Guidance

Call guidance

Published 22 July 2024

1. InCubed2

The UK Space Agency is pleased to announce that up to £3 million will be made available through the ESA InCubed2 programme for projects that focus on innovation in the public sector using Earth Observation (EO). This initiative aligns with the UK government’s plan to kickstart economic growth through investing in small businesses, enhancing the public sector, and creating more efficient and sustainable urban environments.  

This guidance details how interested UK entities can apply to the InCubed2 programme. The programme requires ‘National Delegate’ support to be considered for selection by ESA.

The funding available must be match funded by the applicant – the levels vary on type of entity so please read carefully.

1.1 What is National Delegate support?

Applicants must demonstrate national support to be considered by ESA for InCubed2 funding. This is called ‘National Delegate support’ as the UK delegates its national support to a named member of staff within the UK Space Agency. This guidance is designed to set out the how national delegate support will be obtained through the InCubed2 application process.

2. Call for proposals: InCubed2

InCubed2 stands for “Investing in Industrial Innovation” and the programme focuses on developing innovative and commercially viable products and services using spaceborne Earth observation (EO). The programme scope is broad and can co-fund a range of activities from satellite hardware to data platforms on the ground and in between.

Activities within InCubed2 fall into the following categories:

• space segment: activities related to any earth observation related product to be used in the spacecraft (platform, payload)
• ground segment: activities related to the ground segment of an earth observation satellite system (ground stations and mission management, ground networks and data distributions)
• data segment: activities related to the processing and the use of the earth observation data (data processing, visualization, analytics, insights, or applications)

Or any combination of the above to deliver an end-to-end system. 

Further information can be found here

‘Innovation in the UK public sector’ is the theme of this particular call. Proposals must demonstrate a timeline where activities are operational or commercially viable at the project end, as well as being  affordable for the public sector end user. This is not a research programme.

2.1 Purpose of the call

This call is a request for proposals from UK entities to develop innovative and commercially viable and operational products and services that generate or exploit   Earth observation imagery and datasets. This round of funding will be dedicated to the innovation in the ‘Public Sector use of EO Data’ including but not limited to (e.g.):

• climate indicators modelling and monitoring (e.g. greenhouse gas emissions)
• ‘nowcasting’ - incorporating EO data in modelling
• watercourse management
• precipitation monitoring and modelling
• infrastructure monitoring (e.g. transport networks)
• local government use
• biodiversity monitoring
• sustainable agriculture and aquaculture
• solar and wind energy

Projects must demonstrate that the product or service to be developed is commercially and/or operationally ready by the end of the lnCubed activity.

The envelope for this call is £3 million. There is no upper or lower limit on individual projects.

2.2 Assessment criteria

Applications will be scored by ESA and the UK Space Agency against the 10 programme criteria, set out in section 5.

When submitting proposals, applicants should ensure that they have demonstrated a well-considered approach that identifies the potential and long-lasting benefits. Applications should demonstrate a good understanding of the needs of the public sector end-user and detail the projected financial return or efficiency saving, including how it will be achieved.

3. How to apply

3.1 When to apply

The UK call for proposals is open from 25 July 2024 until 12 September 2024. Proposals will only be considered if they are submitted within this period.

Stage	Date
Funding call opens	Midday on 22 July 2024
Deadline for submission of proposals	10:59pm BST on 12 September 2024
Joint UK Space Agency / ESA pitch day	24 September 2024
Notification to successful UK applicants that they can apply to stage 2 of the InCubed2 call	3 October 2024

3.2 How to apply

This call for proposals is run jointly by ESA and the UK Space Agency. There are three steps to applying for this InCubed2 ‘Innovation in the Public sector’ programme:

Step 1: Pitch your idea directly to ESA using the online tool

ESA will check if you qualify for InCubed2 co-funding and you may be offered the possibility of pitching your idea in a 15-minute session, followed by 45 minutes of questions from ESA and the UK Space Agency in a joint panel session. At the end of this stage – in close consultation with ESA, the UK delegation will indicate which proposals they are willing to support to step 2. This is to allow consideration of proposals in a fair and transparent process by the UK Space Agency and ESA and reduce the time to award for successful applicants.

Step 2: Fill in part 1 of the InCubed2 proposal

Following a successful idea pitch and with agreement from the UK Space Agency you will be invited to fill in and submit part 1 of the InCubed2 proposal using the online tool. ESA will provide comments on your proposal.

Step 3: Assessment and completion of InCubed2 proposal

If successful at assessment, you will have up to four weeks to submit part 2 of the InCubed2 proposal, taking into account ESA’s feedback. There will also be the possibility of a reiteration.

It is at stage 3 that the UK Space Agency can be asked to provide a letter to ESA to support the proposal and ask ESA to release the monies.

Once the UK has provided an ‘Authorisation of Funding’ letter approving your proposal, our support is confirmed.

We expect you to stay in touch throughout the life of the programme, from contracting to completion. We expect to publicise most funding awards in coordination with winning companies and to be kept informed of any changes or developments for the duration of the project. This ensures we can support you if any adjustments are needed.

4. Eligibility and assessment criteria

4.1 Eligibility

Please check the ESA guidance on eligibility criteria under the InCubed2 programme. In addition to this, the UK Space Agency will apply the following eligibility criteria:

4.2 Earth Observation

InCubed2 is an Earth Observation programme. Although this may include projects that support other activities, they should be in the context of Satellite Earth Observation. Activities that are primarily for another purpose, such as telecommunications, will not be supported.

You can find details of other funding programmes for space on the UK Space Agency website.

4.3 Other UK Space Agency/ESA Applications

To be considered for InCubed2 support, this must be the only programme that proposals are submitted to. Proposals that are currently being assessed as part of a different UK Space Agency/ESA programme will not be eligible for InCubed2 funding.

4.4 UK-based organisations

To be considered for UK National Delegate support, organisations must be UK-based and, for commercial companies, must have a UK registration at Companies House. If you are considering moving to the UK, or you do not have a UK registration, you can seek further guidance from the team by emailing UKSAEOT@ukspacegaency.gov.uk. You may partner with non-UK companies, but these must be funded by other ESA Member States or be self-funded. Please refer to the list of participating member states.

4.5 Essential non-UK spend requests

Products and services from non-UK suppliers that are considered essential to deliver successful projects may be included in proposals. However, all proposals must demonstrate their value to the UK and non-UK spend requests are unlikely to score highly against other, UK-based activities. Any non-UK spend requests should be clearly stated in your initial application. Late requests will not be considered if they have not been declared and approved at the applications stage.

4.6 Match-funding

ESA eligibility on match funding states companies can apply for up to 80% funding for programmes:

For all large or non-SME companies, including companies who are wholly owned by large companies or groups of companies, or for SMEs undertaking very high-value programmes – up to 50%.

For all other SME companies and activities – we may consider up to 80%.

However, all matched funding decisions remain at the discretion of the UK Space Agency and rates will be applied to individual organisations relative to their individual projects.

Research organisations and Universities should follow the ESA criteria on funding.

4.7 Regulation, licensing and spectrum use and filing

The UK Space Agency will not fund licensing or regulatory compliance activities, either in the UK or overseas.

We expect to see a viable approach to spectrum use in projects and we will not fund activities that are not supported by current UK government policy. Where activities involve the novel use of spectrum, we will expect to see evidence of engagement with relevant regulators which demonstrates programmes are viable and are not dependent on a single high-risk or novel use of spectrum.

4.8 Travel and subsistence

UK will only support reasonable travel and subsistence costs. No claims for alcohol or entertainment will be accepted.

All projected expenditure must be recorded in the relevant ESA proposal. The UK Space Agency reserves the right not to support projects where costs appear excessive, and any challenges may delay your application to ESA.

If you are in any doubt about what is reasonable you should contact the team.

5. Assessment criteria

5.1 ESA assessment criteria within step 1 (Ideas Pitch)

ESA will evaluate proposals against the following criteria:

1. business case credibility
2. technical feasibility
3. Earth Observation Link
4. team capability

5.2 UK Space Agency assessment criteria within step 1 (Ideas Pitch)

The UK delegation will judge the project on the following general criteria:

1. benefit to the public sector – the project needs to address a public sector need and be scoped and developed in partnership with the identified public sector partner. The application can be environmental, social or economic (examples are given in section 2.1, other public sector applications are welcome)
2. approach and methodology – there should be a well-considered approach to the project, with clear goals, risk management and mitigations
3. commercial/operational readiness - projects must demonstrate that the product or service to be developed is commercially and/or operationally ready by the end of the lnCubed activity
4. financial return – there should be a strongly demonstrated financial return to the UK space sector or a boosted efficiency in the public sector, including both to the lead applicant and their partners and supply chains and in this case to the end users
5. innovation – we will consider whether the goal of the programme is challenging enough to warrant support, as well as whether it is a suitable innovation target. Importantly, innovation can be in product or service development, including design, manufacture or demonstration

All proposals are considered in competition with other proposals received. We reserve the right to fund up to the funding level sought, or less, where we consider the need for the sum requested has not been sufficiently demonstrated.

5.3 ESA assessment criteria within step 2 (Formal Project Proposal)

ESA will evaluate proposals against the criteria of the programme.

1. Understanding of the programme objectives:

• improvement of global competitiveness of Europe in EO commercial markets
• substantial degree of innovation (new or improved competencies for Economic Operator(s))
• tangible results within the timespan of InCubed2
• credibility of the business opportunity in the market context including sustainability in the commercial market without further institutional support

2. Quality and completeness of the technical proposal:

• key requirements and proposed architectures and concepts versus activity objectives
• evaluation of technical risks and credibility of the risk mitigation actions

3. Adequacy of the management approach, planning and co-funding

• adequacy of the work packages
• meeting plan, deliverables and schedule.
• completeness of the costing, value for money, assessment of financial risk versus company resources
• credibility of proposed co-funding scheme

4. Experience

• company/ies technical and commercial experience in all areas of the proposed activities
• completeness of the team with respect to the value chain
• relevant experience

6. Additional information

6.1 Complaints

If you are unhappy with either the outcome of your application or how the process was managed, or for any other reason, you can make a complaint by contacting the team by email at UKSAEOT@ukspaceagency.gov.uk. Please set out the nature of your complaint in detail. The team will try to resolve a complaint in the first instance but, if resolution is not possible, we will refer it to the UK Space Agency central complaints process, where it will be independently assessed.

6.2 Further information

If you would like any further information, or have any questions or feedback about this guidance, or would like to join our mailing list to receive updates about future funding opportunities, please contact the team by email at UKSAEOT@ukspaceagency.gov.uk.