Nordics creating more space for innovation

The main players in the Nordic Space Innovation industry are meeting at Swedens spaceport; Esrange in Kiruna to discuss strategic cooperation for the nordics to become the foremost space region in the world. Participants are the ESA BIC incubators from Norway, Finland, Denmark – on its way to start, Sweden and Estonia. Anna Rathsman, Director General of the Swedish Space Agency and Stefan Gustafsson, Technology Transfer Officer from the European Space Agency also participated.

This is the first time the Nordic Space Innovation Meetup is held. The initiator is Arctic Business Incubator, who is managing the Swedish space incubator; ESA BIC Sweden which also consists of Uppsala Innovation Centre and Innovatum in Trollhättan. The meeting aims to increase the exchange of experiences and network to develop a sustainable cooperation for a strong Nordic space region and also to present the resources that Swedish space industry, especially from LTU, IRF and SSC and Esrange, has to offer.

- We are strongly convinced that this is the beginning of new business opportunities for both existing and new companies. We want to make it even easier for companies to use space technology that adds value and develops businesses. There is an incredibly strong network around ESA witch can be important and helpful for this matter, says Jens Lundström, CEO of Arctic Business Incubator and operational manager ESA BIC Sweden.

- In the Nordic countries we have unique abilities and competencies related to space and by working closer to each other, the Nordic countries can become even stronger. I see it as a start for a thriving Nordic innovation ecosystem in space that can provide new products and services to a global market, says Stefan Gustafsson, Technology Transfer Officer, European Space Agency.

The meetup were held during April 8-10^th performed in collaboration with Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), the European Space Agency (ESA), Luleå University of Technology, the RIT2021 project (Space, Innovation and Growth), the Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA) and Kiruna municipality.

For more information:

Jens Lundström, CEO of Arctic Business Incubator AB and Operations Manager ESA BIC Sweden, + 46-70 667 84 98.

Stefan Gustafsson, Technology Transfer Officer, European Space Agency, +31-71 56 53 066.