Space Economy in Apulia: event dedicated to startups and innovation with local authorities

On 14 April 2026, ESA BIC Brindisi took part "From idea to orbit (and back)", an event

dedicated to the opportunities of the space economy in Apulia and the tools available to

support the development of innovative startups. The initiative, promoted by ARTI Puglia

and DTA Distretto Tecnologico Aerospaziale in collaboration with ESA BIC Brindisi, was

held in hybrid format at the Sala Agorà of ARTI in Bari, with participants also attending

online.

The event covered the growing relevance of space as an enabling sector — one that

extends well beyond traditional aerospace, generating applications across agritech,

environmental monitoring, smart mobility and territorial management, among others.

A significant part of the programme was dedicated to direct experiences from the field.

Two startups that went through ESA BIC Brindisi — Coste360 and QSENSATO, the latter

having placed second at Start Cup Puglia 2024 — shared their trajectories and the real-

world applications they developed using space technologies. Their contributions gave the

audience a concrete sense of what the incubation path looks like in practice.

The event also served as the occasion to present the 19th edition of Start Cup Puglia and

the ESA BIC Brindisi call side by side — two distinct but complementary instruments that

together reflect the growing coherence of the Apulian innovation ecosystem. Start Cup

Puglia supports early-stage ideas and entrepreneurial projects at a regional level, while

ESA BIC Brindisi offers structured incubation for teams ready to develop solutions with a

direct connection to space technologies. Taken together, they cover different stages of the

entrepreneurial journey, offering a more continuous form of support to those building

innovative ventures in the region.

ARTI Puglia also introduced the Road to PNI — a series of initiatives connected to the

Premio Nazionale per l';Innovazione, which this year will take place in Bari on 3 and 4

December 2026.

Are you a startup or innovative team working on space-based or space-enabled

solutions? Follow our upcoming activities and explore the opportunities available

through ESA BIC Brindisi community.

Apply Now