As Europe faces complex security challenges and increasing global competition, dual-use innovation has become more crucial than ever. From cybersecurity to advanced materials and AI-powered defense systems, the technologies we develop today must serve both civil society and national security interests. Verhaert Strategic Innovation, part of the Verhaert Group, will host and lead the program’s ‘Dual-Use Technologies for Civil and Security Applications’ track, known as Evolve DualTech, helping researchers transform promising innovations into market-ready solutions that serve both civilian and security needs.

Bridging Europe’s research-to-market gap

Despite Europe’s globally recognized leadership in scientific output, the continent continues to face significant challenges in translating research into commercial success. The SPIN: Rise program aims to tackle this issue by providing researchers with targeted entrepreneurial training, strategic coaching and access to innovation ecosystems that can help bring cutting-edge technologies to market.

The Evolve DualTech track is led by experienced consultants and innovation experts from Verhaert Strategic Innovation, alongside external keynote speakers and mentors. With decades of expertise in dual-use technologies, product development and early-stage commercialization, the Verhaert team offers participants practical guidance, strategic insight and real-world know-how.

“At Verhaert, we believe that innovation is only as valuable as its ability to create real-world impact,” says Eleni Anastasopoulou, Project Manager of the Evolve DualTech program at Verhaert Strategic Innovation. “As Europe strengthens its strategic autonomy through initiatives such as the ReArm Europe Plan, dual-use technologies that serve both civil and security applications have become increasingly essential. Our program is designed to empower researchers to bridge the gap between academic excellence and market application, ensuring their work translates into tangible solutions for society.”

A unique focus on dual-use innovation

The Evolve DualTech track offers a dedicated pathway for researchers developing dual-use technologies. These are innovations that hold potential for both civilian markets and security or defense applications. The track combines:

• A seven-week online training and mentoring phase covering intellectual property strategies, business model design, market validation and early-stage investment readiness.
• An immersive three-day in-person bootcamp in Brussels, where participants will engage with industry experts, investors and peers to refine their commercialization strategies.

The initiative is open to researchers at all stages of their careers, including PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows, with no prior entrepreneurial experience required.

Part of a broader European effort

Within the SPIN: Rise program, the Evolve DualTech track is one of four specialized technology domains alongside:

• Smart manufacturing and digital factories led by Bocconi University (Milan)
• Digital health and AI-driven wellbeing led by Applejack Lab, Instituto Pedro Nunes, and PitchBob.io (Lisbon)
• Cyber-resilient societies and trustworthy AI led by SIBB (Berlin)

The SPIN: Rise program builds on the success of SPIN: Explore, which engaged over 100 researchers from 29 countries with a strong focus on inclusion and gender diversity.

“European research excellence is world class, but we continue to face challenges in translating scientific breakthroughs into market success,” says Federico Menna, CEO of EIT Digital. “SPIN: Rise addresses this critical gap by equipping researchers with practical tools to navigate commercialization.”

Applications open until mid-September 2025

Researchers and innovators interested in bringing their dual-use technologies to market are encouraged to apply before September 15th. The Evolve DualTech program will officially kick off in October 2025. 

For more information and to submit applications, please visit: Evolve DualTech Track.

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Space challenges that drive defense innovation

The harsh realities of space demand resilience, precision, and advanced problem-solving—qualities that are just as crucial in defense. The overlap between space exploration and defense operations is striking, with technology developed for orbit now playing a vital role in military strategy and global safety.

Here’s how space tech is making an impact:

• Surveillance and reconnaissance: Satellites provide an unmatched vantage point, delivering high-resolution imagery and data to track threats, monitor borders, and support disaster response.
• Communication and navigation: GPS and satellite-based communication ensure secure, real-time coordination for military operations, enabling precise positioning and seamless connectivity in any environment.
• Cybersecurity: Space systems face constant cyber threats, leading to the development of cutting-edge security protocols that can be adapted to protect critical infrastructure on Earth.
• Threat detection and early warning: Space-based sensors detect missile launches, nuclear activity, and other threats in real time, allowing for rapid response and strategic decision-making.

Next-generation defense powered by space technology

Space-derived technologies are revolutionizing modern defense strategies:

• Miniaturized sensors and drones: Originally designed for space missions, small and lightweight sensors, and drones are now enhancing battlefield surveillance, reconnaissance, and intelligence gathering in extreme environments.
• Advanced materials: High-strength, lightweight materials developed for spacecraft are now improving protective gear, armor, and resilient military equipment.
• Artificial intelligence (AI): AI-driven navigation and data analysis from space exploration are boosting threat detection, cybersecurity, and decision-making in military operations.
• Secure communication networks: Space-based systems provide encrypted, interference-resistant communication, essential for military coordination in remote or contested environments.

Navigating the future: challenges and opportunities

As threats evolve within cyber, asymmetric warfare the need for real-time response becomes ever more urgent, and defense strategies must adapt. Space technology provides a powerful advantage in terms of:

• Enhanced situational awareness: Satellite surveillance delivers a real-time, comprehensive view of the battlefield.
• Improved communication and coordination: Reliable, encrypted networks keep operations secure and efficient.
• Advanced threat detection: AI-powered analytics and space-based sensors enable early warnings and proactive defense.
• Resilient infrastructure: Space-driven innovations help protect critical military assets from cyber and physical threats.

Verhaert: harnessing the power of space technology

At Verhaert Strategic Innovation, we facilitate the transfer of cutting-edge space technologies to the security and defense sectors. Through strategic sourcing of innovation, we de-risk and accelerate successful technology adoption, ensuring impactful advancements. We help to define requirements, scout breakthrough technologies, and leverage our extensive network to connect you with the right partners, fast. By bridging the gap between space and terrestrial security needs, we’re able to support the development of innovative defense solutions and the implementation of next-generation technologies—contributing to a safer and more secure world.

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1. Fueling sales growth

Successful accelerators do more than offer advice, they provide start-ups with the tools, strategies, and connections to land real customers. Look at the success of the CASSINI Business Accelerator that Verhaert implements for the European Commission. In just one batch, start-ups generated 4.602 sales leads and closed 127 deals worth €24.4 million! That’s the power of structured sales training, targeted expert mentorship, and meaningful networks that open doors.

2. Unlocking growth capital

Funding is the lifeblood of any start-up to scale. A strong accelerator program actively connects founders with the right investors and guides them through the fundraising process. With CASSINI Business Accelerator, batch 2 start-ups raised an impressive €117 million in equity-based funding and another €20 million in private investment. Standouts like 10Lines, DCUBED, and Unseenlabs secured major funding rounds, proving that the right accelerator is a powerful catalyst for financial growth.

3. Driving job creation

Beyond sales and funding, a thriving accelerator has even broader impacts. At CASSINI, companies created 165 new full-time jobs in batch 2 alone. Beyond growing businesses, accelerators fuel economic growth by helping to create employment opportunities that benefit communities and entire industries.

4. Fostering diversity and inclusion

A truly impactful accelerator ensures that innovation is for everyone. Diversity is a key driver of creativity and success, and at CASSINI, 24% of new hires in batch 2 were women – marking an important step toward more diversity in the space industry. By fostering an inclusive environment, accelerators not only elevate businesses but also contribute to a more equitable innovation ecosystem.

5. Beyond the metrics

Numbers matter, yet, the real value of an accelerator goes deeper. The best programs focus on creating strong, supportive communities, offering lasting mentorship, and providing the foundation start-ups need to scale sustainably. It’s the intangible, long-term value that makes the difference between short-term success and lasting impact.

Business accelerators at their best

A business accelerator is only as good as the result it delivers. We’re talking revenue, investment, and job creation – the hard-hitting indicators of success. Through our partnership with CASSINI, Verhaert has shown that structured, results-driven programs are a game-changer for any start-up.

It’s about more than immediate wins. True success comes from fostering diversity and inclusion and providing long-term support that helps start-ups thrive for the long haul. These elements come together to create stronger, more resilient businesses capable of navigating marketing challenges.

At Verhaert Strategic Innovation, we’re dedicated to creating vibrant ecosystems where innovation can flourish. Where start-ups are empowered with the right tools, guidance, and supportive community they need to unlock their full potential. The goal isn’t just to hit milestones, it’s about shaping a journey that leads to lasting success and meaningful change in the world.

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Context

In all the excitement, it’s easy to forget that not everyone’s aware of the activities at OpenLab and what CASSINI actually is. So here is a quick recap and update for all our new readers:

What is OpenLab?

OpenLab is a division of Verhaert that focuses on creating multi-sided collaborations with universities, governments and other companies. A specialty of the team is supporting start-ups in the space tech scene from early stage to scale-up. This is however only a small task, as the team also focuses on technology transfer, utilizing tech from high-tech areas (fusion, space, and hopefully soon other domains as well) for products in other markets, and climate change resilience for governments. In short, OpenLab is a gateway for projects and innovation on company overarching topics to take place.

What is CASSINI?

The CASSINI Initiative (not to be mistaken for the CASSINI satellite from NASA that explored Saturn) is in essence the European (Commission’s) strategy for supporting new entrepreneurs in the space industry. It compiles lessons from past programs into a single, simple, clear strategy for European space tech entrepreneurship.

Innovation within the accelerator

The CASSINI Business Accelerator focuses on the more mature start-ups that already have a demonstrator on the market and are ready to build more business scaling teams. The challenge these space start-ups often face is that they remain within the engineering story and have difficulty transitioning from a technology builder to a product or service-selling company. This means having nailed down all processes from marketing, sales, communication and supply chain management, to production, assembly, QA and logistics. And that’s exactly where we offer support during the accelerator. Besides these internal processes, we also focus on getting to know the ins and outs of public buyers in other countries. Because let’s be honest, you can’t just grow you company by selling to your national government (not in Europe at least).

Connecting start-ups with large corporations

This program envisions generating sales and thus includes connecting to large corporations and understanding their needs, requests and partnership conditions. Here, we see different possibilities for both corporates and start-ups and how they can learn from each other.

1. Benefits in pushing pricing strategy

Start-ups, as they mature, need reliable suppliers that are accustomed to price discussions and production excellence improvements. Many larger space companies have been providing ESA-standard high-quality parts. Why should they not deliver similar subcomponents to start-ups but at a lower price? See how these start-ups push your own sales, operations and delivery processes to lower the cost and improve margins. Many existing space companies have embraced this approach already and as start-ups scale increase, volumes could be achieved previously unheard of.

2. Benefits in production management

Additionally, some start-ups might benefit from high-quality production management, project management approaches already well in place in industries like the automotive industry. For too long, the space industry has considered delays in delivery to be part of the way of working. In contrast, any day of delay entails hefty penalties within the automotive industry. The processes installed to make sure this doesn’t happen could be a new breeze in the processes of a (space) start-up trying to scale. Hence a consulting agreement with a non-space production company could be interesting to learn about these processes. Think of:

• BMW assisting Veoware/ Aerospacelab for the production
• Airbus (aviation division) for Isar Aerospace
• SAP and Spotify’s fast feature teams for Leanspace
• Viso.ai for earth observation start-ups

3. Benefits in co-development

A step further is co-development: a mutually beneficial agreement in terms of revenue sharing and IPR, building on the strengths of each of the teams and possibly in the facilities in place in larger companies.

4. Benefits in product scaling

Not to neglect is the current consolidation wave in the space ecosystem. The CASSINI Business Accelerator will bring forth some of Europe’s strongest scaling space companies. Others might need the (production) scale of a larger organization to achieve that growth. The benefit is mutual: Corporate venture teams could apply to the accelerator for further scaling, and M&A divisions could be interested in currently more independent teams looking to achieve scale.

We are researching these multiple points and looking forward to building bridges between industries to grow an intertwined network to in the future constitute a true space industry. If this has sparked your interest, our team is happy to take this further.

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How do you accelerate and scale solutions that help society adapt to climate change impacts? For this aim to work out successfully, you need to focus on creativity and base innovation on the industry, academic, society, governmental and environmental insights. Find out how open innovation is the core lever of this so-called quintuple-helix innovation framework from Mahmoud Rabie, Consultant OpenLab, and Yvette Plaisier, Manager Innovation Acceleration Services – Strategic Innovation.

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Thinking outside the box

Major scientific leaps are often made in extreme and high-tech environments, areas where ingenuity and ‘out-of-the-box thinking’ are crucial to make progress. However, technology transfer examples can be found virtually across every scientific and industrial area: from pharmaceutical and medical devices to alternative energy solutions, computing, transport, robotics, aerospace and many more. Huge technological breakthroughs are made by bright minds fueled by R&D money. These investments in top technological developments deliver amazing results, provide scientific insights and expand the so-called ‘body of knowledge’. And there’s a much bigger potential, let’s call it a challenge, linked to these developments.

How can the broad society benefit from all the knowledge created in these companies and universities? Luckily, the entrepreneurs are there to help! Amazing people, start-ups and innovators that see the opportunities are constantly striving to build cool value propositions.

Removing the technology transfer barriers

Hydrohm, for example, uses life support systems from space programs to create toilets that reduce water usage. Magics Technologies develops chip technology that can also be used to clean up nuclear disaster sites like the Fukushima reactor. Formula-1 race car technology is frequently transferred to normal cars, and just recently drug development methodologies created through fundamental academic research helped create the COVID-19 vaccines. These examples and so many others show the immense potential of technology transfer, using innovation beyond its initial goal. Sounds good, doesn’t it? But like most things in life, it’s not that easy.

There are many hurdles and barriers that block the flow of knowledge and value, the flow from initial technology to commercial or adjacent applications. While the benefits are clear and examples are everywhere, the process of transferring technology into something that is useful for other industries, does need some help. Providing that help is exactly what technology transfer initiatives and open innovation are all about, and also why Verhaert is so enthusiastic and thrilled about supporting it. Through various incubation programs, we provide funding, knowledge and support for companies that want to implement space technology in a product or service that will be used on earth.

Within any industry there are technologies that could provide significant competitive advantages in others, so why not have a look? Discover our incubation and technology transfer programs.

The post Why does technology transfer matter? appeared first on Verhaert Masters in Innovation.

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Space technology is a great opportunity to innovate and create a competitive edge in commercial services and products. In this webinar, Pieter Deleye, Manager Innovation Acceleration Services – Strategic Innovation, explains how the ESA Space Solutions Belgium initiative supports the integration in IoT, connectivity and AI within ports, cities and logistics with funding, ecosystems and expert mentors.

Interested in attending our ReThinking NewSpace webinar on March 29th together with Lambda-X, VITO and Aerospacelab? Sign up on the event page!

Watch the recording

View the presentation

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Screening and monitoring heart failure

Accurate and regular cardiac measurements are of paramount importance to treat and prevent cardiovascular diseases. That was the starting point of HeartKinetics to provide patients and healthcare professionals with safe and effective solutions for accurately monitoring heart health at all times. Based on research on astronaut cardiac function and its deconditioning in microgravity, HeartKinetics has developed its cardiac monitoring solution measuring small vibrations in these functions.

This has culminated in the launch of their OKCARDIO smartphone app, which allows measuring vital functions such as heart rate variability, the functioning of the valves, and gives an indication of overall heart strength. This enables doctors to conduct online consultations and make a rapid diagnosis of pulmonary and cardiac function. As soon as the patient data has been recorded, the doctor will have access to all of the vital cardiac information on a secure platform called KINO.pro.

ESA BIC alumni

HeartKinetics is a prime example of open innovation through technology transfer, using space technology in commercial start-ups. In 2019, it joined the ESA BIC program, which helped them to validate their product positioning and market access strategy, while also navigating the intricate regulatory requirements that are part of any medical device. This program is part of Verhaert’s overarching MyStartUp initiative, in which we set up and manage thematic open innovation programs to provide an ecosystem and support from top-notch experts.

In the past, HeartKinetics had already won the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) Inventor Award and was selected for the Alpha programme at WebSummit. This now culminates in a capital raise that will allow the company to usher in a next line of products and develop many facets of their current application. We’re proud to call them one of our most successful alumni. Congratulations!

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The innovation opportunities through earth observation are limitless. In this series we take a look at different application markets, how your company can benefit from it. In the last open innovation blog, we discussed agriculture, now we’re diving into the blue economy, the marine industry.

Reliable, up-to-date information

Monitoring water from space provides patterns and dynamics that aren’t noticeable from the ground. Combined with local data, which is only available on fixed locations on buoys or from piers, it could give valuable insights and learnings. Many tools and instruments have already been developed for the marine sector including ship detection and tracking, oil spill monitoring, harmful algae bloom monitoring, improving meteorological forecasting and harmonic models (wave prediction), offshore asset monitoring, and general maritime awareness.

More precision and more detailed in situ data would complement and augment these existing services. Especially because new activities in the blue economy, like off-shore energy and tourism, are growing fast. It would be a great opportunity for the EO industry to come out as the go-to technology to support sustainable development and awareness. Such actions could even make other industries look up at the marine sector and attract them to adopt similar practices.

Surface infrastructure update

More imagery leads to more data, unfortunately one peculiar property of the marine sector, is the lack of ICT infrastructure, and as a result also a lack of data coming from the surface. If the industry could accelerate more efficient data collection methods using the existing infrastructure (like vessels), EO data sets could be supplemented by local data. This would create better forecasting models, especially highly-interesting models for altimetry (measuring wave height), which also carries information on the surface ocean currents, and IUU marine activity tracking (illegal, unreported or unregulated fishing).

This requires a coordinated and collaborative effort from all stakeholders involved, from shipping and offshore companies, industry experts and EO service providers, to researchers, governments and policy makers. Because there are so many stakeholders, this transformation can be facilitated through open innovation, where an overarching party considers all goals and needs, and aligns necessary actions.

Possible applications

There’s still a lot of space for a bigger EO imagery market in the marine sector. To boost its success, the following outcomes should be aimed for:

• Inter- and extrasectoral collaboration between the marine sector and other entities that strive to conserve marine biodiversity and a low carbon footprint,
• A joint effort to collect data through in situ and remote sensing technologies to create better models for applications such as altimetry and forecasting,
• Policies and accessible real-time, high-resolution EO technologies working together to have a considerable effect on IUU marine activities,
• An efficient blue economy with a low environmental impact.

Earth observation satellites have been collecting valuable marine observation data since the 1970s. With the growing importance of reliable, current and local information of water on Earth, we should accelerate both the use of these datasets, as well as improve infrastructure to supplement and compare with fixed local stations. This expansion could be accelerated by policy and EO industry actions.

Discover solutions that have already been developed though our Copernicus Incubation start-ups.

Interested in EO funding opportunities? Visit CASSINI Hackathons.

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There’s an endless amount of opportunities in earth observation. How can it innovate your company? In this series we’ll look into specific opportunities for different markets. First up: agriculture!

Real-time crop insights

By collecting and combining data from local, real-time sources (from connected sensors on the ground) and EO data, the industry could generate a valuable data flow. This data can measure vegetation growth, water, air, nutrients, allowing farmers to learn from and respond to better prediction models. A good example of this is pesticide restrictions: after the new legislation, farmers had to change in pest and disease control. EO could bridge the gap between on the ground input and create more crop control.

Need for ready-to-use tools

While remote sensing technologies are slowly becoming more precise, the EO data value chain needs not adapted to better meet the needs of farmers, suppliers and other stakeholders. The currently too raw, hyperspectral, ‘scientific’ images and data need to be converted to standardized, intuitive, ready-to-use tools and interfaces.

Exactly this is already being organized through open innovation with industry experts, end users, researchers and start-ups. By defining the shared objectives and goals, the most compelling needs can be addressed, for both application and tools, as software and user interfaces. Through focused and organized transformation, we can make this transition.

Increasing the success rate

To increase the chances of success of earth observation or farming software providers, the suppliers should consider the following:

• Create tools that are easy to consult, avoid additional knowledge or skills to use EO data,
• Make sure EO data products are easy to integrate with existing infrastructure like farming equipment,
• Develop better, customized tools for planning and resource management,
• “Seeing is believing”: create fact-based operations and policies (including damage assessment, food transparency, etc.),
• Increase the amount of data available for improved forecasting quality and environmental assessment,
• Consider the opportunities of optimized imagery resolution, as it offers more options for agriculture in the future.

In conclusion, the historically experience-based agriculture industry could greatly benefit from EO. It allows farmers, seed providers and other stakeholders to approach crop production in a more reliable data-based approach. Although there are still some challenges in making this data available, early adopters, innovators and start-ups are already developing applications to bridge this gap.

Discover the already existing agricultural solutions from our Copernicus Incubation start-ups.

Visit CASSINI Hackathons for EO funding opportunities.

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