If you have an innovative space business idea you’ve been sitting on, now is the time to validate it by joining the cohort of the next pre-incubation training on the ESA-supported Ignition Programme. We are here to help you take your idea to new heights over four Fridays this summer. Not got a startup yet? No worries. This course is also perfect for early-stage teams and those not yet with a registered company. You do need to be resident in the Netherlands and have a razor-sharp focus in the heart of the Dutch space ecosystem at SBIC Noordwijk on 21 & 28 Aug and 3 & 11 Sep. Apply by 6 Aug! Access the registration form here
Space business support from SBIC Noordwijk
The team at SBIC Noordwijk is on hand to support your space business. The programme – or programmes – that you opt for depends on your current situation. Firstly, to join any programmes in our community, you need that all important space connection. Then, your first port of call we would suggest is the Ignition Programme if you still need to validate your business. This means, in short, that you will check if there is demand for your service or product. We can help you to:
- Dive into the space link;
- Investigate if your solution is feasible; and
- Understand whether it makes sense financially.
This is done through the exclusive access you will receive to experts in the space industry. These connections await you at SBIC! The programme manager is Jacobo Domingo and if you have any questions, book a meeting as soon as possible via here.
At the forefront of this course is the product–market fit, go-to-market strategies and understanding of the needs of potential customers, as well as:
- Startup Mindset: Learn all the ins and outs of building a startup with an open mind in order to learn faster;
- Understand Your Value: Define a problem to tackle, see how others attempt to solve it, identify your unique value;
- Business Validation: Identify a market for your product, learn all the do’s and don’ts, define a revenue model.
Inspiration from previous pre-incubation cohorts
The pre-incubation course is supported by the European Space Agency and endorsed by the Netherlands Space Agency. In 2026, we are back to hosting not one but two Ignition Programme editions in the same year – one prior to the spring and the fall ESA BIC selection deadlines to help you prepare a successful application for incubation at ESA BIC Noordwijk.* The last time we had two editions in one year was in 2022, when Spherical Systems was one of the teams that graduated and then went straight on with all the knowledge that was learned to submit a successful application to ESA BIC that led to incubation by Sep 2022. Read about this particular success story here!
There have been many teams that took the successful path of pre-incubation as a step towards incubation – such as Ecosmic, Marmoris, Revolv Space and Soilspect. There is also the success story of one of the graduates of the spring 2026 edition – Earthexplorer – who is now a fully-fledged ESA BIC incubatee since the start of this month, with other graduates of that cohort preparing to apply by the fall ESA BIC deadline.
The course will refocus your mindset and bring your (potential) customers to the forefront:
- “The Ignition Programme helped us mature our idea into a promising business plan. It offered us validation and proof that we can have the desired impact” – Parya Pasha Zadeh, Marmoris
- “The most useful part of the Ignition Programme is the market validation workshop. When you’re very early stage, you’re still potentially assessing if you have a market and what your customers will really need” – Gaia Roncalli, Ecosmic
- “With so many years working as a business developer, one could think that formulating a startup is easy; it’s not. The Ignition Programme forced me to go out of my daily bubble and dive into the client’s user pains.” – Corné van der Sande, Earthexplorer
Encouragement from some recent Ignition graduates
For some of the spring Ignition graduates who still have ESA BIC in their sights and have already joined as SBIC community members, there was also positive feedback about the course:
- “The Ignition Programme is great, withe energetic mentors and a lot of support and motivation to keep iterating on the idea. It is a chance to focus and really dive into your startup.” – Bruno Endres Forlin, Tuentes
- “For anyone who wants to step into building the next era of space technology, SBIC is the place to be. I have never seen such clarity for building the next era of space tech from here in the Netherlands.” – Mohammad Umar, CaptioCorp
The culmination of the programme on the final day is a pitch competition where the teams can present all they have learned to an audience – and jury – and this is a true highlight of the course. That and, of course, the pizza night that marks the official end of the programme. The winners of the spring 2026 edition of the Ignition Programme was won by Tuentes (discover more here). Will it be your team that wins the next edition? You have to be in it to win it, so apply by 6 August!
GOOD TO KNOW:
1. The programme will be in English.
2. There is no application fee.
3. This is the last edition of the programme during 2026
4. The Friday training sessions will all be at SBIC Noordwijk
Before you apply, make sure to read all the terms and conditions (PDF) that you’ll need to agree to before participating.
*The pre-incubation course is not a requirement for applicants to ESA BIC Noordwijk; however, it is highly recommended.
