ESA BIC Tagus selects three Portuguese startups in its first call and opens new applications for three more
Altitude, SKYLAB, and HydroAI are the first companies incubated by ESA BIC Tagus
ESA BIC Tagus has just unveiled the first three startups in its portfolio. Altitude, SKYLAB, and HydroAI were selected from a competitive pool of applicants for their rare combination of deep-tech capability, market vision, and international scalability potential.
In a rapidly expanding market where multiple space unicorns are expected to emerge in the coming decade, these three startups stand out as strong candidates to lead this transformation from Portugal.
This milestone marks the rise of a new wave of national space innovation, featuring startups equipped to compete in an increasingly strategic sector dominated by global players.
ESA BIC Tagus thus establishes itself as a new benchmark hub for identifying and scaling the most promising space startups nationally, serving as a gateway for projects with global ambitions.
If this inaugural cohort is any indication of what lies ahead, the Portuguese space ecosystem may be taking its first steps toward creating its next major international success stories.
From Orbital Infrastructure to Terrestrial Applications
The three startups represent critical and emerging verticals within the sector: advanced optical communications, flexible space access, and intelligence derived from Earth Observation (EO) data for sustainability:
Altitude: A deep-tech spin-off stemming from research developed at Instituto Superior Técnico and INESC MN, Altitude is developing a new generation of optical components for space communications. The company leverages innovative silica metasurface technology to enhance the robustness, stability, and efficiency of satellite-to-ground optical communications, contributing to more resilient and reliable future space infrastructure.
SKYLAB: SKYLAB aims to democratize access to space by developing a reusable suborbital launch service tailored for universities, research centers, space agencies, and industry. The founding team brings extensive aerospace engineering experience, having contributed to the development of over two dozen launch vehicles and participating in operations at the Santa Maria Spaceport in the Azores.
HydroAI: The third selected startup, HydroAI, utilizes Earth Observation data to power a smart water resource monitoring platform. The solution enables real-time tracking of reservoir volumes, water availability forecasting, seabed and lakebed characterization, and water quality monitoring—providing decision-support tools for utilities, corporations, and public entities. By combining artificial intelligence with satellite data, HydroAI positions itself in one of the most critical markets of the coming decade: intelligent natural resource management amidst growing water scarcity.
Accelerating Commercial and Technological Growth
The incubation of these startups at ESA BIC Tagus will accelerate their technological and commercial development through access to funding, specialized mentorship, technical support from the European Space Agency (ESA), and integration into an international network of partners, investors, and industry incumbents.
Alongside this milestone, ESA BIC Tagus announces the official opening of a new call for applications, running from July 30 to October 5. This opportunity is open to three new startups looking to join the program by the end of 2026.
Beyond supporting startups, ESA BIC Tagus aims to foster an ecosystem where science, engineering, and entrepreneurship converge to convert space technology into actionable solutions for pressing societal challenges.
ESA BIC Tagus officially begins its mission to empower a new generation of entrepreneurs capable of turning scientific excellence into products, services, and companies that drive the growth of the space economy from Portugal.
