Space Cargo: EIC funding with Luxinnovation

Foetz-based Space Cargo Unlimited was selected by the EIC within the March 2025 Accelerator cut-off for blended funding of €12.5 million. This marked a significant milestone for the company, which specialises in space microgravity research for commercial applications on Earth. The support of Luxinnovation contributed to the achievement of this milestone.

The EIC Accelerator is a premier EU funding programme under Horizon Europe that supports SMEs and start-ups developing high-risk, game-changing "deep tech" innovations. It offers a mix of grants up to €2.5M and equity investments up to €10M+ to scale to market.

“The EIC Accelerator sets an exceptionally high bar. But the process delivers more than funding. It challenges companies to articulate their value proposition with evidence, pressure-test their scaling plans and build a credible investment case”, explains Monica Pretti, European Funding Advisor at Luxinnovation. 

A process that has been thought through for a long time

"Our application to the EIC Accelerator addressed a clear need: to create a fully integrated platform capable of conducting, automating and enhancing research and production in microgravity, from experimental preparation phases to delivering marketable products back to Earth," explains Nicolas Gaume, co-founder and CEO of Space Cargo Unlimited. 

The company’s BentoBox platform was developed with the ambition of establishing the first scalable system to industrialise science in orbit, accelerate biomedical research, and foster a genuine innovation ecosystem in microgravity.

Between 2015 and 2021, Space Cargo Unlimited carried out two long-duration missions aboard the International Space Station and one suborbital flight as part of pilot programmes focusing on agriculture and viticulture. These pioneering efforts exposed a critical limitation in existing infrastructure: the absence of autonomous payload systems that function independently of human intervention.

This challenge led to the creation of the REV 1 project and the BentoBox platform, designed to withstand the thermal and physical stresses of atmospheric re-entry while offering a controlled environment for autonomous microgravity payload operations. Equipped with advanced energy, thermal and data management subsystems, the platform aims to drive faster and more efficient innovation in orbit.

Tailored guidance by Luxinnovation

The decision to apply for the EIC Accelerator was aligned with the European Commission's strategic vision to develop sovereign orbital capabilities, which Space Cargo Unlimited demonstrated it could meet.

"Our initial interactions with Luxinnovation began in spring 2025, shortly after passing the written assessment and as we embarked on intensive preparation for the interview," recalls Mr Gaume. From that point, exchanges with the agency’s national contact point became increasingly frequent, forming part of a structured and responsive support system up to the end of the process. "The interactions were consistently fluid, well-informed and highly professional: swift information sharing, coordination with other advisors, access to internal resources, strategic storytelling advice, and availability for debriefing and refining our approach," summarises Mr Gaume.

The EIC jury does not fund ideas alone. It funds companies that have demonstrated the maturity to manage complexity while pursuing a solution with the potential to reshape their sector altogether. Monica Pretti, Luxinnovation

According to the co-founder and CEO, a pivotal moment in the process was the mock interview organised by Luxinnovation, replicating the conditions of the EIC Accelerator jury interview. This included a timed pitch followed by 35 minutes of rigorous, detailed questioning. "This rehearsal, led by Monica Pretti and her colleagues, subjected us to intense questioning, which was precisely what we needed to prepare for the high standards of the EIC jury."

The training was supplemented with a comprehensive file that outlined all questions asked and anonymised feedback provided by previous applicants. This document became an invaluable resource, enabling the company to refine its approach between rehearsals.

“What makes EIC Accelerator awardees stand out is the combination of high-risk, deep-tech innovation with a credible yet ambitious plan to bring it to market,” comments Ms Pretti. “The EIC jury does not fund ideas alone. It funds companies that have demonstrated the maturity to manage complexity while pursuing a solution with the potential to reshape their sector altogether.”

The strategy proved successful, as the BentoBox project was ultimately selected by the EIC Accelerator, with blended funding of €12.5 million, including a €2.5 million grant and €10 million in equity. "This outcome significantly accelerates our roadmap," states Mr Gaume.

Concretely, Space Cargo Unlimited's application made a compelling case across all three EIC evaluation pillars:

• Excellence: The company presented a clear vision backed by robust science-based evidence.
• Impact: It identified a tangible market gap, i.e., affordable, scalable access to microgravity, and outlined credible commercial traction with early customer engagement and a viable path to revenue.
• Implementation: The team proved its capacity to execute, with tangible technical milestones and a realistic plan to bring BentoBox to market.

“The EIC jury saw what we saw: a Luxembourg company with both the technology and the market readiness to create a new commercial space segment”, summarises Francesca Borrelli, Head of European Funding at Luxinnovation.

The next phase involves implementing the project, including the gradual industrialisation of BentoBox, scaling up production capacities, and preparing for the first large-scale scientific campaigns. "Our goal is to establish Luxembourg as a global leader in microgravity research by building an integrated and sustainable European sector," concludes Mr Gaume.