PARIS (CNES PR) — TechTheMoon, the first incubator dedicated exclusively to the lunar economy created in 2021 by the Occitan incubator Nubbo and CNES, is launching a call for applications for its class of 2022. After a first year of existence, which saw the selection of 5 startups developing innovative and concrete technological solutions to support a sustainable human presence on the Moon, the incubator is now opening the doors of its selection to new project leaders. Applications must be submitted by August 26, 2022.
Settling, moving, maintaining, repairing, maintaining, feeding, treating oneself… a lasting presence in autonomy on the Moon is taking shape by 2030 and it is being prepared. It is in order to develop an innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem, capable of responding to the many issues of life on the Moon, that CNES and Nubbo created TechTheMoon. This incubator with a unique profile is intended to support the development of nuggets with advanced technological prototypes, dedicated to this future lunar economy, and which would also meet a terrestrial market need. Candidates for incubation, established in Occitania, can propose projects in the fields of “infrastructure”, “resources” and “life support”.
For Thomas Fouquet, NewSpace and Ecosystem Deputy Director at CNES, “this second call for applications echoes the success of the first in 2021. With TechTheMoon, CNES contributes to the emergence of French startups that develop solutions and/or innovative technologies to meet the challenge of lunar exploration with a strong focus on sustainable space and terrestrial return of innovation designed for and by the Moon. TechTheMoon is fully integrated into the ‘incubator’ offer of the ‘Connect by Cnes’ support program. »
“TechTheMoon supports high-tech start-ups, whose prototypes must be very successful,” explains Anne-Laure Charbonnier, Managing Director of Nubbo. “The difficulty for these young companies, beyond the technical challenge, is that they are addressing two markets: that of a still unstructured lunar economy, and a terrestrial market for which profitable applications of their solution will have to be found. Our support, which combines technical expertise from CNES and business specialists from Nubbo, is therefore adapted to this particular problem”.
A double bet already successful for Orius Technologies, winner of the first selection, whose plant and food production system in a controlled environment, which will feed astronauts on the Moon, has already won over the cosmetics industry.
This intensive 12-month incubation program provides support for five startups or startup projects, from the idea to the prototype, through to fundraising and the commercial launch of their solution on the terrestrial market.
The criteria for selecting future winners:
- Validation of the minimum viable product for the Moon, which can be achieved within 12 months;
- A viable terrestrial business model hypothesis at 12 months;
- The full-time availability of the main project leader;
- Installation of the startup in Occitania.
The 2021 selection:
- ANYFIELDS: visualization of electromagnetic radiation and measurement of antenna performance;
- METIS: in situ analysis of components and equipment;
- ORIUS TECHNOLOGIES: production of plants in the space environment;
- SPARTAN SPACE (inflatable and mobile lunar habitat;
- THE EXPLORATION COMPANY: reusable lunar orbital vehicle.
More information and applications at: https://techthemoon.com/
