SBIC Noordwijk’s first ever Demo Day – held on 9 Dec 2025 – was a showcase of the entrepreneurial ecosystem at the heart of the space business community. Across the pitches, demos and partner displays, the achievements shone through. The success of this unique event was only possible with the input of the entire SBIC community, so we wish to say a big thank you for everyone’s involvement. This is only the start of us shaping the future of this event together. We hope the annual Demo Day will establish itself firmly in the SBIC Noordwijk calendar. Feedback about the first edition can be shared here and read on for the recap and photos.
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Designs for success – tech demos and displays
The space business up at SBIC Noordwijk, where everything revolves around technology, entrepreneurship, collaboration and impact, is a place where ideas are born, validated and developed by budding entrepreneurs as they grow their companies. Giving space for those startups to show their propositions was what the Demo Day was all about.
This event revolved around the community of startups that are building – or have successfully built – their businesses from a base at SBIC Noordwijk on NL Space Campus. The tech hardware was on show as soon as the guests walked into the atrium with moments to meet the entrepreneurs and find out more. There was also an opportunity to explore the co-working space and see hardware and information posters displayed that had been delivered by startups that had taken part in the European Space Agency’s business incubation programme (ESA BIC Noordwijk) over the years.
New developments and energetic entrepreneurs
While this was the first Demo Day to take place at SBIC Noordwijk, it is certainly won’t be the last following the positive feedback received. The response from one of the 70+ attendees – “It was so good to see the new developments and meet the energetic entrepreneurs” – was echoed across the board. The startups that have been part of the community over the years were at the heart of this edition. Martijn Leinweber (SBIC COO) comments: “Over the years, we’ve had the chance to follow many different journeys, and this day aims to bring those journeys together and mark that progress.”
Pitching and presentations
Each session of the event highlighted the innovations of startups and entrepreneurs who have developed their innovations at the SBIC space business hub by following the various programmes (managed by the SBIC team). These ranged from startups and alumni of the ESA BIC programme to a graduate of the Soft Landing programme. Interestingly, a number of the founders on stage also had been through the pre-incubation Ignition Programme – which has just opened for applications for the next edition.
The other programmes (co-managed by SBIC and NL Space Campus) were also represented on stage, with a presentation about a successful business case via the ESA Technology Broker Netherlands and a pitch from the first participant in the ESA Phi-Lab Netherlands.
Thriving in the space ecosystem
Each entrepreneur shared about their product or service and inspired the audience with stories of how their business is thriving within a space market ecosystem. All the innovations described had a space connection, with the majority of the presentations focused on downstream concepts. These included technology transfer innovations bringing space tech down to novel applications on Earth (hardware, software, knowledge/processes or intellectual property rights), such as:
- Wren Aerospace using composite materials and hydrogen technologies developed for space missions in the design of its stratosphere-bound aircraft (see a timelapse filmed on the Demo Day shared via ESA Technology);
- ZemQuest applying a NASA patented technology to deliver emission-free energy using aluminium as a solid fuel; and
- Gravity Gardens developing a novel, space-inspired agricultural technology that aims to create breakthroughs in terrestrial food production.
Other downstream innovations making use of space systems or technology in their applications (whether that be satellite navigation, Earth observation and/or satellite communication) included the products of successful graduates of the ESA BIC programme: Aardvark Sensing (autonomous robot for soil classification), 2C Degrees (water insights across the supply chain), Reef Support (AI-driven solutions for marine ecosystem monitoring) and Soilspect (settlement monitoring tool for use on construction sites).
The ecosystem also covers upstream innovations, be that services for the space domain or suppliers to the space sector (design and manufacture of spacecraft systems, subsystems, components and services). These can include satellites, ground systems, human spaceflight, etc. Two ESA BIC alumni presented their upstream innovations in the first session, with Lens R&D’s Sunsensors in focus (as featured on ESA’s twin Proba-3 platforms; get the latest mission update here) and Satsearch’s global marketplace for space where engineers can find and source products and services for their ground, launch and space systems.
Discover all about Lens R&D’s journey in the ESA ScaleUp book >>
On stage were:*
- ESA BIC startups (incubatees): Wren Aerospace, ZemQuest, Gravity Gardens
- ESA BIC startups (2025 graduates): 2C Degrees, Aardvark Sensing, Celemation
- ESA BIC startups (alumni): Lens R&D, Reef Support, Satsearch, Soilspect,
- ESA Technology Broker NL (successful business case): Marmoris x Reefy
- ESA Phi-Lab NL (current participant): Dunedain Space
- SBIC Soft Landing (alumnus): 4 Earth 2 Mars
- SBIC partners: Rabobank, Solidflow, Space4Good
(*Click the links to see the latest news on the SBIC website about each company and check back for more interviews with ESA BIC graduates and alumni – and exciting news from one of the incubation partners.)
Partner network and community focus
The various programmes that are offered and (co)managed by SBIC Noordwijk can only happen through the support of ESA and NSO, as well as a much wider network – from the coaches that offer advice to the community to the partners that are embedded into the workings of the ESA BIC programme and, as such, took a key part in the Demo Day. Among the audience members were new technical partners that joined in 2025: Code-P West, Solidflow and Telespazio Belgium.
Technical support is offered to ESA BIC incubatees (and the wider SBIC community via the partner-in-residence initiative) and two of the technical partners represented on stage included Solidflow (expertise in cool gas generators) and Space4Good (expertise in geospatial technology). The keynote partner presentation was from incubation partner Rabobank.
Startups and scaleups creating impact
The representatives from the Rabobank Startup & Scale-up team Fabian Groeneveld and Patrick van der Toorn were welcomed to the stage by host Jacobo Domingo (SBIC business development manager). They explained about why a bank might be interested in startups, seeing them as innovators of the economy, playing a crucial role in accelerating transitions. That’s why there is a dedicated Startup & Scale-up team that supports these entrepreneurs with knowledge, networks and financial solutions while offering insights on starting and scaling impactful businesses.
One such focus is the sector vision on innovation within the food transition, highlighting one startup – Gravity Gardens – that recently was awarded the Rabo Impact Fund, evidence of empowering startups that are building a more sustainable future. What a perfect moment to mark this occasion by having a photo moment on stage to present the traditional Rabobank tile.
“Over the years, we’ve had the chance to follow many different journeys, and the Demo Day aims to bring those journeys together and mark that progress”
MARtijn leinweber
Valuable conversations and successful introductions
Post-presentations and pitches was a time for meeting the community during the networking and matchmaking session, seeking out new contacts and expanding connections. This is where startups, coaches, community members, partners, investors and other invited guests got to mingle and exchange ideas, stories and have serendipitous encounters by the satellite.
All the partners that had been on stage also took part in the demos/exhibition area, alongside ESA BIC alumni Soilspect and smartQare. The demos also attracted interested both in the atrium with the spotlight on the innovations of Aardvark Sensing and Celemation, while a 3D printing demo in the office of Wren Aerospace attracted visitors’ attention.
This part of the programme was certainly a valuable opportunity for meeting new contacts and making new acquaintances. “It was a fun experience to share the results of my work with an engaged and specific audience and to talk to people personally during the demonstrations,” commented Joël Meijering of Celemation. Silvia Leijtens of alumnus Lens R&D also concurred: “It was nice to meet new people and share experiences.”
The entire event was focused on the community and one of the long-standing SBIC community members Wendy Mensink summed up the ethos of the Demo Day perfectly: “Learning about technology and entrepreneurship in a comfortable setting with plenty of food and drinks. An afternoon well spent!”
