Over 30 ESA Business Incubation Centres (ESA BICs) across Europe have supported hundreds of start-ups for the past two decades. Next to start-ups active in the space sector, some founders have discovered applications for space technologies in various other sectors.
Here we showcase three companies that are proving how ESA’s expertise in the space industry can support technologies from insect farming to quantum technology or semiconductors.
Entocycle
Founded by Keiran Whitaker in 2014
Alumnus of ESA BIC UK
Growth units at the Entocycle facilities. Credits: Entocyle
Entocycle is a world-leading provider of insect farming technology. For ten years, they have built an unrivalled reputation in the insect industry through the delivery of their technology, solutions, and services to customers worldwide, all powered by their mission to create a more sustainable global food system. With an expert team of entomologists, engineers, and industry advisors, their track record includes the successful delivery of complex insect engineering projects for leading insect companies, research institutions, and ambitious entrepreneurs. The company’s journey was supported by ESA BIC UK, which provided resources and expertise to help them advance their technologies.
Q: It has been six years since you completed your incubation at ESA BIC UK. What is your product’s space connection that led you to participate in the incubator?
Entocycle’s insect farming technology connects with the space industry through our advanced machine vision technology, used to monitor and analyse environments in real time. In our insect farms, cameras, and image processing algorithms track insect populations, count individuals, and observe lifecycle stages. Similarly, machine vision is essential for real-time tracking in the space industry, such as monitoring space habitats, managing spacecraft systems, and analysing planetary surfaces. Both applications require high-precision monitoring, whether to track insects in dense farming environments or observe small surface details in space. By participating in the ESA incubator, we gain access to ESA’s resources, expertise, and networks, helping us advance our machine vision technology for sustainable food production on Earth.
Q: Climate change is affecting food security all over the world. What role does Entocycle play toward creating a more sustainable food industry?
The world’s current protein supply of fishmeal and soy is unmaintainable with an anticipated protein shortage of 60m tonnes by 2050. With sustainability becoming increasingly important to consumers, demand for alternative protein sources has never been greater. Insects are the natural food for many animals including chickens, pigs and fish. By recycling food waste (and animal waste) to make insect feed, we can close the loop and create a regenerative system that stops deforestation, pollution, and the removal of natural resources. Our goal at Entocycle is to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises by creating the most sustainable way to produce protein for the animals we eat.
Q: Have there been any unexpected developments or applications of your products since getting started with the company?
An unexpected advantage of Entocycle’s insect farming technology has emerged through collaborations with waste management companies seeking alternatives to anaerobic digestion (AD). In the process of AD, bacteria break down organic matter in the absence of oxygen. While AD provides certain environmental benefits, it also comes with challenges that can make it less attractive. For instance, handling and transporting digestate—the nutrient-rich byproduct of AD—can be logistically challenging and costly, especially to faraway facilities. By diverting organic waste into insect farming, waste management companies can reduce the logistical complexities associated with AD, while also generating frass, a valuable protein source and a natural fertiliser. This shift mitigates risk and provides a more efficient and sustainable waste-to-product solution, making it a compelling choice for the future of waste management.
iQrypto
Founded by Alessandro Brunetti in 2021
Alumnus of ESA BIC Belgium
Credits: iQrypto
iQrypto is a leading provider of advanced quantum technologies. Based in Mons, Belgium, the company specialises in developing Quantum Random Number Generators (QRNGs), quantum readout systems and high-performance microchips. During their incubation at ESA BIC Belgium, iQrypto received essential support and resources that bolstered their growth and innovation. iQrypto’s mission is to innovate and democratise quantum technologies.
Q: How did you first come up with the idea for iQrypto?
The idea emerged from a deep interest in quantum technologies and its potential to revolutionise data security. Our founder Alessandro Brunetti, a researcher in semiconductor physics and microelectronics, recognised the growing need for more secure data protection methods whose core technology could be highly scalable and made accessible to a large public. By using standard technologies common in microchips, he saw an opportunity to leverage quantum mechanics to create truly random number generators. The resulting cryptographic keys and codes are nearly impossible to predict, which can enhance security for sensitive data and protection from cyber threats.
Q: How does your company relate to the space industry as a technology transfer start-up?
iQrypto’s relationship with the space industry is rooted in its development of QRNG devices, which use physical processes to generate truly random numbers. QRNGs are crucial for secure communication systems, including those used in space. Through our technology, we are able to reduce the power consumption, the weight and the volume occupied by the QRNGs which is crucial to space satellite communication systems.
Q: Last year, you completed your incubation at ESA BIC Belgium. What were your biggest learnings from your time at the incubator?
Using space-related methodology and reporting has been one of the key learnings for us which has given an edge on terrestrial projects. Additionally, the networking opportunities provided by ESA BIC were invaluable, helping us to gain visibility and connect with key industry players.
PixQuanta
Founded by Kevin O’Neill, Joe O’Keeffe, and Karl McGoldrick in 2016
Alumnus of ESA BIC Ireland
Facilities at Tyndall National Institute, location and lead partner of ESA BIC Ireland. Credits: Tyndall National Institute
PixQuanta was founded in 2016 in Cork, Ireland, to address the widening gap between light sensors that could be manufactured at high volume and low cost, and the need of the market. For this purpose, the company has developed a photodiode sensor technology which can be integrated using the tools, materials, and processes that are already widely used in the silicon manufacturing industry/existing microchip fabrication. In 2020, PixQuanta completed its incubation at ESA BIC Ireland, which provided crucial support in refining their business model and aligning their technology with market needs.
Q: In 2020, you completed your incubation at ESA BIC Ireland. How did the incubation help your company as a start-up?
The incubation provided a great framework for PixQuanta to develop its business model. In particular, it helped us in identifying the best fits between our technology and target applications. Via technical validation of our sensors and developing opportunities in the space market, the incubation helped envisage a path to a minimum viable product which would be desirable and competitive on the market. Following our incubation, we won and completed an ESA General Support Technology Programme (GSTP) ‘Develop’ contract from 2020 until 2023. We are now working as the prime contractor on a GSTP ‘Make’ contract to develop a short-wave infrared (SWIR) camera for the Free Space Optical Communications Market.
Q: With PixQuanta, you are providing solutions for the automotive industry, medical X-ray and 3D cameras. How did you identify the need for your technology in these use cases?
Our use cases are expanding! Our technology is a low-cost silicon-based solution that can be deployed in sensing applications where, traditionally, expensive solutions are used. PixQuanta’s disruptive technology significantly reduces the cost of manufacturing infrared sensors and is well suited for on-chip integration, such as imaging applications. To identify the need for our technology, we engage with potential customers in the infrared imaging field who seek to reduce the cost of their products. We offer a wafer-level ‘Sensor-as-a-Service’ to help customers get familiar with our technology and evaluate the benefits of the technology using their own microchip designs.
Q: What are the next steps for PixQuanta?
Our next steps are to further develop the technology by continuing to work with customers through our wafer-level processing service. We plan to scale the business exponentially over the next few years and look forward to a fruitful future.
This article was written for the occasion of the 20 years anniversary of ESA BIC in Europe.
For the full overview of this celebration, go to the LinkedIn group by clicking on the button below.
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