Guidance

NSIP Kickstarter Feedback Session

Updated 23 May 2024

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-space-innovation-programme-nsip/nsip-kickstarter-feedback-session

1. National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP)

1.1 Overview and Aims

NSIP Kickstarter is a UK Space Agency funding programme to research and develop new and emerging space technologies and building strong foundations to underpin the UK’s global leadership in space technology with a focus on innovation and catalysing investment.

Key stats include:

  • More than 140 applications for funding in Call 1
  • 50+ feedback sessions requested
  • Session today will cover generic feedback, applicable to all

1.2 NSIP Kickstarter Assessment Criteria

Feedback will be applicable to all, but will not be specific to any individual application.

Questions on individual applications sent to NSIP mailbox cannot be answered.

The process goes from reviewers, to Independent Review Panel Session, then UK Space Agency Panel Session.

Assessment Criteria Questions Weighting Multiplier
Disruptive Technology 4
Technological Innovation 3
Application to Space 3
Competition and Barriers 2
Catalysing Investment 2
Business Case and Route to Market 2
Risk Mitigation 1
Quality of Team and Proposal 1
Project Management 1
Collaboration 1

Disruptive Technology - 4

The technology should be disruptive to the space industry, including:

  • step change in performance
  • significant reduction in cost
  • enabling new capabilities
  • creating new business models

Application to Space- 3

  • The technology should be space related, including:

  • mostly focused on civil space
  • terrestrial applications are good but has to be space-related

Technological Innovation - 3

The technology should be new or applied in a new setting, including:

  • new technology
  • new approach/method
  • new environment

Competition and Barriers - 2

What is stopping the technology from entering the market today, such as:

  • competition from others in the field (global)
  • barriers to entry (technological, IP, skills, financial)
  • how does this project address those barriers?

Catalysing Investment - 2

The technology should represent good value for money, including:

  • finance sheet assessed
  • job creation/retention in the UK
  • is this a good investment for the UK?

Risk Mitigation - 1

The risks associated with delivery of the project, including:

  • technical risks
  • project risks
  • commercial risks
  • include detailed mitigations

Business Case and Route to Market- 2

The technology should be relevant to a new or existing business model, including:

  • what is the business opportunity this project seeks to address? (can also be mission or science objective)?
  • what is the route to market, including after the project has finished? E.g timeline of events

Quality of Team and Proposal - 1

Is the team suitable, competent and experienced enough to deliver the project, including:

  • CVs
  • errors frequency throughout application (finance sheet, proposal etc)

Project Management - 1

The three pillars of project management, including:

  • cost (finance sheet)
  • quality (e.g. success criteria)
  • schedule (resourced Gantt chart)

Collaboration - 1

Does the collaboration bring value to the project, including:

  • end users included as partners
  • specialist expertise
  • creating new relationships or exploiting established ones
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