Space for Inspiration (S4I) 2026 is ESA’s annual conference on commercialisation of space exploration, bringing together industry, researchers, investors, institutional stakeholders and innovators to accelerate commercial use cases enabled by space. The 2026 edition will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 1–2 September 2026 and will provide an international forum to share results, compare approaches, build partnerships and identify practical pathways from demonstration to scale – across both microgravity-enabled innovation and lunar exploration enabling capabilities.
As part of the 2026 edition, ESA is launching the Academic Challenge: an opportunity for academic teams to put forward innovative research concepts with strong long-term commercial potential for in-orbit markets and the lunar space resources value chain.
The Challenge is designed to help promising research move closer to a market-relevant proposition by combining visibility, pitch preparation, and tailored follow-on support.
Submission deadline is on the 5 June 2026.
Who can apply:
The call is open to universities, research institutes, and academic laboratories based in ESA Member, Cooperating, or Associated States, with proposals led by PhD‑level researchers or above.
The Academic Challenge is divided into 3 Tracks:
- Track 1: Health & Life Sciences
- Track 2: Advanced Materials & In‑Space Manufacturing
- Track 3: Space Resources – Construction Applications
Meet the Academic Challenge – Step by Step:
Why you should submit your idea:
Ahead of the final pitch competition, shortlisted teams receive 2 dedicated pitch preparation sessions to help them translate their research into a clear, compelling pitch. This phase focuses on refining the core idea, sharpening its relevance to the selected track, and strengthening how the potential impact and application pathway are communicated to a non‑academic audience, with guidance from the relevant corresponding BSGN Industry Accelerator Track Leader.
Following the Pitch Competition, the winning project of each track receives tailored in‑kind support aimed at consolidating the outcomes of the process and preparing the project for its next development step. This post‑competition phase includes 3 sessions of technical support, 3 sessions of commercialisation support, and a Final Support Report. The winning teams will receive one-on-one technical and commercial support by Track Leader, reflect on feedback received during S4I, and clarify realistic next actions, resulting in a consolidated view of how the concept could progress beyond the research stage.
ESA Academy will financially support student representative/s of the selected teams to attend Space for Inspiration and pitch their ideas.
Webinar
The BSGN Industry Accelerators hosted a dedicated webinar to present each Track and provide additional insights into the opportunity. The Webinar introduced the focus and expectations of each Track, share practical guidance on what makes a strong proposal, and offer space for live Q&A with potential applicants.
Q&A
In terms of maturation and TRL, we welcome early-stage ideas and concepts, as the intention is to take on innovative ideas that have not yet been fully tested, in order to assess their technical viability and commercial potential along the way.
No. The winners of the Academic Challenge will receive in-kind support from the BSGN Accelerators. You will receive support from experts in the field to help mature your idea, both on the commercial and technical sides. No funding will be directly provided to the winners, but the support offered will help guide your project to the next stage.
When starting the application process on OSIP, you will find a set of questions in the application form. We are looking for an indication of the core concept. If there is some validation of the idea, it can also be mentioned there.
It is our intention to enable new commercial projects, while teams remain the owners of the concepts they share. The teams selected to participate in the pitch competition during the conference will decide what can be shared publicly on stage and to what extent they wish to disclose details of their projects.
Participation is restricted to organisations located in ESA Member States, Cooperating States, and Associated States.
Teams are welcome to apply even if they are not yet incorporated as a startup or company.
Absolutely, you can apply from your current stage, and you would be eligible. The winners will receive commercial and technical support from the accelerators, including guidance on finding funding and better understanding the specific needs of each project.
The Academic Challenge does not include a dedicated track for the agri-food industry, but we encourage relevant entities to stay tuned, as we will soon announce the new managing partner for the agri-food accelerator, and new calls will follow.
Each track winner will receive in-kind support from the BSGN Industry Accelerator, consisting of 3 sessions/workshops of technical support and 3 sessions/workshops of commercialisation support.
At the end of the support period, the Managing Partner will deliver a Final Support Report including a summary of the winning solution, details of the maturation achieved, and recommended next steps (e.g. BSGN Industry Accelerator full entry, ESA BIC, and other relevant ESA funding tools and programmes).
No funding is provided at the application or support stages.
The Academic Challenge is designed for researchers and academic entities. Private companies can be included if there is a partnership with a research organisation or PhD students.
Application
Full details about the call, the Tracks, and the application process are available on ESA’s Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP). Applicants are invited to explore the information provided and submit their ideas no later than 5 June 2026.
