Introducing ESA BIC Northern Germany Technical Partner: AES Aircraft Elektro/Elektronik System GmbH

As a technical partner in the ESA BIC Northern Germany, AES Aircraft Elektro/Elektronik System GmbH plays an important role in nurturing the growth and success of startups. Founded in Bremen, Germany, in 1997, AES now has approximately 160 interdisciplinary specialists working at their Bremen and Hamburg offices. The company’s product portfolio is diverse, encompassing LED lighting systems, power supplies, and communication and information systems for airplane cabins. AES supplies these products to the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) , and VIP markets. Their solutions in electrical engineering include integral electrical constructions, as well as consulting and assistance in obtaining qualification and certification.

With a dedicated focus on qualitative sustainability and continuous research and development, AES consistently meets and exceeds the demanding industry requirements. Their commitment to further advancing their products ensures that startups partnering with AES gain access to cutting-edge solutions that align with the highest standards of quality and reliability. Naturally, a partnership for a live project would have to be agreed upon in terms of viability and cost.

Technical Support:

Database of Potential Technical Support Experts and Facilities: Startups partnering with AES gain access to a database of potential technical support experts and facilities. This network of experts brings diverse knowledge and experience, providing valuable guidance and insights to startups on technical challenges and opportunities.

Workshop Facilities for Prototyping and Rapid Prototyping: Startups will have access to cutting-edge workshop facilities for prototyping and rapid prototyping, enabling efficient hardware and electronic design, testing and refinement. These facilities will also enable startups to validate and optimise their prototypes, ensuring the delivery of high-quality and reliable products.

Hardware Design: AES Aircraft Elektro/Elektronik System provides specialized assistance in hardware design. With a focus on aviation electronics and systems, startups can benefit from expert support to develop and refine innovative hardware solutions for their aerospace projects.

Loan of Equipment: AES facilitates startups by offering the loan of essential equipment. This provision helps reduce the financial burden on entrepreneurs, allowing them to undertake crucial development and testing activities with state-of-the-art resources.

Software Architecture Design: Startups receive expert support in software architecture design. Leveraging AES’s proficiency in this area, startups can develop scalable and efficient software solutions that align with industry standards.

Software Tools: Access to cutting-edge software tools amplifies startups’ capabilities and accelerates their development processes, enabling them to create advanced software solutions to support their innovative products.

About ESA BIC Northern Germany

The Incubation Centre of the European Space Agency in Northern Germany (ESA BIC Northern Germany) is headquartered jointly with the Bremen aeronautics and space industries association AviaSpace Bremen at the BITZ, the largest innovation and technology centre for high-tech companies and startups in Bremen. The ESA BIC Northern Germany brings new startup opportunities to the region and thus strengthens the aeronautics and space sector in the German federal state of Bremen. AVIASPACE BREMEN e.V. supports the incubatees with its network, public relations work and targeted coaching not only during the incubation period, but also afterwards as alumni. Starthaus is the central point of contact in the Bremen startup ecosystem and supports the startups on all issues relating to business development and financing. The ESA BIC Northern Germany is managed by Anwendungszentrum GmbH Oberpfaffenhofen (AZO), an international networking and branding company for the European space programmes that also manages ESA BIC Bavaria with three locations in southern Germany.

Since 2021, ESA BIC Northern Germany has also been offering its service to space-related startups in Schleswig-Holstein. The Technikzentrum Lübeck with GATEWAY49, AviaSpace Bremen and AZO jointly operate this extension of ESA BIC Northern Germany. There are also plans to extend ESA BIC Northern Germany to the northern German federal states of Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin-Brandenburg.

The technical Support of the ESA BIC Northern Germany, is offered by Fraunhofer IFAM, DFKI, AWI, Bremen University, ZARM, Airbus, ArianeGroup, AES, DSI, and OHB