The ESA BIC Liftoff Challenge, a competition organised by the business incubator ESA BIC Czech Republic, operated by CzechInvest Agency, aims to support the development of innovative projects with a space connection and to reach out especially to students — a key group with high innovation potential.

After several months of consultations, workshops, and mentoring, we now know the five teams that have made it to the final round of the ESA BIC Liftoff Challenge. They are LOCTIE, PAL-A, SATALIS, Thrusteq, and Yspace. The teams will compete for the title of champion on Tuesday, October 21, from 9:00 AM at Werich’s Villa on Prague’s Kampa Island.

The road to the finals was not an easy one. The teams started with a basic outline of their business concept, where they had to describe their ideas clearly and concisely. Step by step, they developed these concepts into comprehensive and detailed business plans. Each round pushed them further and now they face the ultimate challenge: to defend their projects before an expert jury composed of representatives from the space and technology sectors.

Three winning teams will share financial support totaling CZK 100,000 and receive valuable feedback for the further development of their projects. Which of them will convince the jury that their idea has the greatest potential?

“It’s essential to support young people who aren’t afraid to think differently and explore new ways of applying space technologies in practice. We’re delighted that, through this project, we can witness the birth of their ideas and help them grow,” says Adéla Boráňová, Incubation Manager at ESA BIC Czech Republic.

In addition to the financial prize, the competition offers teams the opportunity to present their projects to a wide audience at the ESA BIC Launchpad 2025 event at the Prague Planetarium, taking place as part of this year’s Czech Space Week, the country’s largest festival dedicated to space and innovation.

The finals will take place within the Space2Business conference. And the best part? You can come and see the finals yourself