Prague, 26 February 2026 – The space incubator ESA BIC Czech Republic, operated by the CzechInvest Agency, is launching the second edition of the ESA BIC Liftoff Challenge business competition. Participants with innovative projects focused on space technologies will compete for financial rewards totaling CZK 150,000 and the opportunity to present their best ideas to investors. The competition is another initiative supporting the development of space-related projects with innovative potential in the Czech Republic. The second edition takes place in the year marking the tenth anniversary of ESA BIC’s presence in the country.
“This year, we want to build on the experience from the first edition and take the ESA BIC Liftoff Challenge one step further. While last year the competition was limited to applicants aged 18 to 35, we have removed the upper age limit because great ideas are not limited to one generation. At the same time, we have significantly increased the total financial reward from CZK 100,000 to CZK 150,000,” said Adéla Boráňová, Programme Manager of ESA BIC Czech Republic at CzechInvest.
The competition is open to individuals or teams of up to five members aged 18 and over. Participation requires a project with business potential and a so-called “space connection.” This means that the business concept must demonstrate a clear and meaningful link to space technologies or the space sector.
Submitted projects must clearly prove that the use of space technologies is essential to solving the given problem and that it provides technical, economic, or other added value compared to solutions that do not utilize space technologies. The project must go beyond common or standard applications and include an innovative element. The availability of the required data, technologies, or services must also be realistically ensured.
New this year, projects that are still seeking their connection to the space sector may also apply. In the initial phase, participants will have the opportunity to consult their ideas with experts before submitting their application and jointly explore how to effectively link their concept to the space technology sector.
Registration opens on March 1, 2026, and will run until May 31, 2026. Applications can be submitted via the ESA BIC Liftoff Challenge website.
In the first round, participants submit a brief project description in the form of a lean canvas. The most promising ideas will advance to the second round, where teams will further develop their concepts into a business plan with the support of professional mentors. The best proposals will compete before an expert jury in the final round, which will take place during Czech Space Week — the largest festival of space activities in the Czech Republic — from November 2 to 8, 2026.
The authors of the three winning projects will receive financial awards to support the further development of their business plans. The winner will receive CZK 80,000 and the opportunity to present their idea to investors at the ESA BIC Launchpad 2026 event. The second-best project will receive CZK 50,000 and the third CZK 20,000.
Even after the competition concludes, awarded innovators may continue collaborating with the ESA BIC Czech Republic team to further develop their ideas, with the ambition of applying for incubation in the programme in the future and transforming their visions into real projects and successful companies.
From a student idea to a real application
The first edition of the ESA BIC Liftoff Challenge took place in 2025 and introduced a number of promising projects. The winning team, YSpace from Brno University of Technology, presented an innovative antenna design for CubeSats and a vision for its use in satellite missions.
“I would recommend the competition to anyone who has a space-related idea in a drawer and wants to move it forward or turn it into a business. The mentoring focused on business plan preparation and short investor presentations gave me valuable experience for the future. At the same time, our team continued working on further development throughout the competition and reached the final testing phase, which was ultimately financed thanks to our victory in the first edition. In addition to valuable experience and financial support, we established contacts within the Czech startup ecosystem that continue to inspire and benefit our future projects,” added Eliška Ivanovová from the YSpace team.
About ESA BIC Czech Republic
ESA BIC Czech Republic was established in 2016 with the support of the CzechInvest Agency, the JIC Innovation Agency, the European Space Agency, the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, the City of Prague, and the South Moravian Region. This year, ESA BIC Czech Republic celebrates ten years of operation in the country.
Since its establishment, the incubator has supported more than 70 startups, helping them advance their technologies towards market readiness, establish international partnerships, and secure further investment. Many of these companies are now active internationally and contribute to the strong reputation of the Czech
space sector across Europe and beyond. Examples of successful alumni include Dronetag, Zaitra, Festka, and Spacemanic.
Source: ESA BIC Czech Republic
