Enterprise Ireland has signed an agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop a space business incubation centre in Ireland. The incubator plans to support 25 startups in space-related technologies over the next five years.

According to Enterprise Ireland, there are currently over 45 Irish companies working with ESA in the development of innovative technologies for the global market in space systems and space-related services and applications. This number is growing by, on average, five companies per year.

Speaking from the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, Netherlands, where a number of Enterprise Ireland client companies made contract announcements, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said: “This partnership will mean that Irish businesses and their innovators will be at the frontier of new space technologies.

“Ireland already has a proud record of building up a cluster of space technology companies and this new space incubator will take advantage of government investment in research infrastructure in Ireland, the extensive network of technical facilities and expertise of the ESA, as well as the business development resources of Enterprise Ireland.”

Enterprise Ireland client companies who participated in the trade and investment mission visit to ESTEC included Arralis, Curtis Wright, Enbio, Radisens Diagnostics and Treemetrics.

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