call for proposals to implement and operate an esa bic 1 introduction ...

CALL FOR PROPOSALS TO IMPLEMENT AND OPERATE AN ESA
BIC
1 INTRODUCTION
This document provides guidelines for proposal to implement and operate an ESA BIC in the
Czech Republic, which in the following text is refered to as ESA BIC Czech Republic.
2 ESA BIC GOALS AND GENERAL APPROACH
The business incubation (BI) forseen for ESA BIC Czech Republic is to be based on the
following principles:
• Space inside: currently the start-ups must base their business on the use of space
technologies and systems for terrestrial application; in the future this may be extended
to companies bringing their terrestrial technology to space (to be confirmed with ESA
or for the time being outside the ESA BIC contract)
• Performance, achievement of objectives of creating companies and jobs, new start-ups
and start-ups of spin-off origin. This is very important: BI must create companies and
jobs. A BIC should be conceived as an element of development of the area in which it
is located. It must involve local actors, academia, investors, industry and institutions.
A BIC must be visible means of ESA / Space contribution to growth and job creation.
• Sustainability, BIC must be viable after termination of the ESA contribution from the
mandatory budget; optional resources must be made available through ESA to
maintain the ESA link, sustain ESA technical support and the “Space inside”
component
• Partnership Space – non-Space, i.e. ESA – local partner, where the contribution of the
non-Space part is at least equal to the contribution of the Space partner
• Consistency with ESA policies and local regulations
• Cooperation between the industry and academia as well as between the Czech
Republic and other regions/states capatilizing on good practice from other ESA BICs
For a BIC to be labelled ESA BIC, there must be a strong contribution of Space through ESA,
in particular:
• The BIC operator must be under ESA contract
• Technical support must be managed by ESA and provided by ESA (less likely for the
Czech Republic) or under ESA delegation (more likely for the Czech Republic)
• A financial incentive shall be provided by ESA
3 BUSINESS INCUBATION DEDICATED SERVICES
ESA BIC Czech Republic will offer at least three packages of services to the start-ups:
• Technical (ESA or ESA delegation) and business support (non-ESA): to master / adapt
the Space technologies and techniques for use in terrestrial application and to support
the selection of incubatees (this is the core ESA role and raison d’etre of ESA BIC).
Complementarily, help to prepare business plans, analysis, IP advice is normal BI
practice and delegated to local entities or the BI partner. The ESA (or under ESA
delegation) and the local partner contribution is estimated to be 80 h / start-up / year of
which 5 h / start-up / year is an average contribution of ESA technical staff.

• Financial support: to allow developing prototypes, beta versions of applications, etc.
and/or securing the IP. The ESA share is established at 25 K€ / start-up / year. In
addition to the incentive provided by ESA and matched by the local partner (i.e. 25 K€
/ start-up / year), the partner should establish an advantageous loan scheme for
incubatees to access funding from local financial institutions.
• Administrative support: hosting of start-ups, office accommodation in science /
technology / business park, IT support, company registration, networking, in particular
with the academia and technology partners in the area and with funding partners, event
organisation, handling of incentive, promotion, establishment of deal flow, etc. A
company experienced in managing BIC will provide this under ESA contract. There is
a common Statement of Work as basis for an ESA contract with such specialised
companies. The Statement of Work with Essential Contractual Requirements Imposed
by ESA document is attached to this Call for Proposals and will be provided upon
request to Mr. Milan Kaděra (milan.kadera@mdcr.cz). The intended contract value is
for 35 k€ / year, when the objective is set to creation of 8 start-ups per year. In
addition, non-space local partner is expected to cover part of administrative support
which combined with the cost of technical and business support cost is estimated to be
at the level of 15-20 k€ / company / year.
4 TIMELINE
It is proposed to implement the BICs in phases. The duration of the initial phase is 5 years and
the duration of subsequent phases is at least 4 years.
One year before the end of a phase a review will be conducted to assess the performance and
plans for the BIC, the availability of funding, space and non-space, so as to conclude on
continuation with next phase.
5 STARTING AND RUNNING AN ESA BIC
The following are the premises that should be addressed in the proposals solicited by the
Ministry of Transport.
Address each expectation in your proposal to the Ministry and if possible structure your
proposal to clearly demonstrate all concerns are taken into account.
For detailes consult the The Draft Statement of Work with Essential Contractual
Requirements, which is available upon, request.
Do not limit yourself to simply stating that you understand, respect and adhere to all
requirements. Show how the requirement will be met, objectives reached and processes
implemented.
Show your full understanding of the issues at stake, discuss options and trade-offs, propose
the optimal solutions and demonstrate that you are the best positioned to establish and operate
the ESA BIC.
• ESA BIC is a partnership between ESA and Space or non-Space entities, national,
regional, local, either institutional or private, hereafter called “local partner”, in ESA
Member States.
• The local partner will enter in partnership with ESA to establish the BIC concept
outlined in section 3. The local partner must show:
- the capability to enter in such partnership,
- the capability to match ESA funding as in section 3,
- the support by the Czech Delegation to ESA so that
TTP (ESA Technology Transfer Programme) funds can be used to set
up an ESA BIC,

A plan to continue the Space share under non-TTP funding can be
agreed by all parties;
• The local partner shall be a consortium capable of performing the BI tasks, including,
but not limited to
- a partner experienced in managing BI and BIC and offer appropriate
accommodation in a science and business park to cluster the incubates,
- partners capable of providing / acquiring technical and business support,
- partners providing the financial incentives mentioned in section 3,
- partners providing a loan scheme for the incubates;
• The local partner must
- present a near to long term strategy showing adherence to the BI and BIC
objectives of creating viable companies from start-ups that base their business
on the utilisation of Space solutions for terrestrial applications,
- show that the establishment of an ESA BIC is an integral part of a national,
regional or local strategy to create wealth, companies and jobs and shall
provide evidence of support by the relevant institutions,
- provide a business case for the ESA BIC including its sustainability after the
initial TTP funding period of the Space partner (ESA);
• The local partner must have a plan of work
- demonstrating how to meet the objectives of ESA BI,
- proposing the approach to networking with institutional and private partners,
for scientific, technical, business and financial support,
- demonstrating the capability to create sufficient deal flow for selection of
companies for spin-off and later also possibly spin-in,
- presenting a suitable approach to support of incubates;
• The local partner will confirm respect of the ESA business incubation processes.