The i2CAT Foundation plays a relevant role in the ‘NewSpace Strategy’ of Catalonia

The strategy will allow the development of a new economy linked to the democratization of space using nanosatellites

To leverage the opportunities that the NewSpace sector and the democratization of space represent, the Government of Catalonia’s Ministry for Digital Policy and Public Administration presented on October 28th the “NewSpace Strategy of Catalonia”, which aims to boost a high-valued sector generating opportunities and economic growth in the territory. 

This new high-value-added economy will generate 1.200 job positions and 280M of billing by 2025 in Catalonia. It is estimated that, in five years, the number of companies dedicated to this sector will be approximately 75. NewSpace will develop a new market and technological fabric with a unifying effect on other technologies like 3D printing, artificial intelligence, advanced electronics, IoT, and 5G. 

The deployment of specific actions will strengthen the Catalan NewSpace ecosystem, fostering economic growth and improving people’s lives. 

Lines of action

This strategy will be deployed with an action plan around the following axes:

• Ecosystem: promote a model of transversal governance in support areas for the development of a coordinated ecosystem.
• R&D: establish synergies among the Administration, universities, R&D centers, organizations, and more. 
• Talent and society: create, attract, and retain specialized talent and train professionals from other areas. 
• Infrastructures and data: confirm new solutions and technologies and obtain new and valuable data. 
• Adoption of NewSpace services: use of the new services and data as an engine of innovation and in strategic sectors.
• Regulatory framework: provide a legal framework and regulatory requirements for NewSpace.

i2CAT’s role in the new strategy

The i2CAT Foundation’s role in this strategy is very relevant, as the center participates in the management of the main operations, impacting directly in the strategy’s lines of action. 

Besides, i2CAT’s telecommunications expertise is essential for missions of the social sphere, use cases, deployment, 5G integration, IoT, and more. With the NewSpace strategy, i2CAT gains a new dimension, new opportunities, and expands its knowledge.