We had the honour of hosting the delegation of the European Interparliamentary Space Conference (EISC) at SPARKUP Tartu Science Park, led by Mario Kadastik and coordinated by Susanne Veevo.
During the visit, we presented our activities and long-term mission at Tartu Science Park in supporting deep-tech and space-tech startups. Andrus Kurvits, Member of the Management Board, gave an insightful overview of our journey so far and what’s ahead.
The delegation also had a closer look at the ESA BIC Estonia programme. We shared the early challenges we faced with building deal flow and how, today, our startups have collectively secured close to €85 million in external funding, of which €60 million is venture capital. Just this month, two of our alumni — UP Catalyst and Wayren — announced impressive new investments of €18 million and €7.9 million, respectively.
While we were proud to share these milestones, the real spotlight was on our startups and partners:
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Mike Crooks from Right Step introduced how they started in ESA BIC Estonia and where they are today — developing bone health monitoring technologies for astronauts, including a prototype tested during an ESA parabolic flight campaign.
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Martin Jüssi from Kappazeta showcased their bold new 3D SAR mission. From being a well-established Earth Observation company, they are now taking the leap into building their own satellite to enhance data quality for their customers.
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Sandhra-Mirella Valdma from our long-standing partner Cybernetica gave an overview of their cutting-edge technologies to ensure secure communication — including their vital work in satellite collision detection, helping make space a safer domain.
It was a truly inspiring and educational morning. A big thank you to all speakers and guests who made this visit memorable!