, ranging from business de-risking to development, piloting, commercial launch, and growth into secondary markets. The program offers two main categories of opportunities:
Feasibility Studies (De-risking Stage)
These studies explore the viability of new space-based applications and service concepts, consolidating user requirements and evaluating both economic sustainability and technical feasibility. They include:
- Kick-start Studies – Rapidly assess the viability and sustainability of new concepts over six months. ESA provides up to €75,000 per contract, funding 75% of the activity. The aim is to determine whether a service is technically feasible, commercially viable and whether there is demand for it.
- Proof-of-Concept Studies – Design service concepts and develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to consolidate market opportunities and user engagement.
- Enabling Studies – Foster early user engagement for space services facing barriers such as regulatory challenges or public-driven business models.
Demonstration Projects (Implementation and Business Validation Stage)
- Pilot Projects – Integrate and pilot services with customers in the primary market, demonstrating full integration in an operational context.
- Growth Projects – Expand services into secondary markets, develop new service elements, conduct large-scale pilots, and support strategic partnerships for global market access.
Types of Funding Calls
BASS offers two types of funding calls across all frameworks:
Open Calls – Always-open invitations for businesses to submit their ideas. Open Call proposals are evaluated in batches throughout the year, with set deadlines for submission.
Thematic Calls – Time-limited invitations for proposals on specific topics, often in areas of strategic importance. Recent examples include the following:
- Road and Traffic Safety
- Digitalisation of the Water Sector
- Wildfire Management
- Environmental Crimes
- The Arctic Region: Environmental and Economic Resilience
- University of Tomorrow
Impact and Success Stories
The BASS programme has demonstrated significant impact across economic, environmental, and societal dimensions. An impact study conducted by London Economics, based on a representative sample of BASS projects, revealed compelling results :
- Commercial Adoption – BASS-supported projects are driving commercial adoption, with many companies reporting significant revenue growth and job creation.
- Export Opportunities – Several businesses have already generated revenue from international clients.
- Accelerated Technology Development – Many innovations would not have progressed—or would have done so at a slower pace—without BASS’s technical and financial support.
- Societal and Environmental Benefits – BASS supports projects contributing to more than ten UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
- Customer Outcomes – Customers of BASS-supported companies are seeing measurable improvements, including increased productivity, reduced costs, and enhanced service delivery.
- Follow-on Initiatives – A growing number of companies have returned to the program for follow-on initiatives.
Who Should Apply?
BASS supports businesses of all sizes and across all sectors. The program targets:
- Startups and entrepreneurs with innovative ideas using space technologies
- Established businesses looking to expand into space-based services
- Social enterprises and NGOs addressing societal challenges through space applications
- Companies at any stage of development—from concept validation to market expansion
To be eligible, proposals must:
- Use at least one space asset (Satellite Communications, Earth Observation, Satellite Navigation, Human Spaceflight technologies, etc.)
- Develop commercially viable and sustainable space-based applications
- Demonstrate that proposed solutions work in operational environments (for Pilot Projects)
How to Apply: The Application Process
The application process for BASS funding follows a structured, multi-stage approach:
Step 1: Activity Pitch Questionnaire (APQ)
A concise and standardised pitch that establishes the business case. Applicants should consider working with ESA Business Applications Ambassadors for support and critical friend feedback.
Step 2: Quality Assurance
ESA and the relevant National Delegate review the APQ against eligibility and quality standards. UK applicants must submit to both ESA and the UK Space Agency in parallel.
Step 3: Outline Proposal
If the APQ is approved, companies develop an Outline Proposal with additional detail on customer needs, proposed solution, competitor analysis, market opportunities, and technical information.
Step 4: Assessment Panel
For UK applicants, the UK Space Agency convenes a BASS Assessment Panel of independent experts who review the proposal and provide a recommendation. The panel may approve the proposal, request clarifications, or reject it with feedback.
Step 5: Full Proposal
Following a successful panel, companies develop a Full Proposal—a fully detailed business case with costings, schedule, work package descriptions, market analysis, and customer requirements. There should be no ambiguities or uncertainties.
Step 6: Authorisation of Funding
The National Delegate issues an Authorisation of Funding (AoF), which is required to submit the Full Proposal to ESA.
Step 7: Submit to ESA
The completed Full Proposal and AoF are submitted via ESA’s official web portal.
Step 8: ESA Processing
ESA evaluates the proposal, negotiates the final contract, and signs the agreement.
Ready to Apply?
BASS represents a transformative opportunity for European businesses to harness the power of space technology and turn innovative ideas into commercially viable, market-ready services. With substantial zero-equity funding, world-class expertise, and access to a powerful ecosystem of customers and partners, the program has a proven track record of accelerating innovation and driving socio-economic impact.
Visit: https://business.esa.int/funding
Discover this opportunity and unlock thousands more on a single platform.
Visit earthfocusnetwork.com to learn more and start your application today.
