Partners
ESA Phi-Lab Spain brings together 12 partners from research, academia, industry and innovation support, covering the full space value chain. Our partners combine complementary expertise to accelerate the development, integration and deployment of space-enabled solutions.
To better understand how this expertise is distributed across the ecosystem, you can explore our R+D Capability Matrix, which maps partner capabilities across the space value chain.
Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC)
Public sector research foundation formed by a consortium of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the University of Barcelona (UB), the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech (UPC) and the Spanish Research Council (CSIC), dedicated to space-oriented activities, with a total of 270 employees and affiliated researchers. The IEEC is structured in four Research Units governed by the rules of one of the academic institutions. These units are:
- The Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona – ICCUB
- The Centre for Space Studies and Research – CEREs (UAB)
- The Research Group in Space Sciences and Technologies – CTE (UPC)
- The Institute of Space Sciences – ICE-CSIC
The IEEC’s mission is to promote astronomical and space research; to be an internationally recognised centre for attracting talent and fostering collaborations, both locally and globally; to be an efficient agent of knowledge, innovation and technology transfer in its field; and to raise awareness in society through the communication of scientific culture.
Our institute devotes part of its research to upstream and downstream segments. Some of the research lines are funded in upstream technologies to improve hardware and software capabilities in orbit, as well as in processing and compression; and in downstream technologies on data fusion for better performance in spatial and spectral resolution, artificial intelligence and machine learning for on-board applications based on RISCV architectures, and technologies for LEO-PNT and QKD in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) mission platforms.
IEEC is implementing the NewSpace Strategy of Catalonia, promoting the Catalan space ecosystem at national and international level. IEEC represents Catalonia in space-related programmes in Spain and the European Union In terms of its representativeness, it is a member of the Nereus Board of Directors and a full member of Eurisy. It also has strong links with the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Union Space Programme Agency (EUSPA) and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT).
IEEC leads the Spanish contribution to several ESA and other international space missions, with leading roles in Ariel, LISA, PLATO, Cheops, Gaia, Euclid and SMOS.
The IEEC incorporates within its structure the Area for the Promotion of the Catalan Space Sector (APEC). APEC is the administrative structure of reference to deploy satellite policy and properly manage the activity of the Catalan space sector, as planned by the NewSpace Strategy. Initiatives include the dynamisation of the space ecosystem, the internationalisation of programmes, the development of facilities (NewSpace Lab), Earth observation missions in LEO and innovation in research and technology.
Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya (ICGC)
The ICGC has been created in 2014 and belongs to the Department of Territory and Sustainability of the Government of Catalonia. The ICGC sum-up the legacies of the former cartographic and geological agencies, both created in 1982. The ICGC has a staff around 270 people and is a beginning-to-end cartographic and geological institution comprising:
- Data acquisition; Processing capabilities (geodetics, aerial triangulation, photogrammetry, orthoimage, remote sensing, cartography);
- Technical support to Land and urban planning
- Geological hazards assessment and prevention.
The ICGC is the official Catalan Geoinformation Agency and reference public service of the applied geo-scientific knowledge. It was created in 1979 and belongs to the Department of Territory and Sustainability of the Government of Catalonia.
Under the Catalan NewSpace Strategy, the ICGC works on the definition of requirements of small satellite platforms, the definition of functional data processing architectures and their cataloguing and accessibility for potential users through.
The Institute also carries out a R&D program to provide new solutions to the society, the environment and the land management, among them: SIDL: (Coastal Dynamics Information Service), VOLTA (MSC-Horizon 2020), FIRE-RES (Horizon 2020), PYRENEES4CLIMA.
Fundació Knowledge Innovation Market (KIMbcn)
Knowledge Innovation Market Foundation (KIMbcn) is a private non-profit foundation reference in innovation, knowledge transfer and implementation of scientific technological structures.
KIM has extensive expertise as a key player throughout the entire technology transfer process value chain. KIM’s core activities encompass the evaluation of technology portfolios, identification of market needs, and the formulation of marketing roadmaps for successful commercialization. KIM has natural links with the most important economic actors with the Spanish industry, institutions and universities, which have led to significant collaborative projects and activities.
KIMbcn has collaborated with the European Space Agency (ESA) on various occasions. At the end of 2012, KIM started working with ESA-ESTEC TTPO as responsible for the evaluation and prioritization of its patents portfolio. Initially, KIM assessed and analysed ESA’s patents for potential applications beyond the space sector in Spain. Later, from 2016 to 2020, the foundation served as ESA’s broker for Spain, focusing on identifying business innovations within the space sector for commercialization across different industries.
Universitat de València (UVEG)
The University of Valencia hosts the Image and Signal Processing (ISP) group under the Image Processing Laboratory (IPL). The ISP group, https://isp.uv.es/, has excelled in developing cutting-edge techniques for data analysis, especially in fields like visual neuroscience, remote sensing, and geoscience, leveraging machine learning theories and biological vision understanding.
The ISP contributes with key innovations and research projects that are and have been influential globally, with substantial funding from both national and international sources including the European Space Agency (ESA), the ERC and the European Commission. These projects often focus on climate data analysis, environmental monitoring, and the development of new AI-driven models for understanding complex natural systems.
Fundación Instituto Ricardo Valle de Innovación (InnovaIRV)
Innova IRV was established in 2022 to drive a nationwide network of top-tier business innovation hubs, led by companies and entrepreneurs across the country. By leveraging existing capabilities, the network enables stakeholders to pursue ambitious or complex initiatives that could not be tackled individually. The Foundation’s primary mission is to enhance corporate competitiveness, attract strategic investments, and promote the creation of technology-driven enterprises.
To achieve this, Innova IRV operates as a catalyst, launching flagship international initiatives, fostering talent development, at both university and vocational training levels, and strengthening collaboration between academia and industry, as well as among university research groups, while addressing the technological needs of its members.
The Foundation’s activities focus on four cross-cutting areas deemed critical for technological transformation: Microelectronics, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Advanced Communications. These domains are applied to key industries such as Aerospace Systems, Industry 4.0, Digital Health, Food Tech, and the Circular Economy, among others.
Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO)
ICFO is a CERCA research center member of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), founded in 2002 by the Government of Catalonia and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – Barcelona Tech, both of which are members of ICFO’s board of trustees along with the Cellex and Mir-Puig Foundations, philanthropic entities that have played a critical role in the advancement of the Institute. The institute has more than 400 researchers in 26 research groups, who work in over 60 laboratories. The institute has several facilities that support its research activities, such as a Nanophotonics Fabrication lab, a Super-Resolution Light Microscopy & Nanoscopy Lab, and an Advanced Engineering Lab.
Fundació i2cat
The i2CAT research centre drives advanced digital solutions through applied research and innovation. The centre has over 20 years of multi-technology expertise in 5G/6G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Space Communications, Immersive, Interactive, and Digital Society Technologies. With an approach focused on knowledge transfer, i2CAT generates a tangible impact on the economy and improves people’s lives by connecting public administration, private enterprise, the scientific community and citizens. i2CAT is part of the CERCA network and is accredited by the TECNIO certification.
i2CAT is a partner of the New Space Strategy of the Catalan government, together with IEEC and ICGC. In this role, i2CAT provides its expertise and knowledge in space communications, as well as, actively participating in the development and deployment of the infrastructure that will support public IoT-over-satellite services.
i2CAT manages, on behalf of the Catalan government, the Digital Catalonia Alliance (DCA), an initiative that gathers the main emerging sectors of Catalonia into an innovative, visionary, disruptive, and collaborative alliance of technological communities.
Fundación General CSIC
The Fundación General CSIC (FGCSIC) is a private non-profit organization founded in 2008, dedicated to enhancing and supporting the valorisation of research and innovation within the Spanish national science system, particularly through its association with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). It operates across a wide range of scientific disciplines, with a strong focus on fostering public-private collaboration, promoting technology transfer, and advancing research that has both societal and market impact. The FGCSIC is actively involved in several key areas that bring added value to this project, including:
- Competitive surveillance and technological intelligence: We provide expertise in analyzing scientific and technological trends, helping to anticipate changes and identify emerging technologies. This service supports strategic decision-making and the identification of potential collaborators and partners.
- Valorization and acceleration of knowledge and technologies: FGCSIC offers comprehensive support for the valorization and acceleration of start-ups, new technologies and innovative knowledge.
- Networking and Collaboration: We have a strong track record of organizing open door networking sessions with B2B meetings that facilitate collaboration between academia and industry.
- Science and Talent: We promote the attraction and return of scientific talent, as it is the cornerstone of a sustainable and internationally competitive Spanish science, technology and innovation system that can contribute to economic growth and an improved quality of life for our citizens.
FGCSIC’s strengths lies in its multidisciplinary approach and extensive network of collaborators within both the public and private sector, and its ability to bridge the gap between research and industry. The influence of FGCSIC through its collaboration with CSIC and public/ private universities, allows us to achieve high levels of impact.
Arribes Enlightment
Spacetech consultancy firm specialized in innovation and technology, with focus on the space sector. Arribes Enlightment S.L., founded in 2021 by Dr. Noelia Sánchez-Ortiz and Mr. Luis Martín Bernardos, has swiftly established itself as a consultancy firm specialized in innovation and technology, with a particular focus on the space sector.
Arribes provides support to several private and public institutions, and participates in projects and consultation initiatives with corporates, startups, and policy makers, leveraging their experience in deeptech and entrepreneurship.
Arribes is the ESA Technlogy Broker Spain.
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech (UPC) is a public institution with international standing in research and higher education that specialises in engineering, architecture, sciences and technology. The driving force behind the UPC is high-impact RDI that is designed to address major societal challenges and generate cutting-edge knowledge, as demonstrated by its leadership and prominent role in major European and national research projects.
This commitment to service is reflected in intense technology and knowledge transfer activity, which is channelled through hundreds of agreements and collaborative projects with companies and institutions worldwide. This ongoing connection with the productive sector, the protection of research outcomes and the promotion of new technology-based enterprises position the UPC as a key agent in fostering innovation and economic and social development.
In this context, the ESA Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC) Barcelona serves as a strategic tool to enhance this impact. Promoted in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and coordinated by the UPC, ESA BIC Barcelona is co-funded by the Government of Catalonia and provides comprehensive support to innovative start-ups that leverage space technologies or develop solutions for the New Space sector.
Aligned with the 2030 Catalonia Space Strategy and through various instruments, such as incubation services, access to funding and specialised mentoring, and connections with the European space ecosystem, ESA BIC Barcelona promotes the effective transfer of knowledge to the market, technological entrepreneurship and the creation of new high-value business models.
Thanks to this synergy, the UPC strengthens its position as a hub for talent and innovation, driving a new generation of disruptive companies with an impact on the economy, society and space exploration. Within this framework, together with ESA BIC Barcelona, it contributes directly to the development of the Catalan New Space community and consolidates a robust, sustainable and internationally connected value chain.
Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS)
BSC is a research centre that combines unique high-performance computing (HPC) facilities and in-house research departments with innovation and technology transfer office (TTO). The Earth Sciences Department is structured around five groups: Atmospheric Composition, Climate Variability and Change, Computational Earth Sciences, Earth System Services and Global Health Resilience.
The High Performance Domain-Specific Architectures (HPDSA) team are developing specialized architectures for multiple application domains, ranging from traditional High Performance Computing (HPC) to emerging precision medicine and security applications.
Planta pilot de l’ESA MELiSSA de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)
MELiSSA (Micro Ecological Life Support System Alternative) is an international collaborative effort leaded by ESA (European Space Agency), focused on the development of a self-sustainable regenerative Life Support System to support long-term human Space missions.
MELiSSA represents today one of the most advanced activities in the development and demonstration of regenerative life support technologies worldwide. The objective of the MELiSSA activity is to gain knowledge for the development of regenerative life support systems, based on physical/chemical and biological processes, for progressive use in Space.