Notice

Catalysing Investment Working Group Expression of Interest (EOI)

Published 14 November 2022

1. Expression of Interest (EOI) Summary

This EOI provides the opportunity for interested parties to contribute to the successful design and implementation of potential new initiatives and funding by the UK Space Agency to catalyse investment in the space sector.

We are interested in hearing views from any individual with applicable expertise in the space sector with thoughts on how the UK Space Agency can best catalyse investment into the UK space economy.

The deadline for responses is 28 November 2022 at midday.

1.1 Catalysing Investment

The UK Space Agency inspires and leads the UK in space, to benefit our planet and its people. By catalysing investment into the UK space sector, the UK Space Agency will support the delivery of the National Space Strategy, with the aim of maximising the value of contracts and capital flowing into the space sector (our “North Star”) and closing the investment gap with comparable space nations.

To catalyse investment into the space sector, the UK Space Agency will use its funding to multiply the value of non-government contracts and private capital secured by UK space organisations to maximise the sector’s long-term growth, including through a portfolio of high-risk, high-reward technologies and applications.

Feedback from the UK space sector and investors indicates that the UK Space Agency might do more to catalyse private investment into the sector. Some potential barriers to investment identified include:

• a shortage of early-stage and growth capital for firms

• a perception by some investors that all space investments are high-risk, long term, unprofitable, and capital intensive

• public funding being focused on technology development rather than growing profitable businesses

In response, the UK Space Agency is looking to ensure that the funding it offers is accessible, attractive to investors and helps increase investment into the space sector. This EOI offers the opportunity to join a Working Group that will help establish what alternative funding models might be attractive to firms and private investors in the space sector and whether the UK Space Agency can improve how it offers its existing innovation funding.

1.2 The Working Group

The Working Group will:

• obtain feedback from industry and investors on the investment landscape in the UK

• consult stakeholders on how new initiatives and funding can be designed to best catalyse investment into the sector

• secure a diversity of viewpoints with respect to location, scale and subsector

1.3 Working Group Members

To ensure a diversity of opinion, the working group will comprise 15 members. The UK Space Agency may divide the 15 members into smaller groups to ensure participants have sufficient opportunity to contribute and prevent the meetings from becoming unmanageable.

The working group should comprise at least two representatives from academia, four from the investment community, four from SMEs and start-ups, four from large space sector organisations and one representative from UKSpace.

At every working group meeting there will be at least one representative from outside the Southeast of England (including London) or the Scottish Central Belt, in recognition of the UK Space Agency’s levelling-up priority.

The UK Space Agency reserves the right to bring other sector representatives into the working group in order to ensure balanced representation and depth of expertise across the space sector and investment community

1.4 Expectations of Members

Working group members will be asked to review all materials sent to them and provide feedback when prompted. The UK Space Agency will endeavour to allow a minimum of three working days for members to review papers relevant to the working group.

All members are expected to sign a confidentiality agreement and alert the UK Space Agency of any conflicts of interest.

Members must be available for meetings on the following dates:

• 12 December 2022 (please be aware that successful applicants are likely to be notified of the outcome of their applications by 6 December)

• 10 February 2023

• 17 April 2023

1.5 Government Group Interaction

The UK Space Agency will separately consult policy stakeholders, UKRI and the Satellite Applications Catapult on a regular basis.

If the UK Space Agency feels a stakeholder not represented on the Working Group should be consulted for the agenda of a particular meeting, additional, temporary stakeholders may be invited to join specific working group meetings on an ad-hoc basis.

1.6 Target Audience for the EOI

The UK Space Agency is aiming to engage with a broad cross-section of space sector representatives from across the UK on new initiatives and funding to catalyse investment.

We are interested in hearing views from any individual with appreciable expertise in the space sector or investment in deep tech.

1.7 Selection

Applications will be evaluated by a panel comprised of one member of the UK Space Agency’s Strategy Team, one research consultant, and one further civil servant not directly involved in the research. Panel members will rank applications individually, before meeting to reach a consensus.

Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• perceived expertise

• meeting the requirements for diversity of opinion

To note – should you not be successful in joining our working group, relevant information shall be shared with the wider sector to ensure plans are clear and transparent.

1.8 How the information you provide will be used and treated

The purpose of this Expression of Interests is as follows.

To gather the necessary information from applicants to enable the UK Space Agency to support the selection of a representative working group.

In accordance with the obligations and duties placed upon public authorities by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the ‘FoIA’) and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (the ‘EIR’) (each as amended from time to time), the UK Space Agency may be required to disclose information submitted by the respondent.

In respect of any information submitted by a respondent that it considers to be commercially sensitive the respondent must indicate this on the template provided.

Where a respondent identifies information as commercially sensitive, the UK Space Agency will endeavour to maintain confidentiality. Respondents should note, however, that, even where information is identified as commercially sensitive, the UK Space Agency may be required to disclose such information in accordance with the FoIA or the EIR.

The UK Space Agency is required to form an independent judgment concerning whether the information is exempt from disclosure under the FoIA or the EIR and whether the public interest favours disclosure or not. Accordingly, the UK Space Agency cannot guarantee that any information marked ‘confidential’ or “commercially sensitive” will not be disclosed.

The EOI participation process, including how to send your response can be found in the template provided. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with the UK Space Agency via the following email if you would like us to take additional steps to receive or store your response: strategy@ukspaceagency.gov.uk.

All personal data will be protected according to UK General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

All responses collected will be deleted by 31 December 2028 when we expect all initial activities regarding the purpose would have expired. The information gathered will not be used beyond the stated purpose without explicit permission.

1.9 EOI terms

No contractual obligation with the UK Space Agency is expected to arise from this EOI process.

This EOI does not commit the UK Space Agency to pay any costs incurred in the preparation or submission of any response to the EOI or in relation to any processes that follow post EOI.

Responding (or failing to respond) to this EOI will not prejudice you from participating in any future calls for information or to tender proposals.

If you do not wish to take part in this EOI but would like to be informed about upcoming Catalysing Investment activities and related events, please get in touch with the UK Space Agency via: strategy@ukspaceagency.gov.uk.