ESA Phi-LabNET Spain announces results of its first call for research project funding

The Phi-LabNET Spain programme of the European Space Agency (ESA) aims to drive innovation for the commercialisation of space technologies to enhance climate resilience and is supported by the Spanish Space Agency (AEE) and the Generalitat de Catalunya.

The initiative is part of the ESA’s ScaleUp Programme and is coordinated by the Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC), as leader of a consortium formed by the i2CAT Foundation, the Cartographic and Geological Institute of Catalonia (ICGC), the Fundación General CSIC, the KIMbcn Foundation, Arribes Enlightenment, the University of Valencia (UVEG), the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC),  the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS), the Ricardo Valle Institute of Innovation Foundation (INNOVA IRV), the ESA MELiSSA Pilot Plant of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), and the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO).

ESA’s Phi-LabNET centres create a dynamic network of centres across Europe focused on innovation, and whose results can be transferred to the market. Its main mission is to accelerate the future of the space sector, both upstream and downstream, based on innovation projects with high commercial potential that transform or create industrial fabrics through new technologies. 

ESA Phi-LabNET Spain, located in Barcelona, supports innovative and disruptive projects focused on improving climate resilience through calls managed by the coordinating consortium. This first cut-off date was open to companies, research organisations, and startups, and remained open until January 21st 2025.

Following the evaluation and selection process carried out by the Phi-LabNET Spain’s Evaluation Board, these are the projects selected in this first cut-off date:

• WAVESS – Waterbody Assessment and Verification fusing Earth observation and Seabot Surveying project led by Spascat Technologies S.L.
• RESCAT – Resilience and Environmental Satellite monitoring for Climate Action and Transformation project led by isardSAT S.L.
• SKOP – Beyond the limits of Climate Intelligence project led by Geoskop SL. 
• Supply Chain Risk Simulator project led by EarthPulse S.L. 

The next cut-off date is expected to be in the first quarter of 2026.

WAVESS focuses on improving the way we map and monitor Mediterranean shores  and  other water bodies. By combining Earth Observation data with real-time measurements collected by Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs), WAVESS offers a scalable and cost-efficient solution for generating bathymetric and environmental maps with high accuracy. This fusion approach addresses the limitations of satellite-only monitoring and the high cost of traditional field surveys, supporting better management of challenges such as  sediment  concentration,  cost-effectively  and at scale.

The project is led by Spascat, a company specialised in EO-based solutions, in partnership with GPA Seabots, experts in on-field waterbody surveying, and CTTC, a leading research centre in telecommunications and algorithm development.

The RESCAT project aims to develop an accessible platform to monitor the environmental status of the Ebro Delta and strengthen its resilience to climate change. Using satellite observations and other data sources, the platform will track key variables such as coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, and biodiversity loss, while assessing the effectiveness of protection measures. The tool will support public authorities, companies, and research centres by enabling informed and sustainable decision-making.

The project is a joint initiative by isardSAT, Lobelia, and Eurecat, with the involvement of the Climate Resilience Centre, and aims to deliver a scalable solution adaptable to other vulnerable regions.

This project addresses the current limitations of climate change models. The proposed solution integrates weather satellite observations with artificial intelligence and climate change models to deliver highly accurate, long-term climate forecasts. The goal is to enable effective climate adaptation, especially in the energy sector, where current forecasting methods still rely heavily on historical data. The project will also explore market opportunities to ensure the technology’s future commercial viability.

This project will be led by Geoskop in collaboration with the International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE).

The Supply Chain Risk Simulator project aims to develop a tool to anticipate risks in agriculture-based supply chains increasingly affected by climate change. By combining Earth Observation data, socioeconomic information, and artificial intelligence models, the solution will simulate scenarios, assess vulnerabilities, and support proactive contingency planning.

The project is led by EarthPulse, a company specialised in satellite data analytics, in collaboration with Eurecat, a technology center with expertise in AI and sustainability, and the Fundación Empresa y Clima, a non-profit organization that drives business sustainability and climate action.