Siemens Joins European Space Agency’s EPIC Initiative to Empower European Startups

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Siemens has partnered with the European Space Agency (ESA) by joining its Partnership Initiative for Commercialisation (EPIC) program, offering new opportunities for startups coming out of ESA’s Business Incubation Centres (ESA BICs). The aim is to support the industrialization and commercialization of space products and services, enabling startups to scale up globally while strengthening Europe’s position in the international space economy and fostering sustainable growth for the sector.

Siemens will provide industrial-grade, comprehensive digital twin capabilities and a fully digital engineering and simulation backbone for the European space industry along with access to mentors and experts in the field – all through a tailored Incubator Program Offer for the EPIC program’s startups. With Siemens Xcelerator, space tech startups will be able to design, simulate and validate complex systems in a virtual environment – transforming their engineering capabilities, accelerating their product development and enabling early successes and long-term scale. The initiative also includes opportunities for joint activities to increase visibility within the European space ecosystem.

Siemens will provide industrial-grade, comprehensive digital twin capabilities and a fully digital engineering and simulation backbone for the European space industry along with access to mentors and experts in the field – all through a tailored Incubator Program Offer for the EPIC program’s startups

The ESA BICs operate across 37 centers in Europe and represent the largest network of incubators supporting space-related startups in Europe with the goal of supporting entrepreneurs and helping them to scale. To date, over 2,000 startups have benefited from the program. The Siemens offer will also be available to projects supported by the ESA Technology Brokers and ESA Phi-LabNET.

“As a leading provider of software for space initiatives, supporting emerging startups through our collaboration with the ESA is part of Siemens’ DNA. Europe does not lack ideas in space. It needs runways to take off at scale,” said Cedrik Neike, CEO of Digital Industries and Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG. “Together with ESA, we are shaping the future of spaceflight: we help startups scale faster and bring their technologies into industrial use. This strengthens Europe’s competitiveness and technological sovereignty in the space industry.”

“We welcome Siemens’ participation in the EPIC initiative and look forward to the value their technology and expertise will bring to our startup ecosystem,” said Geraldine Naja, director of Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness, European Space Agency. “This collaboration aligns with our mission to foster innovation and support the growth of high-potential startups across Europe.”

Joana Kamenova, Commercialisation Officer and EPIC lead at ESA (left) and Yona Baskharoun, Global Industry Manager for SMB, Partners & Academia - Simulation & Test, Siemens Digital Industries Software (right) at the collaboration’s kick-off meeting in ESA ECSAT site.