Catalonia will invest €150 million to boost the space industry
The Government creates a public capital fund with an initial investment of 40 million
BarcelonaNew impetus for the space industry. The Generalitat (Catalan Government) plans to invest €150 million to boost the sector through 2030, within the framework of the Catalunya Espai 2030 Strategy, the Government's new roadmap for the coming years to develop this sector.
"The space sector is already a reality, and we must make it grow bigger and better. We must make disruptive sectors grow faster, not at the normal speed, because the world is evolving more rapidly," emphasized the Regional Minister of Business and Employment, Miquel Sàmper, at the presentation of the initiative.
With the 2030 horizon in mind, the Government has established a public capital fund to boost the space sector with an initial investment of 40 million euros, in addition to the 7.5 million budget to deploy the first initiatives in 2026. The new fund will be managed by Avançsa, the Catalan public-private partnership agency.
During the presentation, the director of the Spanish Space Agency (AEE), Juan Carlos Cortés, stated that Catalonia's space strategy is "very well-oriented." "We expect a very strong involvement of the Catalan space sector," said Cortés. He also confirmed that Spain will be one of the first 10 countries to develop satellites and put them into orbit.
Strategic axes
The Catalunya Espai 2030 Strategy is the result of joint work with the main players in the Catalan space sector, as well as experts, institutions, and international stakeholders for a sector "that must be key to the reindustrialization of Catalonia." "We are generating a lot of talent, but to retain it and generate opportunities here, we must promote projects from the administrations," argued the Secretary of Digital Policies, Maria Galindo.
The government's new strategy is structured around five pillars: more innovative companies, more qualified talent, more alliances with key sectors, a strengthened international presence, and projecting Catalonia as a leader in the space sector. It plans eight satellite missions over the next five years to advance toward European sovereignty in space communications. These missions will be dedicated to observing the Earth, responding to droughts, floods, and other emergencies, as well as developing communications to reach remote areas and address situations such as blackouts.
