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ESA IP for Commercialization Luxembourg Open Call

Open call running from 2024 to 2026 offering grants of €10 000 to assess and define a strategy to protect, manage and commercially exploit space-related intellectual property ...

NEXT EVALUATION CUT-OFF DATE: 30 MARCH 2026 AND 26 MAY 2026

This new programme is beng implemented for the benefit of companies in the space sector in Luxembourg to provide them with funding support (€10 000 per project) to assess and define a strategy to protect, manage and commercially exploit their intellectual property that results from ESA or national activities and programmes, and which can provide them with a competitive positioning in the space market in Luxembourg.

For the purpose of implementing this programme, the ESA Technology Broker Luxembourg cooperates closely with IPIL (the Intellectual Property Institute of Luxembourg), which was established by the Ministry of the Economy with a mission to accompany and support companies to integrate intellectual property (IP) in their business, and of federating national and international expertise in IP.

Applicants may request funding to perform one (or more) of the following activities to be carried out by an external IP Specialist:

IP management and strategy*
IP protection
IP revenue management

*In terms of IP management and strategy, IPIL offers a service package covering the following elements: i) IP pre-diagnosis; ii) Freedom to operate analysis; iii) IP management recommendations

A total of 9 projects will be selected over the 2024-2026 funding period. Applications may be submitted at any time but 2 cut-off dates will be announced each year in order to allow the evaluation and selection of projects. The evaluation cut-off dates for applications in 2026 are:

30 March 2026
26 May 2026

If you wish to explore further the conditions and opportunities offered by the ESA IP for Commercialization Luxembourg Open Call, we invite you to read the documents below (Invitation to Apply, Application Template, Draft Contract). The FAQ section may also assist you with specific questions you may have.

Open Call Invitation to Apply

Application Template

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

To apply, you must be a legal entity (a public law company / a private law company / an association, etc.) registered under the laws of Luxembourg. You must be headquartered in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and be fully compliant with Luxembourg tax and social security obligations.

The purpose/objective of the programme is to provide support to companies operating in the space sector in Luxembourg to assess and define a strategy to protect, manage and commercially exploit their intellectual property that results from ESA or national activities and programmes, and which provides competitive positioning in the space market in Luxembourg.

The request for funding should cover one or more of the following activities i) IP management and strategy, ii) IP protection and risks, iii) IP revenue management and should be carried out by IPIL (Institut de la Propriété Intellectuelle Luxembourg) and/or an IP specialist who is external to the company.

An application which is selected for funding receives a maximum contribution of €10 000 for the services requested. IPIL and/or the IP specialist are paid directly by CREACTION INT, the ESA Technology Broker for Luxembourg, after approval of the final report and acceptance of the deliverables.

No. The application should include a request for IP support services from among the following: i) IP management and strategy, ii) IP protection and risks, iii) IP revenue management which are in line with the maximum budget of €10 000.

Projects may last up to a maximum of 6 months.

You may submit an application at any time during the period 2024-2026. Applications will be evaluated twice a year and cut-off dates for evaluation will be announced several months in advance on the CREACTION INT website.

An Application Template can be found above on this web page. You should include a description of the intellectual property, its commercial and strategic value and under which activity it was created (ESA or national funding). You should select the activities that you wish to be performed and give information about the IP specialist who will provide the services. Last but not least, you should provide a quotation of how much the service will cost. A cover letter and the Requirement Checklist should be signed by an authorized representative of the entity applying.

The evaluation of all received applications is managed locally by the ESA Technology Broker for Luxembourg (CREACTION INT) and follows common ESA IP for Commercialization Funding procedures. If the application is compliant with the formal requirements, it will pass to the evaluation stage. The evaluation will typically take place a few weeks after the submission deadline. The evaluation board consists of representatives of CREACTION INT, ESA, LSA and other experts. Please refer to the Invitation to Apply document for the evaluation criteria used.

The funding may be used to cover the subcontracting costs of the IP specialist as described in the application and which are necessary for the execution of the project and incurred during the duration of the contract. They exclude VAT, interest owed and any duties. The funding should primarily be spent in Luxembourg. Non-eligible costs include staff costs of the space company, materials, equipment and facilities as well as travel, subsistence and accommodation costs.

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