Early-stage businesses find home in Westcott Space Cluster

The Westcott BIC is a joint venture, funded through the European Regional Development Fund and supported by the Satellite Applications Catapult, UK Space Agency, Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership and Rockspring Hanover Property Unit Trust, to support early-stage businesses in rocket propulsion, 5G communications, and autonomous systems.

Westcott BIC is pleased to announce that it has accepted its first three companies to take advantage of the unique facilities and growing space ecosystem at Westcott:

SteamJet Space Systems is an innovative propulsion company enabling small satellite functions by using steam technology to develop a safe, compact and incombustible thruster for orbit control of CubeSat satellites to optimise hardware, launch and operation costs.

Stratian is on a mission to help UK businesses increase productivity by combining drone and satellite technology. They provide a range of drone surveying and inspection services to customers in the built environment sector and are also working on a software product of their own using both drone and satellite data.

Valerann Ltd. has developed technology for ‘smart roads’, a wireless, sensory, IoT system that provides real-time, high resolution information about everything that takes place on the road. This information is used to detect risks, prevent accidents, optimize intersections, automate traffic control centres, and support connected & autonomous vehicles.

The Westcott BIC is now actively looking for more innovative companies to support through the early stages of their development over the next five years. Partnering with the Westcott BIC provides businesses with:

• Specialist business and technical support tailored to individual company needs
• Access to specialist test facilities, including propulsion testing and a 5G testbed
• Free office space in a newly refurbished centre
• Help with preparing for investment and links to the finance community
• Access to mentors, industry and academic networks

As part of their drive to support new space businesses through their Business Incubation Programme, the UK Space Agency is also providing the Westcott BIC companies with competitively-awarded grants to enable them to make use of Westcott’s specialist test facilities and help with prototyping and proof of concept.

Stuart Martin, CEO of the Satellite Applications Catapult, which is leading the joint venture operating the Westcott BIC said: “It has never been a better time for start-ups and entrepreneurs working in the space or related industries, with the growing support and funding being made available from government and venture capitalists. The Catapult is very excited to be involved in supporting companies through the Westcott Business Incubation Centre, leveraging on our established expertise, knowledge and experienced acquired over the past five years.”