About AZO

Being the leading catalyst for space innovation and entrepreneurship in Europe, AZO Anwendungszentrum GmbH Oberpfaffenhofen fosters a collaborative ecosystem that brings together space entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs together with key stakeholders, including policy makers, industry partners, research institutions, and investors. Through customised programs and services, AZO promotes knowledge transfer, stimulate technological innovation and facilitate the commercialisation of space technologies.

“We are Space Impact” is the inspiring slogan of the new series of innovation competitions organized by AZO. As a company, AZO is committed to promoting and supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in the space industry. The company has a proven track record of organizing successful innovation competitions since 2004, including the Copernicus Masters, Galileo Masters, the Space Exploration Masters, and the INNOspace Masters. These initiatives provide a platform for more than 20.000 participants representing startups, scaleups, and other innovators to showcase their ideas, applications and business cases and connect with potential investors and partners.

In addition, AZO has played a key role in supporting the growth of the space industry through the establishment of the ESA Business Incubation Centre (BIC) Bavaria, one of the most successful space entrepreneurship programs in Europe. The ESA BIC Bavaria has supported over 220 startups, generating an annual turnover of over €250 million and creating more than 2,800 high-tech jobs. Its alumni have also attracted more than €1.9 billion in investment capital and secured over €35 million in public funding.

Overall, “We are Space Impact” represents AZO’s commitment to fostering cutting-edge technologies, breakthrough applications, and dynamic startups and scaleups that will shape the future of space. The company’s initiatives, including the Space Impact series of innovation competitions and the ESA BIC Bavaria, are driving innovation and growth in the space industry, and its alumni are making significant contributions to the development of new space technologies and applications.