NewSpace | International Representation and Collaborations
International Representation and Collaborations
The relationship with organizations dedicated to promoting the space sector is crucial to ensuring a strong position that guarantees the presence of Catalonia’s NewSpace in national and international networks.
Promoting cooperation with space sector organizations is key to securing a positive impact on the industrial and academic activities of NewSpace and fostering its growth in our region. Industry and knowledge and innovation entities in this sector connect through international networks; major events such as fairs and congresses; industrial associations and public entities; as well as collaborations between agencies and clusters, among others.
To this end, the IEEC collaborates with national and international organizations promoting the space sector, representing the entities and companies within the Catalan ecosystem.
Representation in national and international organizations
The relationship with promotional entities and space agencies aims to identify and promote opportunities and foster collaborations. The IEEC collaborates and acts on behalf of the Catalan sector in various organizations:
IAF (International Astronautical Federation)
Founded in 1951, the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) is the world’s leading organization promoting space activities, with 563 members from 81 countries. Its members include all major space agencies, companies, research institutions, universities, societies, associations, institutes, and museums worldwide.
The IAF’s main objectives are to foster cooperation among experts from space agencies, industry, and research through the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) and other initiatives; promote international development by bringing together both emerging and established spacefaring nations; and share knowledge through well-established channels within its global network.
Additionally, the IAF recognizes outstanding achievements in the space community with prestigious awards, supports future talent through activities aimed at students and young professionals, and raises public awareness about space activities worldwide.
EURISY
Eurisy is a non-profit association headquartered in Paris that brings together space agencies, international organizations, research institutions, and private companies involved or interested in space-related activities and applications. To fulfill its mission, Eurisy fosters dialogue and collaboration among public institutions at all levels, SMEs, industry, and academia across both space and non-space sectors. Its goal is to build strong relationships with emerging communities in the space sector, encourage innovative uses of satellite applications to address current challenges, and share experiences among professionals from diverse fields.
The IEEC has been a member of Eurisy since 2022, is part of the Board of Directors, and actively promotes initiatives and activities developed in Catalonia.
NEREUS
The Network of European Regions Using Space Technologies (NEREUS) represents the interests of European regions that utilize space technologies, emphasizing the regional dimension of European space policies and programs.
As a thematic network focused on regional space applications, its primary mission is to explore the benefits of space technologies for European regions and their citizens, as well as to promote the use of space and its applications. Since becoming a full member in 2022, the IEEC has played a significant role within the Earth Observation working group and the Board of Directors, contributing actively to decision-making processes.
EARSC
The European Association of Remote Sensing Companies (EARSC) is a non-profit organization that coordinates and promotes the activities of European companies offering geoinformation services derived from Earth observation.
EARSC represents this sector in its broadest sense, creating a network between industry, European decision-making institutions such as the European Commission and ESA, and users. It covers the entire Earth observation value chain, from data acquisition to processing, fusion, analysis, and the creation of final geoinformation products and services.
IEEC, as a public-sector-related entity, has been an observer member and participates in working groups since 2024.
SME4SPACE
SME4SPACE is a non-profit organization registered in Leuven (Belgium) that represents and promotes the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European space sector.
Its main objective is to give a coordinated voice to the opinions and needs of space-related SMEs before the institutions of the European Union (EU) and the European Space Agency (ESA). It acts as a collective representation platform, with the aim of ensuring that these companies — often innovative but with limited resources — have fair and effective access to opportunities in the space sector.
In addition, SME4SPACE works to facilitate the participation of SMEs in European space programmes such as Horizon Europe, the European Space Programme, and various instruments and missions managed by ESA. It also fosters collaboration between companies, capacity building, technology transfer, and the exchange of best practices within the space ecosystem. With an ever-growing network of members, SME4SPACE actively contributes to shaping public policies that support the competitiveness and innovation of the European space business landscape.
ECSECO
Some IEEC staff members have been part of the European Centre for Space Economy and Commerce (ECSECO) of the European Space Agency (ESA) since 2022.
The Centre brings together professionals from diverse fields, including experts in economics, business, engineering, scientific research, and law, from the private sector, public institutions, international organizations, and academia.
ECSECO thus provides a European platform for interdisciplinary discussions and research on space economy and commerce.
PAE (Spanish Aerospace Technology Platform)
The Spanish Aerospace Technology Platform (PAE), in its renewed phase since 2016, represents:
- A meeting forum for Spanish aerospace R&D&I, fostering collaboration on ideas, proposals, and projects.
- A space to define a strategic research agenda for Spanish aerospace.
- A center for technological monitoring and foresight.
- A Spanish advisory body with presence in national and international aerospace R&D&I forums.
The IEEC has been part of the Platform since 2024, actively participating in the working groups on Propulsion, Institutional Support and Public Funding, and Space Strategy. This involvement enables the institute to have a voice in shaping space programs, funding allocation, and sector initiatives at the national level.
Aeroespace PERTE Alliance
The Aerospace PERTE Alliance is a discussion forum chaired by the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities of the Spanish Government. It was established as a platform for dialogue, participation, and exchange of ideas between the public and private sectors. The Alliance includes members from various ministries, Autonomous Communities, Public Research Organizations (such as CSIC and IAC), as well as prominent sector representatives like the Spanish Association of Defense, Aeronautics and Space Technologies (TEDAE), the Spanish Aerospace Technology Platform (PAE), and other important business associations and labor organizations.
The Alliance aims to facilitate dialogue and cooperation between public and private stakeholders. The Secretariat of Digital Policies of the Government of Catalonia is part of the Alliance, and IEEC’s management participates occasionally by delegation from the Government.
DETA Alliance
The DETA Alliance (Disruptive & Emerging Technology Alliance) is a global open policy lab dedicated to establishing new avenues of collaboration between governments representing the world’s leading technology hubs. This initiative focuses on anticipating the impact of disruptive technologies on our societies and adapting public policies to better serve the interests of citizens.
Working groups were created to facilitate collaboration and coordination among DETA governments in different fields, one of which is NewSpace. This initiative aims to harness the opportunities and address the challenges of the rapidly evolving NewSpace sector. The Government of Catalonia is a member of DETA, and the IEEC supports the work of the NewSpace Working Group.
Each year, a ministerial meeting is held to bring together all participants and foster discussions among the key decision-makers from each region and country.
