Innovation drives progress in aerospace and engineering, and the European Space Agency Business Incubation Centres (ESA BICs) are crucial for supporting start-ups leading this innovation. This article highlights two successful female founders: Dominique Waddoup of BirdShades and Cristina Aleixendri of bound4blue. Their achievements demonstrate the importance of perseverance, mentorship, and ESA BICs in fostering entrepreneurial talent.
Dominique from BirdShades: Pioneering solution in human-wildlife coexistence
BirdShades’ screens applied to a building to avoid bird collisions. Photo © Pawel Paniczko (photo rights to use are only assigned to BirdShades and cannot be transferred to any third party without permission. Use by distributors has permission.)
Dominique Waddoup’s journey to found BirdShades Innovation began with a lifelong fascination with nature and a passion for understanding animal behaviour. During her time at university, she was shocked by a recurring sight: birds colliding with the glass walls of a corridor. Her teacher kept all the poor victims and, one day, she and her soon-to-be co-founder opened a freezer and discovered the preserved bodies. “I felt very bad once I saw all those birds,” she recalls. It was incomprehensible to her that the university hadn’t implemented measures to prevent such needless deaths.
The conventional solution of placing black bird stickers on windows proved ineffective, spurring Dominique to envision a more functional alternative. “I wanted to make something acceptable for humans, but workable for birds,” she says. Alongside her friend Bettina Kain, she embarked on research during her studies, finding the prospect of public pitches daunting. However, when Bettina eventually withdrew from the company, Dominique persevered, continuing her mission with Christoph Cerny, her current co-founder.
Dominique continues: “Bird collisions with glass surfaces represent the second largest human-induced threat to birds worldwide.” She emphasises the gravity and simplicity of the issue: “Birds flying into glass is not only horrible, but also avoidable. Easily, actually.” With global warming complicating environmental challenges, Dominique sees her window film as a straightforward solution to mitigate one aspect of the crisis.
The collaboration with the European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC) marked a turning point in BirdShades’ development. Their involvement came after additional research and involvement of Science Park Graz. ESA’s expertise in UV-spectrum and radiance technology was instrumental. “We got very narrowed pointers and advice from ESA, which enabled us to develop quicker and better,” Dominique notes, highlighting the critical role of knowledge transfer in their progress.
Making impact as a female founder
Dominique faced scepticism in her early days as an entrepreneur, compounded by her background as a biologist. “We had this liability of newness: people had done this before, but it didn’t work,” she explains. The doubts were palpable, but Dominique was determined to prove that she was more than just “a blue-eyed girl.” She is equipped with data and scientific understanding.
The impact of BirdShades Innovation has been profound. Multiple studies validate the efficacy of their product, with applications across various sectors yielding an 80% reduction in bird impacts. “For me, the nicest is the feedback from customers,” Dominique shares. From a clinic in Austria to a chocolate factory in Switzerland, and a private household by a lake in the USA; clients have noticed a significant reduction in bird collisions. “They would never put something visible on their windows, but with our film, they can see a difference in the number of impacts with a large reduction,” she says.
Life after ESA BIC
BirdShades’ development continues with the ESA Spark funding (designed to support the transfer of space technologies to non-space sectors or vice versa), helping her to integrate solar protection into their window film. “Here we do a combination of our product with solar protection” Dominique explains. This innovative fusion addresses both bird safety and infrared light control, exemplifying the creative synergy between BirdShades and ESA.
Advice for future entrepreneurs
Looking back on her entrepreneurial journey, Dominique wishes she had leveraged her network more strategically. “With the know-how I have now, I would do everything really on point,” she reflects, noting the importance of discussing strategies with other founders. The pandemic limited her ability to connect in person, but virtual workshops provided valuable connections. Dominique also acknowledges the benefits of exploring diverse international incubators, a lesson she plans to apply with less travel due to her recent responsibilities as a mother.
To aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women, Dominique offers empowering advice: “Start and do it! Don’t be afraid of failure, because then at least you know if things don’t work.” She emphasises the importance of resilience and discerning advice: “Different people have different perspectives, and some people might lack expertise and insights. Make sure from whom you take advice.” Networking remains crucial, as sharing experiences with peers can help navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship.
Having had the opportunity to pick the brains of ESA experts for her business idea, Dominique now offers knowledge transfer herself: she is eager to share her experiences and insights.
Cristina from bound4blue: Pioneering wind sails for the future of shipping
Founded in 2014 by Cristina Aleixendri, Jose Miguel, and David Ferrer, bound4blue initially began with an ambitious vision. “We started off with a focus on using wind power to produce hydrogen,” Cristina recalls. However, as the team delved deeper into the market, they realised it was a long-term goal that needed to be broken into phases. Following their incubation period at the ESA Business Incubation Centre (BIC) Barcelona in 2018, they shifted their focus to developing wind propulsion technology for ships, which they saw as a more feasible path at the time.
The power behind the sails
The technology behind bound4blue’s wind sails was groundbreaking and necessary for an industry eager to cut emissions and reduce costs. Cristina explains: “Today, we have four ships already using our technology and six more in the pipeline, working with global partners from countries like Japan, Norway, and the Netherlands.”
Shipping, as Cristina notes, is inherently global: “Shipowners might be based in one region, but their ships sail all over the world. We had to think globally from day one. “This international approach became a core part of their business model, allowing them to build partnerships and scale quickly.” Cristina emphasises that the sails themselves, while large and powerful, are made from steel to ensure ease of reuse and dismantling at the end of their lifespan. “We could have used composite materials, but that would complicate recycling. Steel is both cost-effective and sustainable.”
A journey sparked by curiosity
The original idea for wind propulsion came from Jose Miguel and his father, around 2008-2009. It wasn’t until much later, when Cristina was finishing her aerospace engineering degree, that she suggested turning the concept into a thesis project. “I told Jose Miguel, why not take your idea and turn it into something real? That’s how it all started,” she says.
The company soon found itself navigating the challenging waters of bringing their concept to market. bound4blue’s early partnership with the ESA BIC Barcelona provided essential support on Technology Transfer. This exchange of knowledge between ESA and (startup) companies, explores and facilitates the use of space technology for non-space use, for the benefits on Earth. Cristina reflects on the impact of this collaboration: “The ESA BIC helped us protect our intellectual property, which was crucial in a field like shipping, where technology can be easily copied. They also provided €50,000 in funding, which was invaluable in those early days.”
Cristina acknowledges that their journey was not without its challenges, especially since investment in sustainable maritime solutions was scarce at the time. “Sustainability wasn’t on venture capitalists’ radar back then,” she explains. Despite these hurdles they persevered, and their vision for wind propulsion gained traction. The company’s recent fundraising round, which secured over €20 million, stands as a testament to the market’s shifting attitude towards sustainability. Due to their sustainability mission, they declined earlier offers, “It was the first time we had to say no to investors,” Cristina remarks, a sign of how far both the company and the industry have come.
Entrepreneurial spirit: Driven by problem-solving
Cristina is not driven by a lifelong love of the ocean, nor a personal passion for shipping. Instead, she attributes her determination to her engineering background. “When you’re an engineer, you’re driven by solving problems through technology.” Her candid admission reveals a core belief: that engineers can tackle problems in any field. “I studied aerospace engineering, but when I saw an issue in the maritime sector that we could solve, it was obvious to me that we had to act.”
Cristina’s experience as a female entrepreneur in a male-dominated field has shaped her perspective on bias in business. She recalls moments of frustration, when an investor insisted on speaking to her male co-founder before closing a deal. “At that point, I thought, ‘Am I not enough?’ It was frustrating, but I know it’s not about me. It’s about the biases that exist in society.” However, Cristina is quick to point out that many of the challenges she faced were not necessarily tied to her gender but rather to the sector’s industrial nature. “My male colleague faced the same challenges when we were raising funds. It wasn’t easy because of the nature of our industry, but the market has evolved.”
Words of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
For those considering starting their own ventures, Cristina offers both caution and encouragement. “Entrepreneurship is not for everyone,” she notes. “It depends on your circumstances, but there are many ways to pursue your ideas, even within larger companies, through ‘intrapreneurship’.’”
Cristina is also a strong advocate for collaboration. “You don’t have to go it alone,” she advises. “Find partners who complement your skills, and don’t hesitate to seek help in areas you’re not familiar with. The Technology Transfer at ESA BIC contributed to the development of our company, and resulted in a strong foundation.”
Her closing message is one of empowerment. “We’re often capable of much more than we think. Don’t overthink it—take that leap, and you’ll find a way.”
Article Courtesy of ESA COMMERCIALISATION GATEWAY
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